FOXP3+ regulatory T cells and age‐related diseases

• Published in: The FEBS journal 2022-01, Vol.289 (2), p.319-335
• Main Authors: Deng, Biaolong, Zhang, Weiqi, Zhu, Yicheng, Li, Yangyang, Li, Dan, Li, Bin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; age‐related diseases; Aging; Aging - immunology; Aging - pathology; Autoimmune diseases; Autoimmune Diseases - immunology; Autoimmune Diseases - therapy; Autoimmunity; CD8 antigen; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Cytotoxicity; Drug delivery; Forkhead Transcription Factors - genetics; Forkhead Transcription Factors - immunology; Foxp3 protein; Homeostasis; Homeostasis - immunology; Humans; Immunity - genetics; Immunity - immunology; Immunoregulation; Immunosuppressive agents; Inflammation; Inflammation - immunology; Inflammation - therapy; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Neoplasms - immunology; Neoplasms - therapy; Pathogenesis; Peripheral blood; regulatory T cells; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; Treg‐based immune therapy
• ISSN: 1742-464X; 1742-4658
• DOI: 10.1111/febs.15743

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are critical for the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Dysregulation of Treg cells has been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmunity and chronic inflammation, while aging is characterized by an accumulation of inflammatory markers in the peripheral blood, a phenomenon known as ‘inflammaging’. The relationship between Treg cells and age‐related diseases remains to be further studied. Increasing evidence revealed that Treg cells’ dysfunction occurs in aged patients, suggesting that immune therapies targeting Treg cells may be a promising approach to treat diseases such as cancers and autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, drugs targeting Treg cells show encouraging results and contribute to CD8+ T‐cell‐mediated cytotoxic killing of tumor and infected cells. In general, a better understanding of Treg cell function may help us to develop new immune therapies against aging. In this review, we discuss potential therapeutic strategies to modify immune responses of relevance for aging to prevent and treat age‐related diseases, as well as the challenges posed by the translation of novel immune therapies into clinical practice. The dysregulation of Treg cells happens in aged patients, suggesting that immune therapies targeting Treg cells may be a promising approach. Furthermore, drugs targeting Treg cells show promising results. In this review, we discuss potential therapeutic strategies to modify immune responses that are of relevance for aging to prevent and treat age‐related diseases, as well as the challenges posed by the translation of novel immune therapies into clinical practice.