Table 1 Evidence that Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells have protective effects in mouse models of lupus

Depletion of CD4⁺CD25⁺ cells in (NZB × NZW)F1 hybrid mice accelerated the onset of glomerulonephritis [19]

CD4⁺CD25⁺ natural or thymus-derived CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ cells are decreased in young BWF1 and/or SNF1 mice before they develop glomerulonephritis [20, 21, 25]

Transfer of CD4⁺CD25⁺ cells from young lupus-prone mice have some protective effects on the development of the disease [18, 20]

Immunization of BWF1 and/or SNF1 mice with tolerogenic peptides induce Foxp3⁺CD4⁺ and/or Foxp3⁺CD8⁺ regulatory T cells that produce transforming growth factor beta and suppress the development of lupus [32–37]

The tolerogenic peptides generate tolerogenic transforming growth factor beta, producing plasmacytoid dendritic cells that expand both CD4 and CD8 regulatory T cells [32]