Understanding and therapeutically modulating the stability of regulatory T cells to treat inflammatory diseases

Forkhead box P3(FOXP3)~+regulatory T(Treg)cells are crucial for the homeostasis of the immune system,and harbor suppressive capacities of which are maintained by or inherited with distinct epigenetic signatures.The functional features of Treg cells are facilitated by multiple T cell differentiation-related transcription factors that therefore endow them with adaption capability to dynamic microenvironments.Recent studies also recalled the importance of immune cell metabolism,which is intimately linked with Treg cell differentiation,proliferation and function.Understanding the molecular mechanism underlying the functional stability of Treg cells could provide therapeutic opportunities to treat major human inflammatory diseases including infection,autoimmunity,allergy and cancer.