ABSTRACT
Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a critical role in inflammatory responses and maintenance of self-tolerance. Various Treg cell deficiencies have been detected in animal models of autoimmunity and patients with autoimmune disorders. While the exact molecular mechanisms of these defects remain insufficiently determined, therapies that improve the function and/or number of Treg cells in autoimmunity have shown promising results in preclinical and initial clinical trials. Two main strategies have been developed to re-establish Treg-mediated tolerance in individuals with autoimmune diseases: the adoptive transfer of in vitro expanded Treg cells and the in vivo expansion of Treg cells with immunomodulatory drugs that target specific molecules involved in Treg homeostasis.
