title: TGF-β activation and function in immunity.
abstract: The cytokine TGF-β plays an integral role in regulating immune responses. TGF-β has pleiotropic effects on adaptive immunity, especially in the regulation of effector and regulatory CD4(+) T cell responses. Many immune and nonimmune cells can produce TGF-β, but it is always produced as an inactive complex that must be activated to exert functional effects. Thus, activation of latent TGF-β provides a crucial layer of regulation that controls TGF-β function. In this review, we highlight some of the important functional roles for TGF-β in immunity, focusing on its context-specific roles in either dampening or promoting T cell responses. We also describe how activation of TGF-β controls its function in the immune system, with a focus on the key roles for members of the integrin family in this process.
authors: Manchester Collaborative Center for Inflammation Research.
authors: Mark A
authors: MA
authors: Travis
authors: Dean
authors: D
authors: Sheppard
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology; D007109:Immunity / Q000502:physiology*; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016023:Integrins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta