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The aryl hydrocarbon receptor is required for the maintenance of liver-resident natural killer cells.

ABSTRACT: A tissue-resident population of natural killer cells (NK cells) in the liver has recently been described to have the unique capacity to confer immunological memory in the form of hapten-specific contact hypersensitivity independent of T and B cells. Factors regulating the development and maintenance of these liver-resident NK cells are poorly understood. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor modulated by exogenous and endogenous ligands that is important in the homeostasis of immune cells at barrier sites, such as the skin and gut. In this study, we show that liver-resident NK (NK1.1⁺CD3^-) cells, defined as CD49a⁺TRAIL⁺CXCR6⁺DX5^- cells in the mouse liver, constitutively express AhR. In AhR^-/- mice, there is a significant reduction in the proportion and absolute number of these cells, which results from a cell-intrinsic dependence on AhR. This deficiency in liver-resident NK cells appears to be the result of higher turnover and increased susceptibility to cytokine-induced cell death. Finally, we show that this deficiency has functional implications in vivo. Upon hapten exposure, AhR^-/- mice are not able to mount an NK cell memory response to hapten rechallenge. Together, these data demonstrate the requirement of AhR for the maintenance of CD49a⁺TRAIL⁺CXCR6⁺DX5^- liver-resident NK cells and their hapten memory function.

SUBMITTER: Zhang LH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5068230 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The aryl hydrocarbon receptor is required for the maintenance of liver-resident natural killer cells.

Zhang Luhua H LH Shin June Ho JH Haggadone Mikel D MD Sunwoo John B JB

The Journal of experimental medicine 20160926 11

A tissue-resident population of natural killer cells (NK cells) in the liver has recently been described to have the unique capacity to confer immunological memory in the form of hapten-specific contact hypersensitivity independent of T and B cells. Factors regulating the development and maintenance of these liver-resident NK cells are poorly understood. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor modulated by exogenous and endogenous ligands that is important in the homeostasi ...[more]

PMID: 27670593

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Project description:BACKGROUND & AIMS:The role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in liver fibrosis is controversial because loss and gain of AhR activity both lead to liver fibrosis. The goal of this study was to investigate how the expression of AhR by different liver cell types, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in particular, affects liver fibrosis in mice. METHODS:We studied the effects of AhR on primary mouse and human HSCs, measuring their activation and stimulation of fibrogenesis using RNA-sequencing analysis. C57BL/6J mice were given the AhR agonists 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) or 2-(1'H-indole-3'-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE); were given carbon tetrachloride (CCl4); or underwent bile duct ligation. We also performed studies in mice with disruption of Ahr specifically in HSCs, hepatocytes, or Kupffer cells. Liver tissues were collected from mice and analyzed by histology, immunohistochemistry, and immunoblotting. RESULTS:AhR was expressed at high levels in quiescent HSCs, but the expression decreased with HSC activation. Activation of HSCs from AhR-knockout mice was accelerated compared with HSCs from wild-type mice. In contrast, TCDD or ITE inhibited spontaneous and transforming growth factor ?-induced activation of HSCs. Mice with disruption of Ahr in HSCs, but not hepatocytes or Kupffer cells, developed more severe fibrosis after administration of CCl4 or bile duct ligation. C57BL/6J mice given ITE did not develop CCl4-induced liver fibrosis, whereas mice without HSC AhR given ITE did develop CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. In studies of mouse and human HSCs, we found that AhR prevents transforming growth factor ?-induced fibrogenesis by disrupting the interaction of Smad3 with ?-catenin, which prevents the expression of genes that mediate fibrogenesis. CONCLUSIONS:In studies of human and mouse HSCs, we found that AhR prevents HSC activation and expression of genes required for liver fibrogenesis. Development of nontoxic AhR agonists or strategies to activate AhR signaling in HSCs might be developed to prevent or treat liver fibrosis.

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The aryl hydrocarbon receptor is required for the maintenance of liver-resident natural killer cells.

Publications

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor is required for the maintenance of liver-resident natural killer cells.

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