ZFP36-family RNA-binding proteins in regulatory T cells reinforce immune homeostasis [bulk RNA-seq]
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ABSTRACT: RNA binding proteins (RBP) of the ZFP36 family limit the differentiation and effector functions of CD4 and CD8 T cells, but little is known of their expression or function in regulatory T cells (Treg). By Treg-restricted deletion of Zfp36 family members we identify the essential role of Zfp36l1 and Zfp36l2 in Treg to maintain immune homeostasis. Mice with Tregs deficient in these RBP display an inflammatory phenotype with an expansion in the numbers of type-2 conventional dendritic cells, T effector cells, T follicular helper and germinal center B cells and elevated serum cytokines and immunoglobulins. In the absence of Zfp36l1 and Zfp36l2, the pool of cycling CTLA-4 in naïve Treg was reduced, Tregs were less sensitive to IL-2 and IL-7 but were more sensitive to IFNγ. In mice lacking both RBP in Treg, the deletion of a single allele of Ifng is sufficient to ameliorate the pathology. Thus, ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 regulate multiple pathways that enable Tregs to enforce immune homeostasis.
Project description:RNA binding proteins (RBP) of the ZFP36 family limit the differentiation and effector functions of CD4 and CD8 T cells, but little is known of their expression or function in regulatory T cells (Treg). By Treg-restricted deletion of Zfp36 family members we identify the essential role of Zfp36l1 and Zfp36l2 in Treg to maintain immune homeostasis. Mice with Tregs deficient in these RBP display an inflammatory phenotype with an expansion in the numbers of type-2 conventional dendritic cells, T effector cells, T follicular helper and germinal center B cells and elevated serum cytokines and immunoglobulins. In the absence of Zfp36l1 and Zfp36l2, the pool of cycling CTLA-4 in naïve Treg was reduced, Tregs were less sensitive to IL-2 and IL-7 but were more sensitive to IFNγ. In mice lacking both RBP in Treg, the deletion of a single allele of Ifng is sufficient to ameliorate the pathology. Thus, ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 regulate multiple pathways that enable Tregs to enforce immune homeostasis.
Project description:RNA binding proteins (RBP) of the ZFP36 family limit the differentiation and effector functions of CD4 and CD8 T cells, but little is known of their expression or function in regulatory T cells (Treg). By Treg-restricted deletion of Zfp36 family members we identify the essential role of Zfp36l1 and Zfp36l2 in Treg to maintain immune homeostasis. Mice with Tregs deficient in these RBP display an inflammatory phenotype with an expansion in the numbers of type-2 conventional dendritic cells, T effector cells, T follicular helper and germinal center B cells and elevated serum cytokines and immunoglobulins. In the absence of Zfp36l1 and Zfp36l2, the pool of cycling CTLA-4 in naïve Treg was reduced, Tregs were less sensitive to IL-2 and IL-7 but were more sensitive to IFNγ. In mice lacking both RBP in Treg, the deletion of a single allele of Ifng is sufficient to ameliorate the pathology. Thus, ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 regulate multiple pathways that enable Tregs to enforce immune homeostasis.
Project description:The zinc finger protein 36-like 2, ZFP36L2, is a member of a small family of RNA-binding proteins composed by ZFP36 (also known as tristetraprolin, TTP), ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 in humans, with corresponding murine orthologs. These proteins bind to adenine uridine-rich element (ARE) in the 3’untranslated region of target messenger RNA and stimulate target degradation. ZFP36 functions as an anti-inflammatory modulator in murine models of inflammatory diseases by down-regulating the production of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha. However, how ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 alter the function of CD4+ T cells is not completely understood. We addressed this issue by searching for the target genes of ZFP36L2 by comprehensive transcriptome analysis. We observed that ZFP36L2 is highly expressed in naïve CD4+ T cells; however, when CD4+ T cells are stimulated with T cell receptors, ZFP36L2 expression is rapidly reduced in both humans and mice. Among CD4+ T cell populations, the expression levels of ZFP36L2 in regulatory T cells (Tregs) were lower than those in naïve or effector CD4+ T cells. RNA-sequence analysis revealed that the forced expression of ZFP36L2 decreased Ikzf2 (encoding Helios) expression in Foxp3+ Tregs and inhibited the ability of induced Tregs (iTregs). ZFP36L2 destabilized the 3’untranslated region of Ikzf2 mRNA, which contains AU-rich elements. These results indicate that ZFP36L2 reduces the expression of Ikzf2 and suppresses iTreg function, suggesting that the inhibition of ZFP36L2 in iTregs could be a therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases.
Project description:CD8 T cell differentiation into effector cells is initiated early after antigen encounter by signals from the T cell antigen receptor and costimulatory molecules. The molecular mechanisms that determine the timing and rate of differentiation however are not defined. Here we show that the RNA binding proteins (RBP) ZFP36 and ZFP36L1 limit the rate of differentiation of activated naïve CD8 T cells and the potency of the resulting cytotoxic lymphocytes. The RBP act in an early and short temporal window to enforce dependency on costimulation via CD28 for full T cell activation and effector differentiation by directly binding mRNA of NF-kB, IRF8 and NOTCH1 transcription factors and IL2. Their absence in T cells, or the adoptive transfer of a small numbers of CD8 T cells lacking the RBP, promotes resilience to influenza A virus infection without immunopathology. These findings highlight ZFP36 and ZFP36L1 as nodes for the integration of the early T cell activation signals determining the speed and quality of the CD8 response.
Project description:Members of the tristetraprolin (TTP) family of RNA-binding proteins can bind to and promote the decay of specific transcripts containing AU-rich motifs. ZFP36 (TTP) is best known for regulating cytokine expression in myeloid cells; however, the mammalian paralogues ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 have not been viewed as important in controlling inflammation. To study potential functional overlaps of these three TTP family proteins in myeloid cells, we developed myeloid-specific knock-out (M-KO) mice of these genes, singly and together. M-Zfp36-KO mice exhibited a mild inflammatory syndrome late in life, while M-Zfp36l1-KO and M-Zfp36l2-KO mice had no apparent spontaneous phenotypes. Mice with simultaneous deficiency of all three TTP family members in myeloid cells developed a severe, spontaneous, inflammatory phenotype, with a median survival of 8 weeks. Macrophages derived from these mice contained many more stabilized transcripts than cells from M-Zfp36-KO mice, many encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Our findings emphasize the importance of all three family members, acting in concert, in myeloid cell function.
Project description:Members of the tristetraprolin (TTP) family of RNA-binding proteins can bind to and promote the decay of specific transcripts containing AU-rich motifs. ZFP36 (TTP) is best known for regulating cytokine expression in myeloid cells; however, the mammalian paralogues ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 have not been viewed as important in controlling inflammation. To study potential functional overlaps of these three TTP family proteins in myeloid cells, we developed myeloid-specific knock-out (M-KO) mice of these genes, singly and together. M-Zfp36-KO mice exhibited a mild inflammatory syndrome late in life, while M-Zfp36l1-KO and M-Zfp36l2-KO mice had no apparent spontaneous phenotypes. Mice with simultaneous deficiency of all three TTP family members in myeloid cells developed a severe, spontaneous, inflammatory phenotype, with a median survival of 8 weeks. Macrophages derived from these mice contained many more stabilized transcripts than cells from M-Zfp36-KO mice, many encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Our findings emphasize the importance of all three family members, acting in concert, in myeloid cell function.
Project description:Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by RNA binding proteins (RBPs), one of the major classes of proteins encoded by the human genome, is well established. ZFP36L1 and its protein family members, ZFP36 and ZFP36L2, function as RBPs that primarily regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level by binding to adenine uridine (AU) rich elements (AREs) in the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of certain mRNAs and mediating ARE-dependent mRNA decay. In this study, using CRISPR/Cas9 ZFP36L1 gene-editing, we generated ZFP36L1 deficient U2OS cellular models. The aim of the RNASeq experiment was to compare the gene expression profile in wild-type U2OS cells compared to ZFP36L1 deficient U2OS cells. Loss of functional ZFP36L1 leads to widespread changes in gene expression that are associated with dysregulation of KRAS signalling.
Project description:Successful immune responses are dependent on a precisely controlled balance between transcription and mRNA degradation. mRNA decay is driven through RNA-binding proteins (RBP), yet it remains unclear, how and when an individual mRNA molecule is selected for degradation. We investigated this fundamental question by using the anti-inflammatory RBP tristetraprolin (TTP, also known as Zfp36) as a model. Here, we show that TTP determines the fate of its targets concomitantly with their synthesis by binding to the pre-mRNA in the nucleus. Furthermore, we provide evidence that TTP orchestrates the target destabilization via a hierarchical molecular assembly that culminates by the association of mature mRNA with the RNA degradation machinery in the cytoplasm. The early fate decision in the life cycle of a TTP target mRNA prevents the translation of inflammatory mediators, particularly cytokine mRNAs, and promotes efficient cessation of the immune response. Importantly, the TTP homolog ZFP36L1 displays similar characteristics, suggesting a conserved mode of action within the ZFP36 family of RBPs.
Project description:The ZFP36 family of RNA-binding proteins acts post-transcriptionally to repress translation and promote RNA decay. Studies of genes and pathways regulated by the ZFP36 family in CD4+ T cells have focussed largely on cytokines, but their impact on metabolic reprogramming and differentiation is unclear. Using CD4+ T cells lacking Zfp36 and Zfp36l1, we combined the quantification of mRNA transcription, stability, abundance and translation with crosslinking immunoprecipitation and metabolic profiling to determine how they regulate T cell metabolism and differentiation. Our results suggest that ZFP36 and ZFP36L1 act directly to limit the expression of genes driving anabolic processes by two distinct routes: by targeting transcription factors and by targeting transcripts encoding rate-limiting enzymes. These enzymes span numerous metabolic pathways including glycolysis, one-carbon metabolism and glutaminolysis. Direct binding and repression of transcripts encoding glutamine transporter SLC38A2 correlated with increased cellular glutamine content in ZFP36/ZFP36L1-deficient T cells. Increased conversion of glutamine to α-ketoglutarate in these cells was consistent with direct binding of ZFP36/ZFP36L1 to Gls (encoding glutaminase) and Glud1 (encoding glutamate dehydrogenase). We propose that ZFP36 and ZFP36L1 as well as glutamine and α-ketoglutarate are limiting factors for the acquisition of the cytotoxic CD4+ T cell fate. Our data implicate ZFP36 and ZFP36L1 in limiting glutamine anaplerosis and differentiation of activated CD4+ T cells, likely mediated by direct binding to transcripts of critical genes that drive these processes.