Tissular Tregs: A unique population of adipose-tissue-resident Foxp3+CD4+ T cells that impacts organismal metabolism

Foxp3+CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells are a key population in controlling the immune response. Recently, their roles have been expanded to broader, non-immune, contexts, in particular the metabolic consequences downstream of obesity-induced inflammation, e.g. type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This review highlights the major innate and adaptive immune cell subsets contributing to adipose-tissue inflammation, the key role played by fat-resident Tregs, and the potential of Treg-based therapies for treatment of the metabolic syndrome.

• Inflammation is the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes.
• Innate and adaptive immune systems are implicated in obesity-induced pathology.
• Adipose tissue-resident regulatory T cells control metabolic parameters.