title: Role of TGF-β3 in the regulation of immune responses.
abstract: Transforming growth factor-betas (TGF-βs) are multifunctional cytokines that have been implicated in the regulation of a broad range of biological processes, including cell proliferation, cell survival, and cell differentiation. The three isoforms identified in mammals, TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3, have high sequence homology, bind to the same receptors, and show similar biological functions in many in vitro studies. However, analysis of the in vivo functions of the three isoforms and mice deficient for each cytokine reveals striking differences, illustrating their unique biological importance and functional non-redundancy. Although increasing evidence suggests that TGF-β1 and, to a lesser extent, TGF-β2 play an integral role in maintaining immune tolerance, the immunological role of TGF-β3 has not been carefully evaluated. Recent studies have focused on the multifunctional role of TGF-β3. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of TGF-β3 in immunity, with comparison to TGF-β1 and -β2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo; and Max Planck-The University of Tokyo Center for Integrative Inflammology, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komai
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan. kfujio-tky@umin.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Keishi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujio
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3