Harikrishna Naik Lavudi*, Nanibabu Badithi, Rachel Kochera and Madhumohan Rao Katika*

Department of Microbiology, StemRegenex Bio Pvt Ltd., Hyderabad, India

*Corresponding Author: Harikrishna Naik Lavudi and Madhumohan Rao Katika, Department of Microbiology, StemRegenex Bio Pvt Ltd., Hyderabad, India.

Received: March 30, 2026 Published: June 04, 2026

Abstract

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) arises from autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells in genetically susceptible individuals, leading to insulin deficiency. A key pathogenic factor is the breakdown of immune tolerance, compounded by dysfunction in regulatory T cells (Tregs). In T1D, Tregs exhibit impaired function, manifested by Foxp3 expression instability, aberrant proinflammatory cytokine production (e.g., IFN-γ), reduced suppressive capacity, and plasticity, contributing to disease progression. Targeting Treg stability, survival, and function is therefore a promising therapeutic strategy to restore immune tolerance. While polyclonal autologous Treg adoptive transfer has proven safe in clinical trials for recent-onset T1D, efficacy has been limited by key barriers: lack of antigen specificity for pancreatic targets, poor long-term persistence, difficulties in generating sufficient cell numbers, and inherent Treg defects in patients. Advanced genetic engineering offers solutions to overcome these hurdles. Strategies include enhancing FoxP3 expression for stability and expansion, engineering T cell receptors (TCRs) or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) for antigen-specific targeting, and modifying cytokine signalling to improve survival and function. Although these engineered Treg approaches hold significant preclinical promise across immune disorders, T1D presents distinct challenges and opportunities for clinical translation. This review examines the role of Tregs in T1D pathogenesis, the rationale and limitations of current Treg-based therapies, recent advances in engineered Treg strategies specifically for T1D, and key challenges for integrating these novel cell therapies into clinical practice.

Keywords: Type 1 Diabetes; Regulatory T Cells; FoxP3 Expression; Proinflammatory Cytokine Production, Chimeric Antigen Receptors

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Citation

Citation: Harikrishna Naik Lavudi and Madhumohan Rao Katika., et al. “Recent Advances and Evidence in Regulatory T Cell (Tregs) Based Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes". Acta Scientific Cancer Biology 10.3 (2026): 39-48.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Harikrishna Naik Lavudi and Madhumohan Rao Katika., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.