Dynamic expression of Id3 defines the stepwise differentiation of tissue-resident regulatory T cells

Foxp3+ regulatory T (TR) cells are phenotypically and functionally diverse, and broadly distributed in lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues. However, the pathways guiding the differentiation of tissue-resident TR populations have not been well defined. By regulating E-protein function, Id3 controls the differentiation of CD8+ effector T cells and is essential for TR maintenance and function. We show that dynamic expression of Id3 helps define three distinct mouse TR populations, Id3+CD62LhiCD44lo central (c)TR, Id3+CD62LloCD44hi effector (e)TR and Id3- eTR. Adoptive transfer experiments and transcriptome analyses support a stepwise model of differentiation from Id3+ cTR to Id3+ eTR to Id3- eTR. Furthermore, Id3- eTR have high expression of functional inhibitory markers and a transcriptional signature of tissue-resident TR. Accordingly, Id3- eTR are highly enriched in non-lymphoid organs, but virtually absent from blood and lymph. Thus, we propose that tissue-resident TR develop in a multi-step process associated with Id3 downregulation. Biological triplicates from three different populations in lymph node and spleen.