Regulatory T Cells and Acute Lung Injury: Cytokines, Uncontrolled Inflammation, and Therapeutic Implications

Acute respiratory distress syndrome/acute lung injury (ALI) was described in 1967. The uncontrolled inflammation is a central issue of the syndrome. The regulatory T cells (Tregs), formerly known as suppressor T cells, are a subpopulation of T cells. Tregs indirectly limits immune inflammation-inflicted tissue damage by employing multiple mechanisms and creating the appropriate immune environment for successful tissue repair. And it plays a central role in the resolution of ALI. Accordingly, for this review, we will focus on Treg populations which are critical for inflammatory immunity of ALI, and the effect of interaction between Treg subsets and cytokines on ALI. And then explore the possibility of cytokines as beneficial factors in inflammation resolution of ALI.