Generation of RORγt+ antigen-specific T regulatory 17 (Tr17) cells from Foxp3+ precursors in autoimmunity
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE103319 | GEO | 2017/08/31
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA401655
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Foxp3-expressing regulatory (Treg) T cells are essential for immunological tolerance, where loss of this transcription factor leads to uncontrolled T cell responses and their associated clinical presentation of systemic autoimmunity in mice and humans. Importantly, Foxp3+ Tregs result from different origins and are either generated in the thymus (tTreg) or from conventional CD4+ T cells in the periphery (pTreg). In addition, Treg cells may adopt specific effector Treg phenotypes, reflecting the diversity of functional demands in the different tissues of the body. Here, we report that Foxp3+ T cells expressing the Th17 master transcription factor, RORγt, represent a stable effector Treg lineage that is specifically enriched in intestinal organs and gut-associated lymphoid tissues in mice possessing a complex microbial microflora. Simultaneous expression of Foxp3 and RORγt promotes the transcription of both Treg- and Th17-associated genes in Foxp3+RORγt+ T cells; however, epigenetic profiling of the Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR) and other Treg-associated genes revealed a high degree of similarity between conventional Tregs and Foxp3+RORγt+ T cells, indicating that these cells have a stable regulatory, rather than inflammatory, function. Indeed, adoptive transfer of Foxp3+RORγt+ T cells in the context of T cell transfer colitis not only confirmed their Treg function and lineage stability in vivo, it also revealed a significantly enhanced regulatory capacity as compared to RORγt+ Treg cells. Thus, our data suggest that RORγt expression in Tregs is essential for optimal regulation of gut-specific immune responses, which renders them an important effector Treg lineage in the intestinal system.
2014-12-31 | GSE60059 | GEO
Project description:T helper 17 and Regulatory T cells (Th17 and Treg, respectively) are two well-described lymphocyte subsets with opposing actions. The divergent fates of Th17 and Treg cells are accounted for, at least in part, by molecular antagonism that occurs between their respective specific transcription factors, RORγt and Foxp3. An imbalance between Th17 and Treg cells may lead to tissue inflammation and is associated with certain types of autoimmunity. In order to understand the heterogeneity and dynamics of the differentiation process, we studied Th17/Treg cell differentiation of naïve cells in vitro, using RORγtGFPFoxp3RFP dual-reporter mouse. Flow cytometry revealed the consistent emergence of a population of double positive RORγt+Foxp3+ (DP) cells during the early stages of Th17 cell differentiation. These DP cells are closely related to RORγt+ single positive (SPR) cells in terms of global gene expression. Nevertheless, for some genes, DP cells share an expression pattern with Foxp3+ single positive (SPF) Treg cells, most importantly by reducing IL17 levels. Using time-lapse microscopy, we could delineate the expression dynamics of RORγt and Foxp3 at a clonal level. While the RORγt expression level elevates early during differentiation, Foxp3 rises later and is more stable upon environmental changes. These distinct expression profiles are independent of each other. During differentiation and proliferation, individual cells transit between SPR, DP, and SPF states. Nevertheless, the differentiation of sister cells within a clone progeny was highly correlated. We further demonstrated that sorted SPR and DP populations were not significantly affected by changes in their environment, suggesting that the correlated fate decision emerged at early time points, before the first division. Overall, this study provides the first quantitative analysis of differentiation dynamics during the generation of DP RORγt+Foxp3+ cells. Characterizing these dynamics and the differentiation trajectory could provide a profound understanding and be used to better define the distinct fates of T cells, critical mediators of the immune response.
2023-09-10 | GSE227988 | GEO
Project description:CD4+ T helper lymphocytes that express interleukin-17 (Th17 cells) have critical roles in mouse models of autoimmunity, and there is mounting evidence that they also influence inflammatory processes in humans. Genome-wide association studies in humans have linked genes involved in Th17 cell differentiation and function with susceptibility to Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis1-3. Thus, the pathway towards differentiation of Th17 cells and, perhaps, of related innate lymphoid cells with similar effector functions4, 5, is an attractive target for therapeutic applications. Mouse and human Th17 cells are distinguished by expression of the retinoic acid receptor-related orphan nuclear receptor RORγt, which is required for induction of IL-17 transcription and for the manifestation of Th17-dependent autoimmune disease in mice6. By performing a chemical screen with an insect cell-based reporter system, we identified the cardiac glycoside digoxin as a specific inhibitor of RORγt transcriptional activity. Digoxin inhibited murine Th17 cell differentiation without affecting differentiation of other T cell lineages and was effective in delaying the onset and reducing the severity of autoimmune disease in mice. At high concentrations, digoxin is toxic for human cells, but non-toxic synthetic derivatives, 20,22-dihydrodigoxin-21,23-diol (Dig(dhd)) and digoxin-21-salicylidene (Dig(sal)), specifically inhibited induction of IL-17 in human CD4+ T cells. Using these small molecule compounds, we demonstrated that RORγt is imporant for the maintenance of IL-17 expression in mouse and human effector T cells. These data suggest that derivatives of digoxin can be used as chemical probes for development of RORγt-targeted therapeutic agents that attenuate inflammatory lymphocyte function and autoimmune disease. We performed gene expression profiling with total RNA samples isolated from DMSO- or digoxin-treated wildtype or RORγt-deficient cells cultured in Th17 conditions. Total RNA was extracted with TRIzol. RNA was labeled and hybridized to GeneChip Mouse Genome 430 2.0 arrays following the Affymetrix protocols. Data were analyzed in GeneSpring GX11.5.
2011-03-28 | E-GEOD-27241 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:RORγt is the lineage-specific transcription factor for T helper 17 (Th17) cells and an attractive drug target for treating Th17-associated diseases. Though the critical role of RORγt in early Th17 cell differentiation has been well recognized, whether it maintains mature Th17 cell phenotypes remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that genetic deletion of Rorc in mature Th17 cells inhibited their pathogenic functions. Mechanistically, loss of RORγt led to a closed chromatin structure at key Th17-specific gene loci, particularly at those so called “super enhancer” regions. Furthermore, RORc deletion in effector Th17 cells resulted in a strongly Th2-biased cell phenotype at both epigenetic and transcriptional levels, in an IL-4-dependent manner. Our results thus reveal a crucial function of RORγt in effector Th17 cells in maintaining Th17 cell program and constraining Th2 cell conversion, offering new considerations in therapeutic targeting of RORγt.
2022-07-12 | GSE190538 | GEO
Project description:RORγt is the lineage-specific transcription factor for T helper 17 (Th17) cells and an attractive drug target for treating Th17-associated diseases. Though the critical role of RORγt in early Th17 cell differentiation has been well recognized, whether it maintains mature Th17 cell phenotypes remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that genetic deletion of Rorc in mature Th17 cells inhibited their pathogenic functions. Mechanistically, loss of RORγt led to a closed chromatin structure at key Th17-specific gene loci, particularly at those so called “super enhancer” regions. Furthermore, RORc deletion in effector Th17 cells resulted in a strongly Th2-biased cell phenotype at both epigenetic and transcriptional levels, in an IL-4-dependent manner. Our results thus reveal a crucial function of RORγt in effector Th17 cells in maintaining Th17 cell program and constraining Th2 cell conversion, offering new considerations in therapeutic targeting of RORγt.
2022-07-12 | GSE190425 | GEO
Project description:RORγt is a transcription factor required for T helper 17 (Th17) cell development. We identified three RORγt-specific inhibitors that suppress Th17 cell responses including Th17 cell-mediated autoimmune disease. We systemically characterized RORγt binding data in the presence and absence of drug with corresponding whole-transcriptome sequencing for wild-type and RORγt-deficient cells. RORγt is central in a densely interconnected regulatory network, acting both as a direct activator of genes important for Th17 cell differentiation and as a direct repressor of genes from other T-cell lineages. The three inhibitors identified here reversed both of these modes of action, but to varying extents and through distinct mechanisms. Whereas one inhibitor displaced RORγt from its target-loci, the two more potent inhibitors affected transcription predominantly without removing DNA-binding. Our work illustrates the power of a system-scale analysis of transcriptional regulation to characterize potential therapeutic compounds that inhibit pathogenic Th17 cells and suppress autoimmunity. DNA binding of RORγt in WT Th17 cells and under chemical perturbations of RORγt; Additional data is included for epitope-tagged exogenous RORγt in EL4 cells (a murine lymphoma cell line)
2014-04-17 | E-GEOD-56019 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:RORγt is a transcription factor required for T helper 17 (Th17) cell development. We identified three RORγt-specific inhibitors that suppress Th17 cell responses including Th17 cell-mediated autoimmune disease. We systemically characterized RORγt binding data in the presence and absence of drug with corresponding whole-transcriptome sequencing for wild-type and RORγt-deficient cells. RORγt is central in a densely interconnected regulatory network, acting both as a direct activator of genes important for Th17 cell differentiation and as a direct repressor of genes from other T-cell lineages. The three inhibitors identified here reversed both of these modes of action, but to varying extents and through distinct mechanisms. Whereas one inhibitor displaced RORγt from its target-loci, the two more potent inhibitors affected transcription predominantly without removing DNA-binding. Our work illustrates the power of a system-scale analysis of transcriptional regulation to characterize potential therapeutic compounds that inhibit pathogenic Th17 cells and suppress autoimmunity. Transcriptional profiling of Th17 cells under chemical perturbations of RORγt, DMSO, and knockout of RORγt. It includes repeats for all the data in GSE56018, plus one additional condition.
2014-04-17 | E-GEOD-56240 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Tolerance to self- or innocuous foreign antigens is vital for preservation of organismal health. Within the thymus, medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) expressing AutoImmune Regulator, Aire, play a critical role in self-tolerance through deletion of autoreactive T cells and promotion of thymic regulatory T (Treg) cell development. A second wave of Treg cell differentiation occurs in the periphery, upon exposure to dietary and commensal microbiota derived antigens within the first few weeks of life, yet the cell types responsible for the generation of peripheral Treg (pTreg) cells are not known. Here we identified a new lineage of tolerogenic RORγt+ antigen-presenting cells (APC) with a hybrid dendritic cell (DC)-mTEC phenotype, dubbed Thetis cells (TCs), comprising 4 major sub-groups (TC I-IV), We uncovered a developmental wave of TCs within intestinal lymph nodes during a critical early life window, coincident with the wave of pTreg cell differentiation. While Aire+ TC I and III bore remarkable homology with Aire+ mTECs, including expression of tissue restricted self-antigens, TC IV lacked Aire expression and were enriched for molecules required for pTreg generation, including the TGF-β activating integrin αvβ8. Loss of either MHCII or Itgb8 expression by TCs led to a profound impairment in intestinal pTreg differentiation, with onset of intestinal inflammation. In contrast, MHCII expression by RORγt+ group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) and classical DCs was neither sufficient nor required for pTreg generation, further implicating TCs as the critical tolerogenic RORγt+ APC. Our studies reveal parallel pathways for establishment of tolerance to self and foreign antigen within the thymus and periphery, marked by involvement of shared cellular and transcriptional programs.
2022-09-06 | GSE174405 | GEO
Project description:Tolerance to self- or innocuous foreign antigens is vital for preservation of organismal health. Within the thymus, medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) expressing AutoImmune Regulator, Aire, play a critical role in self-tolerance through deletion of autoreactive T cells and promotion of thymic regulatory T (Treg) cell development. A second wave of Treg cell differentiation occurs in the periphery, upon exposure to dietary and commensal microbiota derived antigens within the first few weeks of life, yet the cell types responsible for the generation of peripheral Treg (pTreg) cells are not known. Here we identified a new lineage of tolerogenic RORγt+ antigen-presenting cells (APC) with a hybrid dendritic cell (DC)-mTEC phenotype, dubbed Thetis cells (TCs), comprising 4 major sub-groups (TC I-IV), We uncovered a developmental wave of TCs within intestinal lymph nodes during a critical early life window, coincident with the wave of pTreg cell differentiation. While Aire+ TC I and III bore remarkable homology with Aire+ mTECs, including expression of tissue restricted self-antigens, TC IV lacked Aire expression and were enriched for molecules required for pTreg generation, including the TGF-β activating integrin αvβ8. Loss of either MHCII or Itgb8 expression by TCs led to a profound impairment in intestinal pTreg differentiation, with onset of intestinal inflammation. In contrast, MHCII expression by RORγt+ group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) and classical DCs was neither sufficient nor required for pTreg generation, further implicating TCs as the critical tolerogenic RORγt+ APC. Our studies reveal parallel pathways for establishment of tolerance to self and foreign antigen within the thymus and periphery, marked by involvement of shared cellular and transcriptional programs.
2022-09-06 | GSE174403 | GEO
Project description:Tolerance to self- or innocuous foreign antigens is vital for preservation of organismal health. Within the thymus, medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) expressing AutoImmune Regulator, Aire, play a critical role in self-tolerance through deletion of autoreactive T cells and promotion of thymic regulatory T (Treg) cell development. A second wave of Treg cell differentiation occurs in the periphery, upon exposure to dietary and commensal microbiota derived antigens within the first few weeks of life, yet the cell types responsible for the generation of peripheral Treg (pTreg) cells are not known. Here we identified a new lineage of tolerogenic RORγt+ antigen-presenting cells (APC) with a hybrid dendritic cell (DC)-mTEC phenotype, dubbed Thetis cells (TCs), comprising 4 major sub-groups (TC I-IV), We uncovered a developmental wave of TCs within intestinal lymph nodes during a critical early life window, coincident with the wave of pTreg cell differentiation. While Aire+ TC I and III bore remarkable homology with Aire+ mTECs, including expression of tissue restricted self-antigens, TC IV lacked Aire expression and were enriched for molecules required for pTreg generation, including the TGF-β activating integrin αvβ8. Loss of either MHCII or Itgb8 expression by TCs led to a profound impairment in intestinal pTreg differentiation, with onset of intestinal inflammation. In contrast, MHCII expression by RORγt+ group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) and classical DCs was neither sufficient nor required for pTreg generation, further implicating TCs as the critical tolerogenic RORγt+ APC. Our studies reveal parallel pathways for establishment of tolerance to self and foreign antigen within the thymus and periphery, marked by involvement of shared cellular and transcriptional programs.
2022-09-06 | GSE205065 | GEO