Role of FoxP3+ Treg Cells Mediating Immune Suppression in Leprosy

Hansen’s disease commonly called leprosy is an infectious disease caused by M. leprae. Lepromatous leprosy is a generalized infection accompanied by T cell anergy towards M. leprae bugs with chronicity of lesions throughout the body [1]. The reason for unresponsiveness and T cells anergy against M. leprae antigens still remains a mystery. Recent studies have focused on regulatory T cells (Treg) as one of the foremen of all aspects of the immune response [2]. In this review, we have discussed the mechanism of Treg cells mediated immune suppression of M. leprae specific T cells and subsequently explained the epigenetic modification of FoxP3, which is the master regulator of Treg cells, during the course of progression from tuberculoid to lepromatous leprosy. This review aims at compiling and adding on to the knowledge about suppressor T cells mechanisms in leprosy, it also outlines an insight into manipulation of suppressor T cell function for overcoming disease manifestation.