Human regulatory T cells readily undergo gene activation by a single wave of IL-2R or IL-7R signaling
T lymphocyte homeostasis depends in part on mechanisms to productively utilize available cytokines. Pulsing human regulatory T cells (Tregs) with IL-2 or IL-7 to generate a single wave of signaling promoted broad early gene transcription that was comparable to that induced by continuous IL-2 or IL-7. Moreover, IL-2R and IL-7R signaling in Tregs supported essentially equivalent early gene regulation. Collectively, these data reveal that limited engagement of IL-2R and IL-7R signaling is sufficient for accumulation of activated STAT5 in the nucleus of human Tregs that is functionally relevant by inducing gene transcription and protein expression. Such a mechanism, which is more prominent in human T cells, enhances cytokine receptor signaling in these cells to contribute toward their homeostasis.