title: Signals and pathways controlling regulatory T cells.
abstract: Induction of specific immune tolerance to grafts remains the sought-after standard following transplantation. Defined by expression of the Foxp3 (forkhead box protein 3) transcription factor, the regulatory T-cell (Treg) lineage has been noted to exert potent immunoregulatory functions that contribute to specific graft tolerance. In this review, we discuss the known signals and pathways which govern Treg development, both in the thymus and in peripheral sites, as well as lineage maintenance and homeostasis. In particular, we highlight the roles of T-cell receptor signaling, CD28 costimulation, and signals through phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and related metabolic pathways in multiple aspects of Treg biology.
authors: Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Alexandria
authors: A
authors: Huynh
authors: Ruan
authors: R
authors: Zhang
authors: Laurence A
authors: LA
authors: Turka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D015398:Signal Transduction; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: T cells; tolerance/suppression/anergy; transplantation