Decision Letter: IL-18 Signaling Promotes Homing of Mature Tregs into the Thymus

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.