Transcriptional regulation and development of regulatory T cells

A better understanding of the T cells that keep the immune system in check is needed to realize the therapeutic promise of these cells. Wonyong Lee and Gap Ryol Lee from Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea, review the major discoveries, active research topics, and open questions about what controls the development of regulatory T cells. These immune cells grow in the thymus and elsewhere in the body from precursor cells that can also give rise to conventional helper T cells. It has long been known that a transcription factor called Foxp3 is crucial for determining the fate of precursor cells. In recent years, however, a number of other proteins have also been implicated in regulatory T cell differentiation. Teasing out this developmental pathway could lead to new cell-based treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.