Comment
FOXP3 and GARP (LRRC32): the master and its minion
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* Corresponding author: Michael Probst-Kepper m.probst-kepper@klinikum-braunschweig.de
1 Institute for Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Städtisches Klinikum Braunschweig gGmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
2 Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
Biology Direct 2010, 5:8 doi:10.1186/1745-6150-5-8
Published: 5 February 2010Abstract
The transcription factor FOXP3 is essential for the development and function of CD4+CD25hiFOXP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells, but also expressed in activated human helper T cells without acquisition of a regulatory phenotype. This comment focuses on glycoprotein-A repetitions predominant (GARP or LRRC32) recently identified as specific marker of activated human Treg cells, which may provide the missing link toward a better molecular definition of the regulatory phenotype.
Reviewers: Dr Jim Di Danto, Dr Benedita Rocha and Dr Werner Solbach.