The Molecular Mechanisms Mediated by CD4⁺CD25⁺ Regulatory T Cells

Abstract: The crucial role of regulatory cells in self-tolerance and autoimmunity has been clearly established， and much focus has been placed on CD4⁺ CD25⁺ regulatory T cells， which comprise approximately 5%?5% of the peripheral CD4⁺ T cells in human and mice. The naturally occurring regulatory T cells are found to be functionally mature in the thymus， and exert suppression in a contact-dependent manner ex vivo. Some CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells can express regulatory activity selectively upon induction and in the context of particular environmental molecules such as cytokines through the activation of forkhead/winged helix transcription factor. Understanding the development and regulatory functions of CD4⁺CD25⁺ T regulatory cells may elucidate the etiology for loss of self-tolerance. This review will summarize the molecules involving in the regulatory mechanisms and functions of CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2006.04.0010