Rbpj expression in regulatory T cells is critical for restraining TH2 responses.

The transcriptional regulator Rbpj is involved in T-helper (TH) subset polarization, but its function in Treg cells remains unclear. Here we show that Treg-specific Rbpj deletion leads to splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy despite increased numbers of Treg cells with a polyclonal TCR repertoire. A specific defect of Rbpj-deficient Treg cells in controlling TH2 polarization and B cell responses is observed, leading to the spontaneous formation of germinal centers and a TH2-associated immunoglobulin class switch. The observed phenotype is environment-dependent and can be induced by infection with parasitic nematodes. Rbpj-deficient Treg cells adopt open chromatin landscapes and gene expression profiles reminiscent of tissue-derived TH2-polarized Treg cells, with a prevailing signature of the transcription factor Gata-3. Taken together, our study suggests that Treg cells require Rbpj to specifically restrain TH2 responses, including their own excessive TH2-like differentiation potential.

Citation

Michael Delacher, Christian Schmidl, Yonatan Herzig, Minka Breloer, Wiebke Hartmann, Fabian Brunk, Danny Kägebein, Ulrike Träger, Ann-Cathrin Hofer, Sebastian Bittner, Dieter Weichenhan, Charles D Imbusch, Agnes Hotz-Wagenblatt, Thomas Hielscher, Achim Breiling, Giuseppina Federico, Hermann-Josef Gröne, Roland M Schmid, Michael Rehli, Jakub Abramson, Markus Feuerer. Rbpj expression in regulatory T cells is critical for restraining TH2 responses. Nature communications. 2019 Apr 08;10(1):1621

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PMID: 30962454

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