Importantly, CQ’s functional effect is T cell subset-specific; while it upregulates TREG differentiation and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression it downregulates TH17 differentiation and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, leading to significant protective effects in autoimmune diseases in a Nurr1-dependent manner, as evidenced by our in vivo analyses using the DSS-induced colitis mouse model. This evidence concerns the gene NR4A2 and autoimmune disease.