Zfp335 establishes neonatal immune tolerance through safeguarding effector Treg lineage commitment and maintenance [RNA-seq]

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are crucial for maintaining peripheral immune tolerance and preventing destructive autoreactive responses, but how heterogeneous Treg populations establish tolerant status remains unclear. Here, we found that Zinc finger protein 335 (Zfp335) is indispensable for the differentiation and maintenance of effector Treg (eTreg) population and immunological self-tolerance in neonates.Mice with Zfp335 deletion in Treg cells exhibit early-onset autoimmune disease with severe inflammation in multiple organs and unrestricted activation and expansion of conventional T cells. Examination of CD4+YFP+CD25+ Tregs from the lymph nodes of WT and Zfp335 deficient mice