• Study of T cells interaction network involving in the cellular immune responses
  • Maryam Ziaei,1,* Mostafa Shakhsi-Niaei,2
    1. Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran
    2. Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran


  • Introduction: Cellular immunity is one of the most important parts from adaptive immune system that becomes mainly activated in response to the microbes and intracellular antigens. T lymphocytes play a central role in this type of response which are divided into three major subtypes including T helper (CD4+), T cytotoxic (CD8+) and T regulatory (CD4+ or CD8+). Dysregulation in this system can lead to different diseases; for example on one side, uncontrolled increased activity of T cells leads to autoimmune diseases and on the other side decreased activity of T cells leads to abnormal cell growth and cancer. The major subtype of T helper lymphocytes includes Th1, Th2, and Th17; which are usually involved in the various immune-related diseases. Imbalance of any type of them resulted in specific diseases. Differentiation of TH17 and Treg cells, as main modifiers of cellular immunity, are highly associated. This is due to the presence of sharing complex network of various transcription factors and cytokines in their differentiation pathway. In this pathway, when CD4+ naïve T cells in the presence of anti-inflammatory cytokines differentiate into T regulatory cells, TH17 differentiation is inhibited and vice versa. The imbalance between TH17 and Treg may lead to tissue-specific inflammation-related diseases; for example, an abnormal increase in TH17 function reduces Treg activity that can lead to Multiple sclerosis. Accurate recognition of various cytokines and transcription factors contributing to the differentiation process of TH17 and Treg cells will help us to better understand the mechanism of developing immune disease.
  • Methods: Therefore, in this review, we investigated the differentiation and proliferation pathway of TH17 and Treg cells, and related factors by study of different related articles and precise text mining. Here we have provided a network of different interactive factors of this pathway.
  • Results: The interpretation of this network highlighted different factors which can help us for better understanding of interaction mechanisms and therefore, suggest new targets for treatment of cancer or autoimmune diseases such as MS. For example, this network bold the role of some pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 or IL-17 which stimulate differentiation of inflammatory lymphocytes and some anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 which induce differentiation of regulatory lymphocytes.
  • Conclusion: In comparison with other networks, this network provides a complete illustration of different cytokines and transcription factors involved in the differentiation pathway of T cells. New therapeutic targets can be suggested with careful consideration of these factors for treatment of T-cell-related diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders.
  • Keywords: T regulatory lymphocyte , T helper 17 Lymphocyte , Immune system Balance , autoimmune disease