Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs), as an important subset of T cells, play an important role in maintaining body homeostasis by regulating immune responses and preventing autoimmune diseases. In-depth research finds that Tregs have strong instability and plasticity, and according to their developmental origin, Tregs can be classified into thymic-derived Tregs (tTregs), endogenous-induced Tregs (pTregs), which are produced by antigen-stimulated T cells in the periphery in vivo, and induced Tregs (iTregs), which differentiate from naïve T cells in vitro. In recent years, studies have found that Tregs are divided into lymphatic and tissue-resident Tregs according to their location. Research on the generation and function of lymphoid Tregs has been more comprehensive and thorough, but the role of tissue Tregs is still in the exploratory stage, and it has become a research hot spot. In this review, we discuss the instability and plasticity of Tregs and the latest developments of tissue-resident Tregs in the field of biology, including adipose tissue, colon, skeletal muscle, and other Tregs that have been recently discovered as well as their production, regulation, and function in specific tissues and their role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.
Highlights
In the early 1970s, Gershon and Kondo found a group of inhibitory cells in the spleen of mice [1], but the specific classification and marking of these cells were not clear until 1995, when research by Sakaguchi et al confirmed that a type of suppressive T cell subgroup highly expresses the cytokine interleukin- (IL-) 2 receptor alpha chain (CD25) and the transcription factor Foxp3, which is a member of the forkshaped transcription factor family [2], and named them regulatory T cells (Tregs)
Foxp3+ Receptor γt (RORγt)- accounted for approximately 50% of colonic Tregs, and their functions in the colon are not described in detail, but these cells might mediate tolerance of food antigens
Considering that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway plays an important role in wound healing and T cell function, to determine whether this pathway is involved in the process of Tregs to reduce woundrelated inflammation and promote skin repair, Nosbaum et al [58] used RT-qPCR to detect the expression of EGFR in Tregs isolated from skin-draining lymph nodes and skin before and after injury
Summary
In the early 1970s, Gershon and Kondo found a group of inhibitory cells in the spleen of mice [1], but the specific classification and marking of these cells were not clear until 1995, when research by Sakaguchi et al confirmed that a type of suppressive T cell subgroup highly expresses the cytokine interleukin- (IL-) 2 receptor alpha chain (CD25) and the transcription factor Foxp, which is a member of the forkshaped transcription factor family [2], and named them regulatory T cells (Tregs). Studies indicate that Tregs are unstable and plastic, and their phenotype and function change with the specific environment. A certain proportion of Tregs might lose Foxp expression and become unstable, or the expression of Foxp can be maintained, but its overall epigenetic characteristics change, such as the methylation of Foxp, which leads to reduced Foxp function and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. This is the reason for the abnormal plasticity observed in several autoimmune environments [3]. This article reviews the research progress in the production and regulation of tissue Tregs and its role in autoimmune diseases
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