1995年，日本科学家坂口志文通过对小鼠的科学研究，突破这一主流认知，发现了一类细胞亚群，可阻止免疫系统攻击自身组织，从而维持免疫系统平衡、预防自身免疫疾病。这种能够调控外周免疫反应的细胞亚群被命名为调节T细胞。
图源：科普中国
另一方面，科学家们也尝试从患者体内提取免疫细胞，在体外通过基因工程技术为其安装“精准导航”，再回输至患者体内。这些细胞有望更有效地穿透肿瘤的免疫抑制屏障，精准清除癌细胞。自体Treg 细胞回输已经被证实能改善溃疡性结直肠炎和胆管炎疾病症状 ；而在1 型糖尿病（type 1 diabetes mellitus，T1DM）、系统性红斑狼疮等多种自身免疫疾病中进行的临床试验也证实，回输体外扩增的Treg 细胞在体内依然具有稳定的抑制能力并能够缓解组织炎症。
[1] Sakaguchi S, Sakaguchi N, Asano M, Itoh M, Toda M. Immunologic self-tolerance maintained by activated T cells expressing IL-2 receptor a-chains (CD25). Breakdown of a single mechanism of self-tolerance causes various autoimmune diseases. J Immunol. 1995:155:1151-1164.
[2]Brunkow ME, Jeffery EW, Hjerrild KA, Paeper B, Clark LB, Yasayko SA, Wilkinson JE, Galas D, Ziegler SF, Ramsdell F. Disruption of a new forkhead/winged-helix protein, scurfin, results in the fatal lymphoproliferative disorder of the scurfy mouse. Nat Genet. 2001:27:68- 73.
[3]Wildin RS, Ramsdell F, Peake J, Faravelli F, Casanova JL, Buist N, Levy-Lahad E, Mazzella M, Goulet O, Perroni L, Bricarelli FD, Byrne G, McEuen M, Proll S, Appleby M, Brunkow M. X-linked neonatal diabetes mellitus, enteropathy and endocrinopathy syndrome is the human equivalent of mouse scurfy. Nat Genet. 2001:27:18-20.
[4]Benne; CL, Christie J, Ramsdell F, Brunkow ME, Ferguson PJ, Whitesell L, Kelly TE, Saulsbury FT, Chance PF, Ochs HD. The immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked syndrome (IPEX) is caused by mutations of FOXP3. Nat Genet. 2001:27:20-21.
[5]Hori S, Nomura T, Sakaguchi S. Control of regulatory T cell development by the transcription factor Foxp3. Science. 2003:299:1057-1061.
