Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and their therapeutic potential against autoimmune disorders – Advances and challenges

Abstract

Autoimmune diseases are caused when immune cells act against self-protein. This biological self–non-self-discrimination phenomenon is controlled by a distinct group of lymphocytes known as regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are key inflammatory response regulators and play a pivotal role in immune tolerance and homeostasis. Treg-mediated robust immunosuppression provides self-tolerance and protection against autoimmune diseases. However, once this system fails to operate or poorly operate, it leads to an extreme situation where immune system reacts against self-antigens and destroys host organs, thus causing autoimmune diseases. Tregs can target both innate and adaptive immunity via modulating multiple immune cells such as neutrophils, monocytes, antigen-presenting cells, B cells, and T cells. This review highlights the Treg-mediated immunosuppression, role of several markers and their interplay during Treg development and differentiation, and advances in therapeutic aspects of Treg cells to reduce severity of autoimmunity-related conditions along with emphasizing limitations and challenges of their usages.

Association of Dietary Inflammatory Potential with Blood Inflammation: The Prospective Markers on Mild Cognitive Impairment

“…Evidence indicates lower lymphocytes are highly associated with stroke [47]. The higher level of lymphocytes within a normal range plays a vital role in immune tolerance and homeostasis [48].…”

NLR’s Analogs with Young Blood Cells in Monitoring of Toxicity of Long-Term Preventing Immunosuppression in the Liver Transplant’s Recipients

“…There is a parallel between the prognostic advantage of NLR test with young blood cells and domination of immature lymphocytes' protein markers in the liver tissue (Figure 3). An increased number of subpopulations of "T-regulatory cell" (T-reg) in both the blood and in the liver transplant do not support the generally accepted immune explanation of the role of lymphopoiesis in physiology and pathology of mammals [28], partially, an "operational tolerance", a phenomenon that is believed to occur due to suppression of the immune rejection by Treg. A recent approach to reduce donor-specific alloreactivity to liver transplant, using a regulatory T-cell (Treg) as a specific immunosuppressive subpopulation [29], meets a logic objection.…”

A Novel GMP Protocol to Produce High-Quality Treg Cells From the Pediatric Thymic Tissue to Be Employed as Cellular Therapy

“…The mechanisms they use to suppress the different immune cells can be considered direct when the Treg themselves are the ones that provoke a response directly on the target cell, or indirect, in which another cell or molecule is affected, leading to the suppression of the target cell ( 5 ). The crucial role of Treg in preventing the hyperactivation of the immune system has been confirmed in transplanted adults ( 6 ) and children ( 7 – 9 ), GVHD ( 10 ), Crohn’s disease ( 11 ) and other autoimmune disorders ( 12 – 14 ). Therefore, a therapeutic strategy based on Treg cells could offer excellent results in the prevention or treatment of these diseases to significantly increase their number in circulation and enhance the intrinsic mechanisms of tolerance in these patients.…”