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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Phenotypic and Functional Analysis of Activated Regulatory T Cells Isolated from Chronic Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus-infected Mice
Published on: June 22, 2016
Regulatory T cells in many flavors control asthma
A Ray1, A Khare, N Krishnamoorthy
1Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. raya@pitt.edu
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are key to controlling asthma. Inducible Tregs (iTregs) generated early in life may offer lifelong asthma protection by expanding the Treg pool.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Allergy Research
Background:
- Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are critical in managing allergic diseases like asthma.
- Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and interleukin (IL)-10 are key cytokines in Treg-mediated asthma suppression.
- Both naturally occurring Tregs (nTregs) and adaptive/inducible Tregs (iTregs) play roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the significance of nTregs and iTregs in asthma control from early life to adulthood.
- To explore the mechanisms of Treg function in the context of asthma.
- To discuss harnessing Treg potential for asthma prevention and progression limitation.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on Tregs and asthma.
- Analysis of cytokine involvement (TGF-beta, IL-10, IL-4, IL-6) in Treg induction.
- Discussion of the concept of infectious tolerance and iTreg expansion.
Main Results:
- iTregs hold significant promise for asthma prevention if induced early in life.
- An immature immune system in early life may present a window for generating allergen-specific iTregs.
- Infectious tolerance could facilitate the expansion of the iTreg pool.
Conclusions:
- Early-life induction of iTregs could lead to lifelong asthma regulation.
- Understanding Treg mechanisms is crucial for developing novel asthma therapies.
- Harnessing Tregs offers a promising avenue for limiting asthma development and progression.
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