Tissue resident regulatory T cells: novel therapeutic targets for human disease

Review

Cellular & Molecular Immunology advance online publication 20 April 2015; doi: 10.1038/cmi.2015.23

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Xiaohui Zhou^1,2,†, Jiayou Tang^3,†, Hao Cao³, Huimin Fan^1,2,3 and Bin Li⁴

1. ¹Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine
2. ²Shanghai Heart Failure Research Center
3. ³Department of Heart Failure, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine
4. ⁴Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Unit of Molecular Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Shanghai, 200120, China

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Abstract

Over the past decade, the ability of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to suppress multiple types of immune cells has received tremendous attention. Mounting evidence has revealed that tissue resident Tregs control non-immunological processes of their target tissues and contribute to a plethora of human diseases. The identification of novel tissue-specific Tregs has highlighted their heterogeneity and complexity. This review summarizes the recent findings for visceral adipose tissue CD4+Foxp3+regulatory T cells (VAT Tregs), muscle Tregs, bone Tregs and skin memory Tregs, with a focus on their unique functions in local tissues. This interpretation of the roles of tissue-specific Tregs and of their involvement in disease progression provides new insight into the discovery of potential therapeutic targets of human diseases.

Keywords: 

Regulatory T cells; Tissue Tregs; VAT Tregs; Muscle Repair; Areg; Tumor; Bone; Skin memory Tregs

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