title: Roles of transcription factors and epigenetic modifications in differentiation and maintenance of regulatory T cells.
abstract: Regulatory T (Treg) cells are an essential cell subset for the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Treg cells are characterized by a distinct pattern of gene expression, including the upregulation of immune-suppressive genes and the silencing of inflammatory genes. The molecular mechanisms involved in the development and maintenance of Tregs have been extensively investigated. We have identified essential transcription factors NR4a and Smad2/3 in the development of thymic Tregs and induced Tregs, respectively. This article reviews the roles of transcription factors in the differentiation, maintenance, and function of Treg cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. Electronic address: t-sekiya@z7.keio.jp.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sekiya
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakatsukasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Qianjin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. Electronic address: yoshimura@a6.keio.jp.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D057105:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D057105:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051900:Smad3 Protein
keywords: Clostridium species; DNA methylation; Foxp3; Regulatory T cell; TGF-β; Transcription factors