Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology and Cancer Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02215, USA.
Clin Immunol. 2011 Dec;141(3):244-52. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2011.08.011. Epub 2011 Aug 30.
Naturally occurring CD4+ T regulatory (Treg) cells are produced during maturation in the thymus and have a mandatory role in maintaining homeostasis and immune quiescence. Development and function of Treg cells depends on the transcription factor forkhead box P3 (Foxp3), which is necessary and sufficient for Treg cell function. Currently emerging evidence indicates Treg cells display molecular and functional heterogeneity and can be categorized into naïve and effector- or memory-like cells, which can produce effector cytokines supporting the idea that Treg cells retain plasticity. The role of Treg cells that acquire these properties remains unclear and is currently under intense investigation. In this review, we summarize recent advances on the differentiation of effector- or memory-like Treg cells, the impact of the cytokine milieu on the molecular and functional heterogeneity of Treg cells, and the clinical implications of the heterogeneity and specialization of Treg cells.
天然产生的 CD4+T 调节性（Treg）细胞在胸腺成熟过程中产生，在维持体内平衡和免疫静止方面发挥着强制性作用。Treg 细胞的发育和功能依赖于转录因子叉头框 P3（Foxp3），它是 Treg 细胞功能所必需的且充分的。目前涌现的证据表明 Treg 细胞表现出分子和功能的异质性，并可分为幼稚和效应或记忆样细胞，它们可以产生效应细胞因子，支持 Treg 细胞保持可塑性的观点。获得这些特性的 Treg 细胞的作用尚不清楚，目前正在深入研究中。在这篇综述中，我们总结了关于效应或记忆样 Treg 细胞分化、细胞因子微环境对 Treg 细胞分子和功能异质性的影响以及 Treg 细胞异质性和专业化的临床意义的最新进展。
