Homeostatic, repertoire and transcriptional relationships between colon T regulatory cell subsets

Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the colon are key to promoting peaceful co-existence with symbiotic microbes. Differentiated in either thymic or peripheral locations, and modulated by microbes and other cellular influencers, colonic Treg subsets have been identified through key transcription factors (TF; Helios, Rorg, Gata3, cMaf), but their inter-relationships are unclear. Here, we perform genomic analysis of colonic lamina propria Tregs with conditional KOs of each of these TFs to better understand how each TF contributes to colonic Treg identity and function. Mouse CD4+ regulatory Tregs from WT or Treg-specific conditional TF KO (Gata3, Ikzf2, cMaf, Rorc) littermate control mice were isolated from colonic lamina propria by FACS for scATAC-seq using 10x Genomics.