Immunomodulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota and metabolites on regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, in which the abnormal activation and proliferation of effector T cells play a pivotal role in its pathogenesis. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a unique subset of immune cells with immunosuppressive functions, which help to inhibit the differentiati...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1610254/full |
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| author | Xuan Xu Jingying Zhou Haihua Xie Ruhan Zhang Bowen Gu Li Liu Mi Liu Xiaorong Chang |
| author_facet | Xuan Xu Jingying Zhou Haihua Xie Ruhan Zhang Bowen Gu Li Liu Mi Liu Xiaorong Chang |
| author_sort | Xuan Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, in which the abnormal activation and proliferation of effector T cells play a pivotal role in its pathogenesis. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a unique subset of immune cells with immunosuppressive functions, which help to inhibit the differentiation and proliferation of effector T cells in RA and maintain immune tolerance. The interaction between gut microbiota and immune cells has long been a research hotspot in autoimmune diseases. Although gut microbiota metabolites are considered to regulate the host’s immune system as a bridge of the gut-joint axis, how gut microbiota acts on immunosuppressive Tregs remains unclear. This review summarizes that how the gut microbiota directly or indirectly (via metabolites) enhances the immunosuppressive capacity of Tregs. This enhancement is primarily achieved through pathways such as promoting the induction of Tregs, upregulating the expression of characteristic transcription factors of Tregs, and facilitating their secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, thereby ameliorating the inflammatory microenvironment and subsequently improving autoimmune conditions in RA. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d6e3323378664db3a3d43f68d296931a |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d6e3323378664db3a3d43f68d296931a2025-07-07T05:26:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-07-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.16102541610254Immunomodulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota and metabolites on regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritisXuan Xu0Jingying Zhou1Haihua Xie2Ruhan Zhang3Bowen Gu4Li Liu5Mi Liu6Xiaorong Chang7School of Acupuncture & Tuina and Rehabilitation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture & Tuina and Rehabilitation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture & Tuina and Rehabilitation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture & Tuina and Rehabilitation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture & Tuina and Rehabilitation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, ChinaThe First Affiliated Hospital, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture & Tuina and Rehabilitation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture & Tuina and Rehabilitation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, ChinaRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, in which the abnormal activation and proliferation of effector T cells play a pivotal role in its pathogenesis. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a unique subset of immune cells with immunosuppressive functions, which help to inhibit the differentiation and proliferation of effector T cells in RA and maintain immune tolerance. The interaction between gut microbiota and immune cells has long been a research hotspot in autoimmune diseases. Although gut microbiota metabolites are considered to regulate the host’s immune system as a bridge of the gut-joint axis, how gut microbiota acts on immunosuppressive Tregs remains unclear. This review summarizes that how the gut microbiota directly or indirectly (via metabolites) enhances the immunosuppressive capacity of Tregs. This enhancement is primarily achieved through pathways such as promoting the induction of Tregs, upregulating the expression of characteristic transcription factors of Tregs, and facilitating their secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, thereby ameliorating the inflammatory microenvironment and subsequently improving autoimmune conditions in RA.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1610254/fullgut microbiotametabolitesrheumatoid arthritisregulatory T cellsautoimmune |
| spellingShingle | Xuan Xu Jingying Zhou Haihua Xie Ruhan Zhang Bowen Gu Li Liu Mi Liu Xiaorong Chang Immunomodulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota and metabolites on regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis Frontiers in Immunology gut microbiota metabolites rheumatoid arthritis regulatory T cells autoimmune |
| title | Immunomodulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota and metabolites on regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_full | Immunomodulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota and metabolites on regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_fullStr | Immunomodulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota and metabolites on regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Immunomodulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota and metabolites on regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_short | Immunomodulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota and metabolites on regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis |
| title_sort | immunomodulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota and metabolites on regulatory t cells in rheumatoid arthritis |
| topic | gut microbiota metabolites rheumatoid arthritis regulatory T cells autoimmune |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1610254/full |
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