Regulatory T Lymphocytes: Three Decades with Odette-and-Odile in Human Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Responses of the immune system are controlled by regulatory mechanisms guided by specific immunoreactive and suppressive cellular compartments, including regulatory lymphocytes, macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. The first described immune cell population with regulatory properties was the regulatory T cells (Tregs), almost 30 years ago. Since the first report on their implication in the development of autoimmunity in experimental models, Tregs have attracted great research interest and have been proven pivotal players in any condition where the control of immune response may be critical.

In vivo and in vitro experiments have revealed their implication in the development and perpetuation of human disorders in the fields of autoimmunity, cancer, allergy, asthma, and others, and indicated their potential as possible therapeutic targets. Indeed, certain Treg subsets have entered clinical trials for possible use in adoptive T cell therapy, though with many obstacles that need to be overcome. On the other hand, studies on large clinical cohorts have suggested the ability of these cells to serve as prognostic biomarkers for patients’ survival and response to therapy. Furthermore, a series of studies were devoted to the development of methods and the identification of markers for their optimal assessment and evaluation of their function in humans and in mice.

In this commemorative Special Issue, we welcome submissions of research works on the involvement of Tregs in any human disorder where the immune microenvironment plays a key pathogenetic role, and/or on their capacity to enhance the diagnostic and therapeutic clinical armamentarium. 

Dr. Marianna Christodoulou
Guest Editor

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• Tregs
• autoimmunity
• cancer
• asthma
• transplantation
• allergy
• immunotherapy
• biomarker
• diagnostics

Title: T reg, Tolerance, and Immunomodulation: Impact on Lung Transplantation
Authors: Sara Franzi
Affiliation: Department of Medical Immunology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
Abstract: At present, lung transplantation is the treatment of choice for most end-stage lung diseases. Unfortunately, the prognosis is still relatively poor mainly due to the infection rates and chronic rejection, indeed the main cause remains chronic lung allograft disease (CLAD). Though most of the lymphocyte populations amplify the immune response, T regulatory cells act by impairing the development of immunogenic lymphocytes and promoting a tolerogenic environment. Recent studies in animal models of lung transplantation reported a crucial role of T regulatory cells in suppressing rejection and promoting tolerance. In this regard, Treg-based therapies represent powerful weapons to fight rejection and should be deeply investigated. In this review, we explored the recent literature to get more inside into the role of T regulatory cells in CLAD onset and to deepen the recent findings on the therapeutic approaches with a particular focus on Treg-targeted therapies.