Citation Sun Y, Wang W, Shan B, Di J, Chen L, Ren L, Li W, Li D‐J, Lin Y. FTY720‐induced conversion of conventional Foxp3−CD4+ T cells to Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in NOD mice. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 66: 349–362
Problem FTY720 is known as an agonist of sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P) receptor, but little is known about the possibility that FTY720 induces the conversion of conventional Foxp3−CD4+ T cells to Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in non‐obese diabetic (NOD) mice.
Method of study FTY720 treatment was performed using Foxp3−CD4+ T cells purified from NOD mice.
Results FTY720 caused an increase in Foxp3+ Treg cells in lymphoid organs in NOD mice. FTY720 effectively induced Foxp3 expression in Foxp3−CD4+ T cells both in vitro and in vivo, an effect that was inhibited by a TGF‐β‐neutralizing antibody or the proinflammatory cytokine IL‐6. T‐cell‐mediated embryo rejection in NOD mice was prevented upon FTY720 treatment.
Conclusions The use of FTY720 along with Ag administration may represent a useful therapeutic strategy to selectively expand Ag‐specific Foxp3+ Tregs to intervene autoimmune and infectious diseases.