FOXP3 and necrotizing enterocolitis: Recent studies, performed in a neonatal mouse and rat model, have reported a delayed migration and a delayed ontogeny of Tregs in the intestinal tract and a reduced proportion of Foxp3+ Tregs in the intestinal mucosa.14,15 In humans, available evidence reported a reduced frequency of Tregs associated with confirmed NEC.6,16,17 In particular, patients with the active disease showed a reduction of Tregs as epiphenomenon of intestinal inflammation.16 However, there is no study evaluating the predisposing role of Tregs on the occurrence of NEC disease in preterm neonates.