Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 4, 2025

Adenoviral Transduction of Naive CD4 T Cells to Study Treg Differentiation
Published on: August 13, 2013
Regulatory T Cell-Derived TGF-β1 Controls Multiple Checkpoints Governing Allergy and Autoimmunity
Jacob A Turner1, Emmanuel Stephen-Victor1, Sen Wang1
1Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
None:
The mechanisms by which regulatory T (Treg) cells differentially control allergic and autoimmune responses remain unclear. We show that Treg cells in food allergy (FA) had decreased expression of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) because of interleukin-4 (IL-4)- and signal transducer and activator of transciription-6 (STAT6)-dependent inhibition of Tgfb1 transcription. These changes were modeled by Treg cell-specific Tgfb1 monoallelic inactivation, which induced allergic dysregulation by impairing microbiota-dependent retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma t (ROR-γt)+ Treg cell differentiation. This dysregulation was rescued by treatment with Clostridiales species, which upregulated Tgfb1 expression in Treg cells. Biallelic deficiency precipitated fatal autoimmunity with intense autoantibody production and dysregulated T follicular helper and B cell responses. These results identify a privileged role of Treg cell-derived TGF-β1 in regulating allergy and autoimmunity at distinct checkpoints in a Tgfb1 gene dose- and microbiota-dependent manner.
Related Concept Videos
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
TGF - β Signaling Pathway
Inflammatory Response
Inflammation can be triggered by various stimuli, such as impact, abrasion, chemical irritation, infections, and extreme hot or cold temperatures. These can damage cells and connective tissue fibers,...
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Special Features of Adaptive Immunity
The primary cell types involved in adaptive immunity are T cells and B cells. Each type has a unique role in defending the body against pathogens. T cells are responsible for cell-mediated immunity. They identify and eliminate infected cells directly,...

