Roles of the GARP protein in functions of regulatory T cells

获奖者确认GARP是一种激活的调节性T细胞(T-reg)特异性细胞表面蛋白。本研究利用T细胞系中高表达GARP的转基因小鼠和GARP缺陷小鼠，分析了GARP在自身免疫抑制中的调节作用及其分子机制。分析包括(1)GARP在T-regs分化和功能调节中的作用，(2)GARP调节T-reg功能的分子机制，(3)GARP在体内抑制自身免疫的作用，(4)GARP表达调控机制。本研究表明GARP通过TGFβ信号转导和GARP自身的表达调控在T-regs和Th17细胞的分化中起关键作用。

The awardee identified GARP as an activated regulatory T cell (T-reg)-specific cell surface protein. In this study, the role of GARP in the regulation of suppression of autoimmunity and its molecular mechanisms were analyzed by using transgenic mice overexpressing GARP in the T cell lineages and GARP-deficient mice. The analysis included (1) roles of GARP in the regulation of differentiation and functions of T-regs, (2) molecular mechanisms of regulation of T-reg functions by GARP, (3) roles of GARP in suppression of autoimmunity in vivo, and (4) mechanisms of expression regulation of GARP. The present study revealed that GARP plays critical roles in differentiation of T-regs and Th17 cells through TGFbeta signaling and expression regulation of GARP itself.