Nr4a Receptors Regulate Development and Death of Labile Treg Precursors to Prevent Generation of Pathogenic Self-Reactive Cells

Regulatory T (Treg) cells develop from a self-reactive, CD4-single positive (CD4SP) precursor cell pool. Thus, Treg-fated developing thymocytes are expected to possess the potential to generate pathogenic self-reactive cells. However, no such pathogenic conversion has been observed, indicating mechanisms of defense to prevent such a deleterious event. Here, we show that, after the initial developmental phase, the Nr4a family of nuclear receptors promotes the development of Treg cells by cooperating with other Treg cell developmental machineries, as well as by forming a reinforcing loop with Foxp3. Nr4a-deficient Treg-fated thymocytes survive and can elicit autoimmunity, highlighting their roles in elimination of developing Treg precursors that fail to complete their development. Our findings reveal that the defective development of Treg-fated thymocytes is a potential route for the generation of pathogenic self-reactive cells, which is normally suppressed by Nr4a factors at both developmental and cell death levels. Sekiya et al. find that developing precursors of Treg cells are a labile population compared to mature Treg cells and can convert to pathogenic self-reactive cells. They show that Nr4a family nuclear receptors prevent this pathogenic conversion of Treg precursors at the level of both development and cell death.