Examination of genomic accessibility in embryonic thymus cell populations by ATAC-seq
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ABSTRACT: ILC2 contribute to immune homeostasis, protective immunity and tissue repair. However, an understanding of the microenvironmental factors and transcriptional circuits that support development of these innate lymphocytes within lymphoid organs, alongside their adaptive T and B cell relatives, is only starting to emerge. Here we demonstrate that functional ILC2 arise in the embryonic thymus, from shared T cell precursors, and precede the emergence of CD4+CD8+ (double-positive) T cells. Strikingly, RORa expression repressed T cell development, whilst promoting ILC2 in the thymus. Thymic ILC2 go on to contribute to the innate type-2 response at mucosal tissues with preferential colonisation of the intestinal lamina propria. From RNAseq, ATACseq and ChIPseq data we propose a revised transcriptional circuit to explain the enigmatic co-development of T cells, ILC2 and NK cells from common progenitors in the thymus. When Notch signalling is present, Bcl11b dampens Nfil3/Id2 expression, permitting E protein-directed T cell commitment. However, concomitant expression of RORa overrides the Nfil3/Id2 repression, allowing Id2 to repress E proteins and promote ILC2 differentiation. Thus, we demonstrate that RORa expression represents a critical checkpoint at the bifurcation of the T cell and ILC2 lineages in the embryonic thymus.
Project description:ILC2 contribute to immune homeostasis, protective immunity and tissue repair. However, an understanding of the microenvironmental factors and transcriptional circuits that support development of these innate lymphocytes within lymphoid organs, alongside their adaptive T and B cell relatives, is only starting to emerge. Here we demonstrate that functional ILC2 arise in the embryonic thymus, from shared T cell precursors, and precede the emergence of CD4+CD8+ (double-positive) T cells. Strikingly, RORa expression repressed T cell development, whilst promoting ILC2 in the thymus. Thymic ILC2 go on to contribute to the innate type-2 response at mucosal tissues with preferential colonisation of the intestinal lamina propria. From RNAseq, ATACseq and ChIPseq data we propose a revised transcriptional circuit to explain the enigmatic co-development of T cells, ILC2 and NK cells from common progenitors in the thymus. When Notch signalling is present, Bcl11b dampens Nfil3/Id2 expression, permitting E protein-directed T cell commitment. However, concomitant expression of RORa overrides the Nfil3/Id2 repression, allowing Id2 to repress E proteins and promote ILC2 differentiation. Thus, we demonstrate that RORa expression represents a critical checkpoint at the bifurcation of the T cell and ILC2 lineages in the embryonic thymus.
Project description:ILC2 contribute to immune homeostasis, protective immunity and tissue repair. However, an understanding of the microenvironmental factors and transcriptional circuits that support development of these innate lymphocytes within lymphoid organs, alongside their adaptive T and B cell relatives, is only starting to emerge. Here we demonstrate that functional ILC2 arise in the embryonic thymus, from shared T cell precursors, and precede the emergence of CD4+CD8+ (double-positive) T cells. Strikingly, RORa expression repressed T cell development, whilst promoting ILC2 in the thymus. Thymic ILC2 go on to contribute to the innate type-2 response at mucosal tissues with preferential colonisation of the intestinal lamina propria. From RNAseq, ATACseq and ChIPseq data we propose a revised transcriptional circuit to explain the enigmatic co-development of T cells, ILC2 and NK cells from common progenitors in the thymus. When Notch signalling is present, Bcl11b dampens Nfil3/Id2 expression, permitting E protein-directed T cell commitment. However, concomitant expression of RORa overrides the Nfil3/Id2 repression, allowing Id2 to repress E proteins and promote ILC2 differentiation. Thus, we demonstrate that RORa expression represents a critical checkpoint at the bifurcation of the T cell and ILC2 lineages in the embryonic thymus.
Project description:ILC2 contribute to immune homeostasis, protective immunity and tissue repair. However, an understanding of the microenvironmental factors and transcriptional circuits that support development of these innate lymphocytes within lymphoid organs, alongside their adaptive T and B cell relatives, is only starting to emerge. Here we demonstrate that functional ILC2 arise in the embryonic thymus, from shared T cell precursors, and precede the emergence of CD4+CD8+ (double-positive) T cells. Strikingly, RORa expression repressed T cell development, whilst promoting ILC2 in the thymus. Thymic ILC2 go on to contribute to the innate type-2 response at mucosal tissues with preferential colonisation of the intestinal lamina propria. From RNAseq, ATACseq and ChIPseq data we propose a revised transcriptional circuit to explain the enigmatic co-development of T cells, ILC2 and NK cells from common progenitors in the thymus. When Notch signalling is present, Bcl11b dampens Nfil3/Id2 expression, permitting E protein-directed T cell commitment. However, concomitant expression of RORa overrides the Nfil3/Id2 repression, allowing Id2 to repress E proteins and promote ILC2 differentiation. Thus, we demonstrate that RORa expression represents a critical checkpoint at the bifurcation of the T cell and ILC2 lineages in the embryonic thymus.
Project description:ILC2 contribute to immune homeostasis, protective immunity and tissue repair. However, an understanding of the microenvironmental factors and transcriptional circuits that support development of these innate lymphocytes within lymphoid organs, alongside their adaptive T and B cell relatives, is only starting to emerge. Here we demonstrate that functional ILC2 arise in the embryonic thymus, from shared T cell precursors, and precede the emergence of CD4+CD8+ (double-positive) T cells. Strikingly, RORa expression repressed T cell development, whilst promoting ILC2 in the thymus. Thymic ILC2 go on to contribute to the innate type-2 response at mucosal tissues with preferential colonisation of the intestinal lamina propria. From RNAseq, ATACseq and ChIPseq data we propose a revised transcriptional circuit to explain the enigmatic co-development of T cells, ILC2 and NK cells from common progenitors in the thymus. When Notch signalling is present, Bcl11b dampens Nfil3/Id2 expression, permitting E protein-directed T cell commitment. However, concomitant expression of RORa overrides the Nfil3/Id2 repression, allowing Id2 to repress E proteins and promote ILC2 differentiation. Thus, we demonstrate that RORa expression represents a critical checkpoint at the bifurcation of the T cell and ILC2 lineages in the embryonic thymus.
Project description:Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are important regulators in various immune responses. Current paradigm states that all newly-made ILCs originate from common lymphoid progenitors (CLP) in the bone marrow. Id2, an inhibitor of E protein transcription factors, is indispensable for ILC differentiation. Unexpectedly, we found that ectopically expressing Id1 or deleting two E protein genes in the thymus drastically increased ILC2 counts in the thymus and other organs where ILC2 normally reside. Further evidence suggests a thymic origin of these mutant ILC2s. The mutant mice exhibit augmented spontaneous infiltration of eosinophils and heightened responses to papain in the lung and increased ability to expulse the helminth parasite, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. These results prompt the question whether the thymus naturally has the capacity to produce ILC2s and E proteins restrain such a potential. The abundance of ILC2s in Id1 transgenic mice also offers a unique opportunity for testing the biological functions of ILC2s.
Project description:Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) play strategic roles in tissue homeostasis and immunity. ILCs arise from lymphoid progenitors undergoing lineage restriction leading to the development of specialised ILC subsets. We generated ‘5x polychromILC’ compound transcription factor reporter mice to delineate ILC precursor states by revealing the multifaceted expression of key ILC-associated transcription factors (Id2, Bcl11b, Gata3, Rorc(γt) and Rora) during ILC development in the bone marrow. This approach allowed previously unattained enrichment of rare progenitor subsets and revealed hitherto unappreciated ILC precursor heterogeneity. In vivo and in vitro assays identified novel precursors with potential to generate all ILC subsets and natural killer cells, and also permitted discrimination of elusive ILC3 bone marrow antecedents. Single cell gene expression analysis identified a discrete ILC2-committed population and delineated transition states between early progenitors and a highly heterogeneous ILC1/3/NK precursor cell cluster. This diversity may facilitate greater lineage potential upon progenitor recruitment to peripheral tissues.
Project description:Here we identify the c-kit+ CILP population which generates all ILC subsets including NK cells, and the CD25- ILC2-restricted Sca-1+ CILP. We mapped the transcriptional changes that occur in ILC progenitor commitment identifying new regulatory factors and provide a map for early ILC differentiation. Finally, we mapped the subsequent transcriptional changes that occur in c-kit+ CILP in absence of Id2 and Tcf7, key regulators downstream of Nfil3.
Project description:E-protein transcription factors (TFs) limit group 2 innate lymphoid cell (ILC2) development while promoting T cell differentiation from common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs). Inhibitors of DNA-binding (Id) proteins block E-protein DNA binding in CLPs to allow ILC2 development. However, whether E-proteins influence ILC2 function upon maturity and activation remains unclear. Mice that overexpress Id1 under control of the thymus-restricted proximal Lck promoter (Id1tg/WT) have a large pool of primarily thymus-derived ILC2s in the periphery that develop in the absence of E-protein activity. We used these mice to investigate how the absence of E-protein activity affects ILC2 function and genomic landscape in response to house dust mite (HDM) allergens. Id1tg/WT mice had increased Klrg1- ILC2s in the lung compared to wild type (WT, Id1WT/WT) mice in response to HDM, but Id1tg/WT ILC2s had an impaired capacity to produce type 2 cytokines. Analysis of WT ILC2 accessible chromatin suggested that AP-1 and C/EBP TFs but not E-proteins were associated with ILC2 inflammatory gene programs. Instead, E-protein binding sites were enriched at functional genes in ILC2s during development that were later dynamically regulated in allergic lung inflammation, including genes that control ILC2 response to cytokines and interactions with T cells. Finally, ILC2s from Id1tg/WT compared to WT mice had fewer regions of open chromatin near functional genes that were enriched for AP-1 factor binding sites following HDM treatment. These data show that E-proteins shape the chromatin landscape during ILC2 development to dictate the functional capacity of mature ILC2s during allergic inflammation in the lung.
Project description:Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are recently identified lymphocytes that limit infection and promote tissue repair at mucosal surfaces. However, the pathways underlying ILC development remain unclear. Here we show that the transcription factor NFIL3 directs the development of a committed bone marrow precursor that differentiates into all known ILC lineages. NFIL3 was required in the common lymphoid progenitor (CLP), and was essential for the differentiation of CLP, a bone marrow cell population that gives rise to all known ILC lineages. Clonal differentiation studies revealed that CXCR6+ cells within the CLP population differentiate into all ILC lineages but not T- and B-cells. We further show that NFIL3 governs ILC development by directly regulating expression of the transcription factor TOX. These findings establish that NFIL3 directs the differentiation of a committed ILC precursor that gives rise to all ILC lineages and provide insight into the defining role of NFIL3 in ILC development. This experiment is to compare gene expression profiles between wild-type and Nfil3-/- common lymphoid progenitor (CLP) cells to identify genes regulated by NFIL3. There are 6 samples in this experiment, including 3 biological replicates for wild-type CLPs and 3 biological replicates for Nfil3-/- CLPs. All mice used are on the C57BL/6 background.
Project description:The divergence of the common dendritic cell progenitor (CDP) into the conventional type 1 and type 2 dendritic cell (cDC1 and cDC2, respectively) lineages is poorly understood. Some transcription factors act in the commitment of already specified progenitors-such as BATF3, which stabilizes Irf8 autoactivation at the +32 kb Irf8 enhancer-but the mechanisms controlling the initial divergence of CDPs remain unknown. Here we report the transcriptional basis of CDP divergence and describe the first requirements for pre-cDC2 specification. Genetic epistasis analysis suggested that Nfil3 acts upstream of Id2, Batf3 and Zeb2 in cDC1 development but did not reveal its mechanism or targets. Analysis of newly generated NFIL3 reporter mice showed extremely transient NFIL3 expression during cDC1 specification. CUT&RUN and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing identified endogenous NFIL3 binding in the -165 kb Zeb2 enhancer at three sites that also bind the CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins C/EBPα and C/EBPβ. In vivo mutational analysis using CRISPR-Cas9 targeting showed that these NFIL3-C/EBP sites are functionally redundant, with C/EBPs supporting and NFIL3 repressing Zeb2 expression at these sites. A triple mutation of all three NFIL3-C/EBP sites ablated Zeb2 expression in myeloid, but not lymphoid progenitors, causing the complete loss of pre-cDC2 specification and mature cDC2 development in vivo. These mice did not generate T helper 2 (TH2) cell responses against Heligmosomoides polygyrus infection, consistent with cDC2 supporting TH2 responses to helminths. Thus, CDP divergence into cDC1 or cDC2 is controlled by competition between NFIL3 and C/EBPs at the -165 kb Zeb2 enhancer.