Gene expression profiling of in vivo derived induced and natural FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in the mouse

ABSTRACT: The relative contribution of induced and natural Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (iTreg and nTreg cells, respectively) to the maintenance of tolerance is unknown. We examined their respective roles by in vivo adoptive transfer immunotherapy of newborn Foxp3-deficient BALB/c mice. Survival, weight gain, tissue infiltration, T cell activation, and the concentration of proinflammatory cytokines were used as outcome measurements. Treatment with iTreg cells alone was not successful. While effective in preventing death, treatment with nTreg cells alone was associated with chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. Outcomes markedly improved when conventional T (Tconv) cells were transferred together with the nTreg cells, where 10% of the peripheral Treg cell pool was derived by in-situ conversion. This enhancement depended upon the capacity of Tconv cells to express Foxp3. The gene expression profile of in vivo derived iTreg cells was similar to the established nTreg cell genetic signature. These results identify iTreg cells as an essential regulatory subset that supplements tolerance maintained by nTreg cells. Purified cells sorted by flow cytometry from 4-8 treated mice(pooled EGFP+ Thy1.1+ iTreg cells with that of EGFP+ Thy1.1+ nTreg cells sorted from the spleens and lymph nodes of treated mice) were used to generate total RNA for each iTreg and nTreg array set, which was labeled and hybridized to Affymetrix 430 2.0 GeneChips in accordance to the manufacturer’s protocol. Three sets of arrays were performed, and the results were averaged. Both iTreg and nTreg array sets were compared to a) naïve CD4+EGFP– Tconv cells from Foxp3EGFP mice and b) in vitro derived iTreg cells 72 hours after Foxp3 induction, generated earlier. The subset of probe sets whose expression increased or decreased by twofold or more relative to Tconv cells as a common standard was identified and used for further analysis. Naïve CD4+EGFP– Tconv cells from Foxp3EGFP mice and in vitro derived iTreg cells 72 hours after Foxp3 induction datasets obtained from GSE14415: Naïve CD4+EGFP– Tconv cells from Foxp3EGFP mice: GSM360171 - GSM360173 In vitro derived iTreg cells 72 hours after Foxp3 induction: GSM360147 - GSM360151

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

SUBMITTER: Martin Hessner 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-19512 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress