Functional Analysis of Foxp3 and Its Mutants by Retroviral Transduction of Murine Primary CD4 T Cells.

The transcription factor Foxp3/FOXP3 orchestrates regulatory T (Treg) cell development and function by interacting with numerous target genes and partner proteins. Functional analysis of naturally occurring or engineered Foxp3/FOXP3 mutations has provided important insights into how the complex Foxp3/FOXP3-centered molecular network operates. Here, we describe detailed protocols for retroviral transduction of murine primary conventional CD4 T cells to determine the impacts of Foxp3 mutations on the Treg-cell-like phenotype and function conferred by Foxp3.