Abstract
Peripheral immune self-tolerance relies on protective mechanisms to control autoreactive T cells that escape deletion in the thymus. Suppression of autoreactive lymphocytes is necessary to avoid autoimmunity and immune cell-mediated damage of healthy tissues. An intriguing relationship has emerged between two mechanisms of peripheral tolerance-induction of anergy and Foxp3 (+) regulatory T (Treg) cells-and is not yet well understood. A subpopulation of autoreactive anergic CD4 T cells is a precursor of Treg cells. We now hypothesize that phenotypic and mechanistic features of Treg cells can provide insights to understand the mechanisms behind anergy-derived Treg cell differentiation. In this short review, we will highlight several inherent similarities between the anergic state in conventional CD4 T cells as compared with fully differentiated natural Foxp3 (+) Treg cells and then propose a model whereby modulations in metabolic programming lead to changes in DNA methylation at the Foxp3 locus to allow Foxp3 expression following the reversal of anergy.