Foxp3+Regulatory T Cells in Mouse Models of Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract

Studies on human type 1 diabetes (T1D) are facilitated by the availability of animal models such as nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice that spontaneously develop autoimmune diabetes, as well as a variety of genetically engineered mouse models with reduced genetic and pathogenic complexity, as compared to the spontaneous NOD model. In recent years, increasing evidence has implicated CD4+CD25+regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing the transcription factor Foxp3 in both the breakdown of self-tolerance and the restoration of immune homeostasis in T1D. In this paper, we provide an overview of currently available mouse models to study the role of Foxp3+Treg cells in the control of destructiveβcell autoimmunity, including a novel NOD model that allows specific and temporally controlled deletion of Foxp3+Treg cells.