Table 1_Beyond Foxp3 and TSDR: a dual epigenetic lock framework for treg stability and plasticity.docx

This framework suggests that Treg stability emerges from the integration of durable lineage memory and dynamic functional regulation rather than from a single molecular determinant. Disruption of this balance may contribute to impaired immune tolerance in autoimmune diseases, whereas excessive reinforcement of suppressive regulatory programs may support tumor immune evasion. However, the extent to which these two epigenetic layers are mechanistically coupled remains unresolved.

Emerging approaches including single-cell multi-omics, spatial epigenomics, and targeted epigenome engineering provide opportunities to test whether the dual-lock architecture predicts Treg state transitions and therapeutic responsiveness. This framework also provides a conceptual basis for two complementary therapeutic strategies: reinforcing Treg stability for immune tolerance and selectively modulating tumor-associated Treg programs for cancer immunotherapy.</p>