Control of Regulatory T Cell Development by the Transcription Factor Foxp3
Shohei Hori,1
Takashi Nomura,2
Shimon Sakaguchi12*
Regulatory T cells engage in the maintenance of
immunological self-tolerance by actively suppressing self-reactive
lymphocytes. Little is known, however, about the molecular mechanism of
their development. Here we show that Foxp3, which encodes a
transcription factor that is genetically defective in an autoimmune and
inflammatory syndrome in humans and mice, is specifically expressed in
naturally arising CD4+ regulatory T cells. Furthermore,
retroviral gene transfer of Foxp3 converts naïve T
cells toward a regulatory T cell phenotype similar to that of naturally
occurring CD4+ regulatory T cells. Thus, Foxp3
is a key regulatory gene for the development of regulatory T cells.
1 Laboratory of Immunopathology, Research
Center for Allergy and Immunology, Institute for Physical and Chemical
Research, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan.
2 Department of
Experimental Pathology, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto
University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
shimon{at}frontier.kyoto-u.ac.jp
