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RORγt expression in mature Th17 cells safeguard the lineage stability by inhibiting conversion to Th2 cells [ATAC-seq]

ABSTRACT: 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.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE190425 | GEO | 2022/07/12

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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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.

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RORγt expression in mature Th17 cells safeguard the lineage stability by inhibiting conversion to Th2 cells [ATAC-seq]

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