Regulatory T-cells in autoimmune diseases: Challenges, controversies and—yet—unanswered questions

• Published in: Autoimmunity reviews Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 105 - 116
• Main Authors: Grant, Charlotte R., Liberal, Rodrigo, Mieli-Vergani, Giorgina, Vergani, Diego, Longhi, Maria Serena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.02.2015
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Animals; Antigen-Presenting Cells - immunology; Autoimmune disease; Autoimmune Diseases - immunology; Autoimmune liver disease; Biomarkers - analysis; Cytokines - immunology; Humans; Inflammation - immunology; Regulatory T cells; Self-tolerance; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; PP; RR; T1D; Autoimmune disease; IBD; FACS; HS; Self-tolerance; Regulatory T cells; ADP; SLE; PBC; PLN; CSF; CTLA-4; ICOS; TIM-3; SP; AIH; PSC; AMP; MS; Tregs; CFSE; RA; Autoimmune liver disease; APC; IPEX; LAP; Foxp3/FOXP3; ATP; Primary biliary cirrhosis; Multiple sclerosis; Inducible co-stimulator; Primary sclerosing cholangitis; Cerebrospinal fluid; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Antigen presenting cell; Fluorescence activated cell sorting; Adenosine diphosphate; Forkhead box P3; Inflammatory bowel disease; Primary progressive; Rheumatoid arthritis; Secondary progressive; Healthy subjects; Latency associated peptide; T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-3; Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4; Relapsing remitting; Adenosine triphosphate; Adenosine monophosphate; Pancreatic draining lymph nodes; Immunodysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy X-linked; Type-1 diabetes; Autoimmune hepatitis; Carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester
• ISSN: 1568-9972; 1873-0183
• DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2014.10.012

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are central to the maintenance of self-tolerance and tissue homeostasis. Markers commonly used to define human Tregs in the research setting include high expression of CD25, FOXP3 positivity and low expression/negativity for CD127. Many other markers have been proposed, but none unequivocally identifies bona fide Tregs. Tregs are equipped with an array of mechanisms of suppression, including the modulation of antigen presenting cell maturation and function, the killing of target cells, the disruption of metabolic pathways and the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Treg impairment has been reported in a number of human autoimmune conditions and includes Treg numerical and functional defects and conversion into effector cells in response to inflammation. In addition to intrinsic Treg impairment, resistance of effector T cells to Treg control has been described. Discrepancies in the literature are common, reflecting differences in the choice of study participants and the technical challenges associated with investigating this cell population. Studies differ in terms of the methodology used to define and isolate putative regulatory cells and to assess their suppressive function. In this review we outline studies describing Treg frequency and suppressive function in systemic and organ specific autoimmune diseases, with a specific focus on the challenges faced when investigating Tregs in these conditions.