Figure 2. IL-2 as a critical player in immune quorum sensing.
IL-2-producing T cells are “master regulators” of CD4+CD25+ TReg cells, as they are essential for the maintenance of IL-2-dependent TReg populations. Quorum-sensing is mediated by a negative feedback loop between TRegs and IL-2-producing T cells, as TRegs curb the number of IL-2-producing T cells. IL-2 is the quorum sensing autoinducer in this system.