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Trafficking of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells: myths and facts

Abstract.

Fork head box P3 (FoxP3+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) are specialized T cells for prevention of hyperimmune responses and autoimmunity. Tumors and pathogens can hijack FoxP3+ Tregs to evade host immune responses. There is an increasing body of evidence that trafficking of FoxP3+ Tregs is important for their effective suppression of target cells. Because of their distinctive functions and gene expression phenotype, the migratory behavior of FoxP3+ Tregs has been somewhat mystified. The myths are that they have unique trafficking receptors and migratory behaviors that are different from those of conventional T cells. Another related myth is that FoxP3+ regulatory T cell subsets have a fixed trafficking behavior from the time they are generated in the thymus. The recent progress in trafficking receptors and migratory behavior of FoxP3+ Tregs is reviewed here and the validity of these myths is examined.

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Abbreviations

2° LT:

secondary lymphoid tissues

non-LT:

non-lymphoid tissues

PP:

Peyer’s patches

IPEX:

immunodeficiency polyendocrinopathy enteropathy X-linked syndrome

Tregs:

regulatory T cells

FoxP3:

Fork head box P3

DP:

double positive

SP:

single positive

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Correspondence to Chang H. Kim.

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Kim, C.H. Trafficking of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells: myths and facts. Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. 55, 151 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00005-007-0024-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00005-007-0024-8

Keywords:

  • FoxP3
  • regulatory T cells
  • migration
  • chemokine receptor
  • integrin
  • selectin