Decision Letter: IL-18 Signaling Promotes Homing of Mature Tregs into the Thymus
May 2020
Studysummary In this study, researchers identified IL18R+ thymus-resident regulatory T cells in mice, demonstrating their unique molecular features and resistance to age- and stress-induced thymus involution, highlighting IL18 signaling's role in Treg migration and retention. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study identified a novel population of mature thymic regulatory T cells (Tregs) marked by IL-18R, which are resistant to age or irradiation-induced thymic involution. These IL-18R+ Tregs were shown to recirculate to the thymus, a process facilitated by IL-18R signaling that induces CCR6 expression. The research provided detailed gene expression analysis, flow cytometry, and cell transfer experiments to support these findings. The study highlighted the significance of IL-18/IL-18R axis in Treg recirculation and suggested potential roles in regulating new Treg development and tissue homeostasis. The authors revised the manuscript to clarify terminology and broaden the discussion for a wider audience.
