The Role of Regulatory T Cells in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

oleh: Wen Tian, Wen Tian, Shirley Y. Jiang, Xinguo Jiang, Xinguo Jiang, Rasa Tamosiuniene, Dongeon Kim, Torrey Guan, Siham Arsalane, Siham Arsalane, Shravani Pasupneti, Norbert F. Voelkel, Qizhi Tang, Mark R. Nicolls, Mark R. Nicolls

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-08-01

Deskripsi

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic, incurable condition characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling, perivascular inflammation, and right heart failure. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) stave off autoimmunity, and there is increasing evidence for their compromised activity in the inflammatory milieu of PAH. Abnormal Treg function is strongly correlated with a predisposition to PAH in animals and patients. Athymic Treg-depleted rats treated with SU5416, an agent causing pulmonary vascular injury, develop PAH, which is prevented by infusing missing CD4+CD25highFOXP3+ Tregs. Abnormal Treg activity may also explain why PAH disproportionately affects women more than men. This mini review focuses on the role of Tregs in PAH with a special view to sexual dimorphism and the future promise of Treg therapy.