Regulatory T cells

Definition

Regulatory T cells, often abbreviated as Tregs, are a specialized subset of T cells that play a crucial role in maintaining immune tolerance and preventing autoimmune responses. They help control and suppress the immune response to prevent excessive inflammation and ensure that the immune system does not attack the body's own tissues. By regulating other immune cells, Tregs are essential for maintaining homeostasis within the adaptive immune response.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Regulatory T cells are characterized by the expression of the transcription factor FoxP3, which is essential for their development and function.
2. They can be classified into two main types: natural Tregs, which develop in the thymus, and induced Tregs, which differentiate from naive T cells in peripheral tissues.
3. Tregs exert their suppressive effects through several mechanisms, including the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10 and TGF-β.
4. A deficiency or dysfunction of regulatory T cells can lead to autoimmune diseases, where the immune system attacks the body's own cells.
5. Research into Tregs is crucial for developing therapies for autoimmune disorders, transplant rejection, and enhancing cancer immunotherapy by modulating immune responses.

Review Questions

• How do regulatory T cells maintain immune tolerance and prevent autoimmune diseases?
  • Regulatory T cells maintain immune tolerance by suppressing the activation and proliferation of other immune cells that could potentially attack the body’s own tissues. They achieve this through various mechanisms such as releasing inhibitory cytokines like IL-10 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), which dampen immune responses. By controlling other T cells, especially effector T cells, regulatory T cells ensure that the immune system is properly balanced, preventing excessive inflammation that could lead to autoimmune diseases.
• What are the distinct types of regulatory T cells, and how do they differ in their development?
  • There are primarily two types of regulatory T cells: natural regulatory T cells (nTregs) and induced regulatory T cells (iTregs). nTregs develop in the thymus and play a key role in maintaining self-tolerance from an early stage. In contrast, iTregs are generated from naive CD4+ T cells in peripheral tissues under specific conditions that promote their differentiation, often in response to certain cytokines. This distinction highlights different pathways through which the body maintains immune regulation.
• Evaluate the potential therapeutic implications of manipulating regulatory T cell functions in treating autoimmune diseases and cancer.
  • Manipulating regulatory T cell functions presents significant therapeutic potential for both autoimmune diseases and cancer treatment. In autoimmune conditions, enhancing Treg activity could help restore balance to the immune system by preventing excessive inflammatory responses. Conversely, in cancer therapy, inhibiting regulatory T cell functions may enhance anti-tumor immunity by allowing effector T cells to better attack cancerous cells. Ongoing research aims to develop strategies for selectively targeting Treg activity to achieve these outcomes while minimizing adverse effects on overall immune function.

Related terms

T helper cells: A subset of T cells that help activate and regulate other immune cells, including B cells and cytotoxic T cells, playing a central role in the adaptive immune response.

Autoimmunity:

A condition resulting from an inappropriate immune response where the body's immune system mistakenly targets and attacks its own tissues.

Cytokines:

Signaling molecules produced by immune cells that mediate and regulate immunity, inflammation, and hematopoiesis, including those involved in the function of regulatory T cells.