A unique population of regulatory T cells in heart potentiates cardiac protection from myocardial infarction

Purpose: The aims of the study were to identify that transctiptome of heart Tregs was different from lymphoid organ Tregs. Methods: Tregs and conventional T cells (Tconvs) from injured hearts and paired lymphoid organs of the Foxp3-GFP transgenic mice were double-sorted by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) to generate RNA-sequence 7 days after myocaridal infarction (MI). Results: Transcriptional profiling revealed that the transcriptome of heart Tregs has unique characteristics when compared to lymphoid Tregs. mRNA profiles of injured heart Tregs and Tconvs, spleen Tregs and Tconvs, non-draining lymph node (NDLN) Tregs and Tconvs, and mediastinal lymph node (MLN) Tregs isolated from 8-week-old Foxp3-GFP mice 7 days post-MI.