Molecular orchestration of differentiation and function of regulatory T cells
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
Abstract
During the last decade, a unique mechanism of negative regulation of immune responses and inflammation by a dedicated population of so-called regulatory T cells (Treg) has become a focus of intensive investigation. Through the discovery of transcription factor Foxp3 as a central molecular determinant of differentiation and function of Treg cells, the complex biology of these cells, including maintenance of immunological tolerance to “self” and regulation of immune responses to pathogens, commensals, and tumors, has become amenable to mechanistic studies. In this review, we discuss the molecular aspects of Treg cell lineage commitment, maintenance, and function.
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Footnotes
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↵1 Correspondence.
E-MAIL rudenska{at}mskcc.org; FAX (646) 888-3160.
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↵2 E-MAIL lul{at}mskcc.org; FAX (646) 888-3160.
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Article is online at http://www.genesdev.org/cgi/doi/10.1101/gad.1791009.
- Copyright © 2009 by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press