Natural Treg in autoimmune diabetes: all present and correct?
BACKGROUND
The critical role for regulatory T cells (Treg) in suppressing autoimmune pathology is now well recognised. However, the extent to which defects in regulation can be blamed for the onset of diseases like type 1 diabetes is not clear.


OBJECTIVE
To collate the available data from mouse models and from studies of type 1 diabetes patients, with a view to understanding the status of the natural Treg compartment in this disease setting.


CONCLUSIONS
Available evidence suggests that natural Treg are not under-represented in type 1 diabetes, and that Treg function is only likely to be suboptimal in a subset of patients. Emerging therapeutic strategies that attempt to exploit our knowledge of Treg biology to restore effective immune regulation in type I diabetes are discussed.
University of Birmingham Medical School, Medical Research Council Centre for Immune Regulation, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. L.S.Walker@bham.ac.uk
Lucy S K
LS
Walker
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000737:chemistry; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D008954:Models, Biological; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D051381:Rats; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D000941:Antigens; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D007328:Insulin; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit