Stability and plasticity of regulatory T cells in health and disease.
Contreras-Castillo, E., García-Rasilla, V. Y., García-Patiño, M. G., & Licona-Limón, P. (2024). Stability and plasticity of regulatory T cells in health and disease. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 116(1), 33?53. https://doi.org/10.1093/jleuko/qiae049
The mechanisms that negatively regulate inflammation upon a pathogenic stimulus are crucial for the maintenance of tissue integrity and organ function. T regulatory cells are one of the main drivers in controlling inflammation. The ability of T regulatory cells to adapt to different inflammatory cues and suppress inflammation is one of the relevant features of T regulatory cells. During this process, T regulatory cells express different transcription factors associated with their counterparts, Th helper cells, including Tbx21, GATA-3, Bcl6, and Rorc. The acquisition of this transcription factor helps the T regulatory cells to suppress and migrate to the different inflamed tissues. Additionally, the T regulatory cells have different mechanisms that preserve stability while acquiring a particular T regulatory cell subtype. This review focuses on describing T regulatory cell subtypes and the mechanisms that maintain their identity in health and diseases.