Repression of interferon regulatory factor-4 (IRF4) hyperactivation restricts murine lupus.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: He S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10200790 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Repression of interferon regulatory factor-4 (IRF4) hyperactivation restricts murine lupus.
He Shijun S Ding Huihua H Chen Li L Shen Yiwei Y Liu Yuting Y Zhu Fenghua F Yang Xiaoqian X Shen Nan N Lin Zemin Z Zuo Jianping J
Signal transduction and targeted therapy 20230522 1
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Project description:Polymorphisms in the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) are strongly associated in human genetic studies with an increased risk of developing the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus. However, the biological role of IRF5 in lupus pathogenesis, if any, is not known. In this study we show that IRF5 is absolutely required for disease development in the FcgRIIB-/-Yaa and FcgRIIB-/- lupus models. In contrast to IRF5-sufficient FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice, IRF5-deficient FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice do not develop lupus manifestations and have a phenotype comparable to wildtype mice. Strikingly, full expression of IRF5 is required for the development of autoimmunity, as IRF5-heterozygotes had dramatically reduced disease. One effect of IRF5 is to induce the production of the type I interferon IFN-gamma, a cytokine implicated in lupus pathogenesis. To address the mechanism by which IRF5 promotes disease, we evaluated FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice lacking the type I interferon receptor IFNAR1. Unlike the IRF5-deficient and IRF5-heterozygous FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice, IFNAR1-deficient FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice maintained a substantial level of residual disease. Furthermore, in FcgRIIB-/- mice lacking Yaa, IRF5-deficiency also markedly reduced disease manifestations, indicating that the beneficial effects of IRF5 deficiency in FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice are not due only to inhibition of the enhanced TLR7 signaling associated with the Yaa mutation. Overall, we demonstrate that IRF5 plays an essential role in lupus pathogenesis in murine models and that this is mediated through pathways beyond that of type I interferon production. The fact that even IRF5 heterozygous mice developed minimal disease makes IRF5 a particularly attractive therapeutic target. Serum samples from a total of 70 mice were run on the Utz Lab Whole Protein Autoantigen Array V1.0 (a single-color platform) in order to profile their autoantibodies against a library of autoimmune antigens. All samples were run once with no replicates. The samples consisted of the following groups: For data appearing in Figure 3D, illustrating that mice lacking IRF5 have their autoantibody levels significantly affected: R2Yaa IRF5+/+: 12 R2Yaa IRF5+/-: 11 R2Yaa IRF5-/-: 14 C57BL/6 ("WT" control): 13 Total mice (arrays) for this group: 50 For data appearing in Figure 6D, illustrating that mice lacking Ifnar1 do not have their autoantibody levels significantly affected: R2Yaa Ifnar+/+: 10 R2Yaa Ifnar-/-: 10 Total mice (arrays) for this group: 20
2009-09-09 | E-GEOD-17926 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multiple genetic risk factors, high levels of interferon alpha (IFN-?), and the production of autoantibodies against components of the cell nucleus. Interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is a transcription factor which induces the transcription of IFN-? and other cytokines, and genetic variants of IRF5 have been strongly linked to SLE pathogenesis. IRF5 functions downstream of Toll-like receptors and other microbial pattern-recognition receptors, and immune complexes made up of SLE-associated autoantibodies seem to function as a chronic endogenous stimulus to this pathway. In this paper, we discuss the physiologic role of IRF5 in immune defense and the ways in which IRF5 variants may contribute to the pathogenesis of human SLE. Recent data regarding the role of IRF5 in both serologic autoimmunity and the overproduction of IFN-? in human SLE are summarized. These data support a model in which SLE-risk variants of IRF5 participate in a "feed-forward" mechanism, predisposing to SLE-associated autoantibody formation, and subsequently facilitating IFN-? production downstream of Toll-like receptors stimulated by immune complexes composed of these autoantibodies.
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Project description:Polymorphisms in the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) are strongly associated in human genetic studies with an increased risk of developing the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus. However, the biological role of IRF5 in lupus pathogenesis, if any, is not known. In this study we show that IRF5 is absolutely required for disease development in the FcgRIIB-/-Yaa and FcgRIIB-/- lupus models. In contrast to IRF5-sufficient FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice, IRF5-deficient FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice do not develop lupus manifestations and have a phenotype comparable to wildtype mice. Strikingly, full expression of IRF5 is required for the development of autoimmunity, as IRF5-heterozygotes had dramatically reduced disease. One effect of IRF5 is to induce the production of the type I interferon IFN-gamma, a cytokine implicated in lupus pathogenesis. To address the mechanism by which IRF5 promotes disease, we evaluated FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice lacking the type I interferon receptor IFNAR1. Unlike the IRF5-deficient and IRF5-heterozygous FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice, IFNAR1-deficient FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice maintained a substantial level of residual disease. Furthermore, in FcgRIIB-/- mice lacking Yaa, IRF5-deficiency also markedly reduced disease manifestations, indicating that the beneficial effects of IRF5 deficiency in FcgRIIB-/-Yaa mice are not due only to inhibition of the enhanced TLR7 signaling associated with the Yaa mutation. Overall, we demonstrate that IRF5 plays an essential role in lupus pathogenesis in murine models and that this is mediated through pathways beyond that of type I interferon production. The fact that even IRF5 heterozygous mice developed minimal disease makes IRF5 a particularly attractive therapeutic target.
2009-09-09 | GSE17926 | GEO
Project description:CD8(+) T-cell development in the thymus generates a predominant population of conventional naive cells, along with minor populations of "innate" T cells that resemble memory cells. Recent studies analyzing a variety of KO or knock-in mice have indicated that impairments in the T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway produce increased numbers of innate CD8(+) T cells, characterized by their high expression of CD44, CD122, CXCR3, and the transcription factor, Eomesodermin (Eomes). One component of this altered development is a non-CD8(+) T cell-intrinsic role for IL-4. To determine whether reduced TCR signaling within the CD8(+) T cells might also contribute to this pathway, we investigated the role of the transcription factor, IFN regulatory factor 4 (IRF4). IRF4 is up-regulated following TCR stimulation in WT T cells; further, this up-regulation is impaired in T cells treated with a small-molecule inhibitor of the Tec family tyrosine kinase, IL-2 inducible T-cell kinase (ITK). In contrast to WT cells, activation of IRF4-deficient CD8(+) T cells leads to rapid and robust expression of Eomes, which is further enhanced by IL-4 stimulation. In addition, inhibition of ITK together with IL-4 increases Eomeso up-regulation. These data indicate that ITK signaling promotes IRF4 up-regulation following CD8(+) T-cell activation and that this signaling pathway normally suppresses Eomes expression, thereby regulating the differentiation pathway of CD8(+) T cells.
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Project description:Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease, which currently lacks specific diagnostic biomarkers. The diversity within the patients obstructs clinical trials but may also reflect differences in underlying pathogenesis. Our objective was to obtain protein profiles to identify potential general biomarkers of SLE and to determine molecular subgroups within SLE for patient stratification. Plasma samples from a cross-sectional study of well-characterized SLE patients (n = 379) and matched population controls (n = 316) were analyzed by antibody suspension bead array targeting 281 proteins. To investigate the differences between SLE and controls, Mann-Whitney U-test with Bonferroni correction, generalized linear modeling and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis were performed. K-means clustering was used to identify molecular SLE subgroups. We identified Interferon regulating factor 5 (IRF5), solute carrier family 22 member 2 (SLC22A2) and S100 calcium binding protein A12 (S100A12) as the three proteins with the largest fold change between SLE patients and controls (SLE/Control = 1.4, 1.4, and 1.2 respectively). The lowest p-values comparing SLE patients and controls were obtained for S100A12, Matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1) and SLC22A2 (padjusted = 3 × 10-9, 3 × 10-6, and 5 × 10-6 respectively). In a set of 15 potential biomarkers differentiating SLE patients and controls, two of the proteins were transcription factors, i.e., IRF5 and SAM pointed domain containing ETS transcription factor (SPDEF). IRF5 was up-regulated while SPDEF was found to be down-regulated in SLE patients. Unsupervised clustering of all investigated proteins identified three molecular subgroups among SLE patients, characterized by (1) high levels of rheumatoid factor-IgM, (2) low IRF5, and (3) high IRF5. IRF5 expressing microparticles were analyzed by flow cytometry in a subset of patients to confirm the presence of IRF5 in plasma and detection of extracellular IRF5 was further confirmed by immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS). Interestingly IRF5, a known genetic risk factor for SLE, was detected extracellularly and suggested by unsupervised clustering analysis to differentiate between SLE subgroups. Our results imply a set of circulating molecules as markers of possible pathogenic importance in SLE. We believe that these findings could be of relevance for understanding the pathogenesis and diversity of SLE, as well as for selection of patients in clinical trials.
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Project description:The pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is multifactorial, and the interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) play an important role. Autoantibodies formed in SLE target nuclear antigens, and immune complexes formed by these antibodies contain nucleic acid. These immune complexes can activate antiviral pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), resulting in the downstream activation of IRFs, which can induce type I interferon (IFN-I) and other inflammatory mediators. Genetic variations in IRFs have been associated with susceptibility to SLE, and current evidence supports the idea that these polymorphisms are gain of function in humans. Recent studies suggest that these genetic variations contribute to the break in humoral tolerance that allows for nucleic acid binding autoantibodies, and that the same polymorphisms also augment IFN-I production in the presence of these autoantibody immune complexes, forming a feed-forward loop. In this review, we will outline major features of the PRR/IRF systems and describe the role of the IRFs in human SLE pathogenesis.
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Project description:Interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) is a transcription factor that regulates gene expression during immunity. We hypothesized that IRF-1 plays a pivotal role in liver transplant (LTx) ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Mouse orthotopic LTx was conducted after 24 hours cold storage in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution in wildtype (WT) C57BL/6 and IRF-1 knockout (KO) mice. IRF-1 deficiency in liver grafts, but not in recipients, resulted in significant reduction of hepatocyte apoptosis and liver injury, as well as improved survival. IRF-1 mRNA up-regulation was typically seen in graft hepatocytes in WT-->WT LTx. Deficiency of IRF-1 signaling in graft resulted in significantly reduced messenger RNA (mRNA) levels for death ligands and death receptors in hepatocytes, as well as decreased caspase-8 activities, indicating that IRF-1 mediates death ligand-induced hepatocyte death. Further, a smaller but significant IRF-1 mRNA up-regulation was seen in WT graft nonparenchymal cells (NPC) and associated with interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) mRNA up-regulation exclusively in NPC. IFN-gamma mRNA was significantly reduced in IRF-1 KO graft. Thus, IRF-1 in graft hepatocytes and NPC has distinct effects in hepatic I/R injury. However, LTx with chimeric liver grafts showed that grafts lacking hepatocellular IRF-1 had better protection compared with those lacking IRF-1 in NPC. The study identifies a critical role for IRF-1 in liver transplant I/R injury.
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Project description:OBJECTIVE:The inflammasome complex is a driver of organ damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although type I interferons (IFNs) are well established as mediators of SLE pathogenesis, their role in inflammasome activation in SLE has not been assessed. The aim of this study was to examine type I IFNs as regulators of the inflammasome. METHODS:SLE patients fulfilled ?4 American College of Rheumatology criteria and were recruited from the University of Michigan Lupus Cohort. Primary monocytes were isolated from SLE patients or healthy controls by negative selection, treated with inflammasome activators in the presence or absence of IFN?, and IL-1? secretion was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression levels of IFN and inflammasome-related molecules were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. IFN regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) expression was specifically down-regulated by small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection and a chemical inhibitor. RESULTS:Monocytes from patients with SLE exhibited increased expression and enhanced activation of the inflammasome by ATP when compared with control monocytes. Expression of inflammasome and IFN-regulated genes was significantly correlated in monocytes from SLE patients but not in control monocytes. Inflammasome activity was increased after prolonged exposure to IFN?. Reduction of IRF-1 expression via siRNA blocked caspase 1 up-regulation after treatment with IFN?. Importantly, hyperactivity of the inflammasome in the monocytes of SLE patients was significantly reduced after knockdown or inhibition of IRF-1. CONCLUSION:Prolonged type I IFN exposure, as seen in SLE patients, primes monocytes for robust inflammasome activation in an IRF-1-dependent manner. IRF-1 inhibition may serve as a novel target for treatment of SLE-associated inflammation and organ damage.
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Project description:Interferon Regulatory Factors (IRFs) play fundamental roles in dendritic cell (DC) differentiation and function. In particular, IRFs are critical transducers of TLR signaling and dysregulation in this family of factors is associated with the development of autoimmune disorders such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). While several IRFs are expressed in DCs their relative contribution to the aberrant phenotypic and functional characteristics that DCs acquire in autoimmune disease has not been fully delineated. Mice deficient in both DEF6 and SWAP-70 (= Double-knock-out or DKO mice), two members of a unique family of molecules that restrain IRF4 function, spontaneously develop a lupus-like disease. Although autoimmunity in DKO mice is accompanied by dysregulated IRF4 activity in both T and B cells, SWAP-70 is also known to regulate multiple aspects of DC biology leading us to directly evaluate DC development and function in these mice. By monitoring Blimp1 expression and IL-10 competency in DKO mice we demonstrate that DCs in these mice exhibit dysregulated IL-10 production, which is accompanied by aberrant Blimp1 expression in the spleen but not in the peripheral lymph nodes. We furthermore show that DCs from these mice are hyper-responsive to multiple TLR ligands and that IRF4 plays a differential role in in these responses by being required for the TLR4-mediated but not the TLR9-mediated upregulation of IL-10 expression. Thus, DC dysfunction in lupus-prone mice relies on both IRF4-dependent and IRF4-independent pathways.
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