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TNF receptor 2 signaling prevents DNA methylation at the Foxp3 promoter and prevents pathogenic conversion of regulatory T cells.

ABSTRACT: Regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing the transcription factor Foxp3 play an important role in maintaining immune homeostasis. Chronic inflammation is associated with reduced Foxp3 expression, function, and loss of phenotypic stability. Previous studies have established the importance of TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) in the generation and/or activation of Treg cells. In this study, we assess the importance of TNFR2 in healthy mice and under inflammatory conditions. Our findings reveal that, in health, TNFR2 is important not only for the generation of Treg cells, but also for regulating their functional activity. We also show that TNFR2 maintains Foxp3 expression in Treg cells by restricting DNA methylation at the Foxp3 promoter. In inflammation, loss of TNFR2 results in increased severity and chronicity of experimental arthritis, reduced total numbers of Treg cells, reduced accumulation of Treg cells in inflamed joints, and loss of inhibitory activity. In addition, we demonstrate that, under inflammatory conditions, loss of TNFR2 causes Treg cells to adopt a proinflammatory Th17-like phenotype. It was concluded that TNFR2 signaling is required to enable Treg cells to promote resolution of inflammation and prevent them from undergoing dedifferentiation. Consequently, TNFR2-specific agonists or TNF1-specific antagonists may be useful in the treatment of autoimmune disease.

SUBMITTER: Tseng WY

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6815167 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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TNF receptor 2 signaling prevents DNA methylation at the <i>Foxp3</i> promoter and prevents pathogenic conversion of regulatory T cells.

Tseng Wen-Yi WY Huang Yi-Shu YS Clanchy Felix F McNamee Kay K Perocheau Dany D Ogbechi Joy J Luo Shue-Fen SF Feldmann Marc M McCann Fiona E FE Williams Richard O RO

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20191009 43

Regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing the transcription factor Foxp3 play an important role in maintaining immune homeostasis. Chronic inflammation is associated with reduced Foxp3 expression, function, and loss of phenotypic stability. Previous studies have established the importance of TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) in the generation and/or activation of Treg cells. In this study, we assess the importance of TNFR2 in healthy mice and under inflammatory conditions. Our findings reveal that, in health, T ...[more]

PMID: 31597740

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Project description:BackgroundPhysical activity is associated with improvement in lung function; however, pollution exposure during physical activity can lead to a transient reduction in lung function. This paradoxical relationship may be linked to altered T regulatory (Treg) cell activity, which increases with exercise and suppresses airway inflammation, but decreases in association with exposure to air pollution. To clarify these relationships, we investigated buccal cell DNA methylation of the forkhead box p3 (FOXP3) gene promoter, a proposed biomarker of Treg activity. We hypothesized that active urban children would have lower FOXP3 promoter methylation, associated with better lung function compared to non-active children. We also hypothesized that this relationship would be attenuated by high exposure to the air pollutant black carbon (BC).MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional study of 135 children ages 9-14 who live in New York City. Activity was measured across 6 days. BC exposure was assessed by personal monitors worn for two 24-h periods, followed by lung function assessment. Buccal swabs were collected for DNA methylation analysis of three regions (six CpG sites) in the FOXP3 promoter.ResultsIn multivariable regression models, overall, there was no significant relationship between physical activity and FOXP3 promoter methylation (p?>?0.05). However, in stratified analyses, among children with higher BC exposure (?1200 ng/m3), physical activity was associated with 2.37% lower methylation in promoter 2 (CpGs -77, -65, and -58) (?estimate?=?-2.37%, p?<?0.01) but not among those with lower BC exposure (?estimate?=?0.54%, p?>?0.05). Differences across strata were statistically significant (pinteraction?=?0.04). Among all children, after controlling for BC concentration, promoter 2 methylation was associated with reduced FEV1/FVC (?estimate?=?-0.40%, p?<?0.01) and reduced FEF25-75% (?estimate?=?-1.46%, p?<?0.01).ConclusionsPhysical activity in urban children appeared associated with lower FOXP3 promoter methylation, a possible indicator of greater Treg function, under conditions of high BC exposure. Reduced FOXP3 promoter methylation was associated with higher lung function. These findings suggest that physical activity may induce immunologic benefits, particularly for urban children with greater risk of impaired lung function due to exposure to higher air pollution. FOXP3 promoter buccal cell methylation may function as a useful biomarker of that benefit.

Project description:Under physiological conditions, CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing the transcription factor Foxp3 are generated in the thymus [thymus-derived Foxp3+ Treg (tTregs) cells] and extrathymically at peripheral sites [peripherally induced Foxp3+ Treg (pTreg) cell], and both developmental subsets play non-redundant roles in maintaining self-tolerance throughout life. In addition, a variety of experimental in vitro and in vivo modalities can extrathymically elicit a Foxp3+ Treg cell phenotype in peripheral CD4+Foxp3- T cells, which has attracted much interest as an approach toward cell-based therapy in clinical settings of undesired immune responses. A particularly notable example is the in vitro induction of Foxp3 expression and Treg cell activity (iTreg cells) in initially naive CD4+Foxp3- T cells through T cell receptor (TCR) and IL-2R ligation, in the presence of exogenous TGF-?. Clinical application of Foxp3+ iTreg cells has been hampered by the fact that TGF-?-driven Foxp3 induction is not sufficient to fully recapitulate the epigenetic and transcriptional signature of in vivo induced Foxp3+ tTreg and pTreg cells, which includes the failure to imprint iTreg cells with stable Foxp3 expression. This hurdle can be potentially overcome by pharmacological interference with DNA methyltransferase activity and CpG methylation [e.g., by the cytosine nucleoside analog 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC)] to stabilize TGF-?-induced Foxp3 expression and to promote a Foxp3+ iTreg cell phenotype even in the absence of added TGF-?. However, the molecular mechanisms of 5-aza-dC-mediated Foxp3+ iTreg cell generation have remained incompletely understood. Here, we show that in the absence of exogenously added TGF-? and IL-2, efficient 5-aza-dC-mediated Foxp3+ iTreg cell generation from TCR-stimulated CD4+Foxp3- T cells is critically dependent on TGF-?R and IL-2R signaling and that this process is driven by TGF-? and IL-2, which could either be FCS derived or produced by T cells on TCR stimulation. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the process of Foxp3 induction and may provide a rational basis for generating phenotypically and functionally stable iTreg cells.

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TNF receptor 2 signaling prevents DNA methylation at the Foxp3 promoter and prevents pathogenic conversion of regulatory T cells.

Publications

TNF receptor 2 signaling prevents DNA methylation at the <i>Foxp3</i> promoter and prevents pathogenic conversion of regulatory T cells.

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