Mechanisms of T regulatory cell function

Regulatory T cells (Treg) play a pivotal role in tolerance to self-antigens and tissue grafts, and suppression of autoimmune reactions. These cells modulate the intensity and quality of immune reactions through attenuation of the cytolytic activities of reactive immune cells. Treg cells operate primarily at the site of inflammation where they modulate the immune reaction through three major mechanisms: a) direct killing of cytotoxic cells through cell-to-cell contact, b) inhibition of cytokine production by cytotoxic cells, in particular interleukin-2, c) direct secretion of immunomodulatory cytokines, in particular TGF-beta and interleukin-10. In addition to differential contributions of these mechanisms under variable inflammatory conditions, mechanistic complexity and diversity evolves from the diverse tasks performed by various Treg cell subsets in different stages of the immune reaction. Here we attempt to integrate the current experimental evidence to delineate the major suppressive pathways of Treg cells.