Plasticity of T reg at infected sites

Regulatory T cells (T reg) control an array of immune responses both in the context of various polarized settings as well as in distinct microenvironments. This implies that maintenance of peripheral homeostasis relies on the capacity of T reg to appropriately adapt to these defined settings while sustaining a regulatory program in the face of inflammation. Adaptation of T reg is particularly critical in tissues constantly exposed to microbes, such as the gut or the skin, or in the context of exposure to pathogenic microbes. Recent evidence supports the idea that the capacity of T reg to control defined polarized settings can be associated with the acquisition of specific transcription factors previously associated with effector T-cell lineages. In this review we will discuss how such adaptation of T reg can have a major role in the control of host-microbe interaction.