What is it about?
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are crucial for controlling autoimmunity and combating cancer. However, optimizing their function for clinical use remains a challenge. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating Treg cell differentiation and function is therefore essential for developing new therapeutic strategies. The Andrabi et al, identifies a novel lincRNA, LIRIL2R, which modulates Treg cell function by controlling FOXP3 expression and the suppressive function of human Treg cells by regulating IL2RA. Notably, LIRIL2R regulates IL2RA expression by influencing the epigenetic landscape of the IL2RA locus, expanding our knowledge of lincRNA-mediated epigenetic regulation of Treg cell differentiation. These findings shift the paradigm from a protein-centric view toward an RNA-based perspective in modulating Treg function. The results highlight lincRNAs as potent modulators to enhance and regulate Treg function and improve their stability, facilitating their production for therapeutic use.
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Why is it important?
While lincRNAs are an important class of molecules regulating diverse cellular processes, their role in controlling Treg differentiation is still at intial stages. Understanding these mechanisms is paramount due to the central role Tregs play in immune regulation and their implications in cancer and autoimmune diseases. Deeper insights into lincRNA-mediated regulation of Treg cell function present significant opportunities to modulate Treg function thereby improving efforts to address dysregulated immune responses. Identifying specific lincRNAs and modulating their expression offers a targeted approach to fine-tune Treg responses. Given that these lincRNAs are expressed specifically in certain contexts, their modulation provides a basis for developing precision medicine treatments for autoimmune diseases and cancer. This discovery opens new therapeutic approaches for controlling the human immune response.
Perspectives
Long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) are increasingly recognized as critical regulators of human T cell differentiation. However, their specific contributions to Treg cell differentiation and function represent a rapidly evolving field of research. This study unveils a novel layer of gene regulation that extends beyond the traditional protein-centric perspective, underscoring the intriguing potential of lincRNAs in orchestrating Treg cell differentiation and function. Understanding the precise mechanisms by which lincRNAs influence Treg function is crucial, given the central role of Tregs in immune regulation and their implications in diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders. Identifying and manipulating specific lincRNAs could fine-tune Treg responses, promising innovative therapeutic strategies.
Syed Bilal Ahmad Andrabi
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Long noncoding RNA LIRIL2R modulates FOXP3 levels and suppressive function of human CD4
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regulatory T cells by regulating IL2RA, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, May 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315363121.
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