Nuclear receptors: TH17 cell control from within

IL-17 producing T helper (TH17) cells have recently been identified as a new subset involved in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases. Exogenous factors promoting TH17 induction have been intensely characterized, whereas the T cell-intrinsic mechanisms influencing TH17 development are less established. The transcription factor RORγt, which belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily, serves as master transcription factor essential for TH17 differentiation, whereas other members of the nuclear receptor family control TH17 differentiation and contribute to protection from TH17-mediated autoimmunity. In this review, we will highlight the most recent understandings about the regulatory function of nuclear receptors during TH17 cell differentiation.