Eos Mediates Foxp3-Dependent Gene Silencing in CD4+ Regulatory T Cells

CD4(+) regulatory T cells (T-regs) maintain immunological self-tolerance and immune homeostasis by suppressing aberrant or excessive immune responses. The core genetic program of T-regs and their ability to suppress pathologic immune responses depends on the transcription factor Foxp3. Despite progress in understanding mechanisms of Foxp3-dependent gene activation, the molecular mechanism of Foxp3-dependent gene repression remains largely unknown. We identified Eos, a zinc-finger transcription factor of the Ikaros family, as a critical mediator of Foxp3-dependent gene silencing in T-regs. Eos interacts directly with Foxp3 and induces chromatin modifications that result in gene silencing in T-regs. Silencing of Eos in T-regs abrogates their ability to suppress immune responses and endows them with partial effector function, thus demonstrating the critical role that Eos plays in T-reg programming.