title: Development and maintenance of regulatory T cells.
abstract: Regulatory T (Treg) cells are a developmentally and functionally distinct T cell subpopulation that is engaged in sustaining immunological self-tolerance and homeostasis. The transcription factor Foxp3 plays a key role in Treg cell development and function. However, expression of Foxp3 alone is not sufficient for conferring and maintaining Treg cell function and phenotype. Complementing the insufficiency, Treg-cell-specific epigenetic changes are also critical in the process of Treg cell specification, in regulating its potential plasticity, and hence in establishing a stable lineage. Understanding how epigenetic alterations and Foxp3 expression coordinately control Treg-cell-specific gene regulation will enable better control of immune responses by targeting the generation and maintenance of Treg cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Immunology, World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan. nohkura@ifrec.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Naganari
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohkura
authors.forename: Yohko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
mesh_terms: D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D057890:Epigenomics; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D018448:Models, Immunological; D017634:Self Tolerance / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors