Beyond FoxP3-Identification of a Chicken Regulatory T Cell Signature.

ABSTRACT: Regulatory T cells (Tregs), defined by the lineage-specific transcription factor FoxP3, are crucial for immune regulation and have been studied extensively in mammals. However, avian Tregs remain poorly characterized, leaving gaps in our understanding of their evolutionary conservation and unique features. In this study, we investigated the phenotype of chicken Tregs to define reliable markers for their identification and characterization. We analyzed CD4⁺ splenocytes sorted into CD25^negative, CD25^low, and CD25^high subpopulations using RNA sequencing. FOXP3 and other Treg-associated genes were expressed in both CD25^low and CD25^high populations, showing that CD25 expression alone is insufficient to distinguish chicken Tregs.

SUBMITTER: Naumann I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12716188 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature