Vaccines · 16 authors, 19 centres
This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.
This narrative review summarizes evidence that regulatory T cells (Tregs) are crucial for controlling inflammation in COVID-19, but are often reduced or dysfunctional in severe cases, potentially contributing to poor prognosis and long COVID.
This narrative review synthesizes published findings on the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in COVID-19. It describes Tregs as immunosuppressive cells that limit excessive cytokine release, a major cause of mortality and morbidity in COVID-19. It also notes that Treg perturbations may persist in long COVID patients. The paper discusses therapeutic potential, citing reports that adoptive transfer of Tregs and low-dose IL-2 therapy have shown positive results in alleviating disease severity by reducing hyperinflammation. Limitations include the need for more research with standardized Treg characterization and larger patient cohorts, as the exact mechanisms and biphasic roles of Tregs during infection are not fully resolved.
