Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The transcription factor FOXP3 is critical for development and function of regulatory T cells (Treg). Their number and functioning appears to be crucial in the prevention of autoimmunity and allergy, but also to be a negative prognostic marker for various solid tumors. Although expression of the transcription factor FOXP3 currently constitutes the best‐known marker for Treg, in humans, transient expression is also observed in activated non‐Treg. Extending our recent findings for the murine <jats:italic>foxp3</jats:italic> locus, we observed epigenetic modification of several regions in the human <jats:italic>FOXP3</jats:italic> locus exclusively occurring in Treg. Importantly, activated conventional CD4<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> T cells and TGF‐β‐treated cells displayed no <jats:italic>FOXP3</jats:italic> DNA demethylation despite expression of FOXP3, whereas subsets of Treg stable even upon extended <jats:italic>in vitro</jats:italic> expansion remained demethylated. To investigate whether a whole set of genes might be epigenetically imprinted in the Treg lineage, we conducted a genome‐wide differential methylation hybridization analysis. Several genes were found displaying differential methylation between Treg and conventional T cells, but none beside <jats:italic>FOXP3</jats:italic> turned out to be entirely specific to Treg when tested on a broad panel of cells and tissues. We conclude that <jats:italic>FOXP3</jats:italic> DNA demethylation constitutes the most reliable criterion for natural Treg available at present.</jats:p>