Regulatory T cells: the future of autoimmune disease treatment

ABSTRACT

Introduction: CD4 + T regulatory cells (Tregs) have been described as the most potent immunosuppressive cells in the human body. They have been found to control autoimmunity, and clinical attempts have been made to apply them to treat autoimmune diseases. Some specific pathways utilized by Tregs in the regulation of immune response or Tregs directly as cellular products are tested in the clinic.

Areas covered: Here, we present recent advances in the research on the biology and clinical applications of Tregs in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Expert opinion: Regulatory T cells seem to be a promising tool for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The development of both cell-based therapies and modern pharmacotherapies which affect Tregs may strongly improve the treatment of autoimmune disorders. Growing knowledge about Treg biology together with the latest biotechnology tools may give an opportunity for personalized therapies in these conditions.

KEYWORDS:

• Tolerance
• regulatory T cells
• autoimmune diseases
• cell-based therapies
• clinical immunology
• biomarkers

Article highlights

1. The immune system homeostasis is crucial for its proper function. Any abnormality may lead to the development of a wide range of diseases – from autoimmune to tumors.

2. In autoimmune diseases, Tregs are compromised at the quantitative and/or qualitative level. The observed defective function involves the inability of regulatory T cells to inhibit the activation and proliferation of effector.

3. Tregs cell-based therapies seem to be a promising and successful approach for the autoimmune diseases.

4. Apart from cell-based therapies, modern pharmacotherapies which affects Tregs may importantly improve the treatment of autoimmune disorders. These are histone deacetylase inhibitors, p38 MAPK inhibitors, and IL-2-based therapies.

5. The possibility to successfully modulate the immune system to facilitate tolerance development in autoimmune diseases is one of the top achievement of modern immunology.

Acknowledgments

The study was supported by National Centre for Research and Development, Poland (grant no STRATEGMED1/233368/1/NCBR/2014).

Declaration of interest

P Trzonkowski is a co-inventor of the patent related to the presented content and stakeholder of POLTREG venture. The Medical University of Gdańsk received payment for the license to presented content. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.