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Wang J, Han T, Zhu X. Role of maternal-fetal immune tolerance in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Chin Med J (Engl) 2024; 137:1399-1406. [PMID: 38724467 PMCID: PMC11188918 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000003114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Normal pregnancy is a contradictory and complicated physiological process. Although the fetus carries the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) inherited from the paternal line, it does not cause maternal immune rejection. As the only exception to immunological principles, maternal-fetal immune tolerance has been a reproductive immunology focus. In early pregnancy, fetal extravillous trophoblast cells (EVTs) invade decidual tissues and come into direct contact with maternal decidual immune cells (DICs) and decidual stromal cells (DSCs) to establish a sophisticated maternal-fetal crosstalk. This study reviews previous research results and focuses on the establishment and maintenance mechanism of maternal-fetal tolerance based on maternal-fetal crosstalk. Insights into maternal-fetal tolerance will not only improve understanding of normal pregnancy but will also contribute to novel therapeutic strategies for recurrent spontaneous abortion, pre-eclampsia, and premature birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710038, China
- Center for Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
| | - Tao Han
- Department of Orthopedics, Hainan Branch of PLA General Hospital, Sanya, Hainan 572013, China
| | - Xiaoming Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710038, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hainan Branch of PLA General Hospital, Sanya, Hainan 572013, China
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2
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Gilad Y, Shimon O, Han SJ, Lonard DM, O’Malley BW. Steroid receptor coactivators in Treg and Th17 cell biology and function. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1389041. [PMID: 38698860 PMCID: PMC11063348 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1389041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Steroid receptor coactivators (SRCs) are master regulators of transcription that play key roles in human physiology and pathology. SRCs are particularly important for the regulation of the immune system with major roles in lymphocyte fate determination and function, macrophage activity, regulation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) transcriptional activity and other immune system biology. The three members of the p160 SRC family comprise a network of immune-regulatory proteins that can function independently or act in synergy with each other, and compensate for - or moderate - the activity of other SRCs. Recent evidence indicates that the SRCs are key participants in governing numerous aspects of CD4+ T cell biology. Here we review findings that establish the SRCs as essential regulators of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and T helper 17 (Th17) cells, with a focus on their crucial roles in Treg immunity in cancer and Treg-Th17 cell phenotypic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosi Gilad
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ortal Shimon
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sang Jun Han
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Nuclear Receptor, Transcription and Chromatin Biology Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - David M. Lonard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Nuclear Receptor, Transcription and Chromatin Biology Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Bert W. O’Malley
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Nuclear Receptor, Transcription and Chromatin Biology Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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3
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Kazanietz MG, Cooke M. Protein kinase C signaling "in" and "to" the nucleus: Master kinases in transcriptional regulation. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105692. [PMID: 38301892 PMCID: PMC10907189 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
PKC is a multifunctional family of Ser-Thr kinases widely implicated in the regulation of fundamental cellular functions, including proliferation, polarity, motility, and differentiation. Notwithstanding their primary cytoplasmic localization and stringent activation by cell surface receptors, PKC isozymes impel prominent nuclear signaling ultimately impacting gene expression. While transcriptional regulation may be wielded by nuclear PKCs, it most often relies on cytoplasmic phosphorylation events that result in nuclear shuttling of PKC downstream effectors, including transcription factors. As expected from the unique coupling of PKC isozymes to signaling effector pathways, glaring disparities in gene activation/repression are observed upon targeting individual PKC family members. Notably, specific PKCs control the expression and activation of transcription factors implicated in cell cycle/mitogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and immune function. Additionally, PKCs isozymes tightly regulate transcription factors involved in stepwise differentiation of pluripotent stem cells toward specific epithelial, mesenchymal, and hematopoietic cell lineages. Aberrant PKC expression and/or activation in pathological conditions, such as in cancer, leads to profound alterations in gene expression, leading to an extensive rewiring of transcriptional networks associated with mitogenesis, invasiveness, stemness, and tumor microenvironment dysregulation. In this review, we outline the current understanding of PKC signaling "in" and "to" the nucleus, with significant focus on established paradigms of PKC-mediated transcriptional control. Dissecting these complexities would allow the identification of relevant molecular targets implicated in a wide spectrum of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo G Kazanietz
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
| | - Mariana Cooke
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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4
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Zhong X, Wu H, Ouyang C, Zhang W, Shi Y, Wang YC, Ann DK, Gwack Y, Shang W, Sun Z. Ncoa2 Promotes CD8+ T cell-Mediated Antitumor Immunity by Stimulating T-cell Activation via Upregulation of PGC-1α Critical for Mitochondrial Function. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:1414-1431. [PMID: 37540802 PMCID: PMC10592187 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-23-0092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor coactivator 2 (Ncoa2) is a member of the Ncoa family of coactivators, and we previously showed that Ncoa2 regulates the differentiation of induced regulatory T cells. However, it remains unknown if Ncoa2 plays a role in CD8+ T-cell function. Here, we show that Ncoa2 promotes CD8+ T cell-mediated immune responses against tumors by stimulating T-cell activation via upregulating PGC-1α expression to enhance mitochondrial function. Mice deficient in Ncoa2 in T cells (Ncoa2fl/fl/CD4Cre) displayed defective immune responses against implanted MC38 tumors, which associated with significantly reduced tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and decreased IFNγ production. Consistently, CD8+ T cells from Ncoa2fl/fl/CD4Cre mice failed to reject tumors after adoptive transfer into Rag1-/- mice. Further, in response to TCR stimulation, Ncoa2fl/fl/CD4Cre CD8+ T cells failed to increase mitochondrial mass, showed impaired oxidative phosphorylation, and had lower expression of PGC-1α, a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and function. Mechanically, T-cell activation-induced phosphorylation of CREB triggered the recruitment of Ncoa2 to bind to enhancers, thus, stimulating PGC-1α expression. Forced expression of PGC-1α in Ncoa2fl/fl/CD4Cre CD8+ T cells restored mitochondrial function, T-cell activation, IFNγ production, and antitumor immunity. This work informs the development of Ncoa2-based therapies that modulate CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiancai Zhong
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Hongmin Wu
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Ching Ouyang
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Wencan Zhang
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Yun Shi
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Yi-Chang Wang
- Department of Diabetes Complication and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - David K. Ann
- Department of Diabetes Complication and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Yousang Gwack
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Weirong Shang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Zuoming Sun
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
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5
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Singh AK, Kumar R, Yin J, Brooks Ii JF, Kathania M, Mukherjee S, Kumar J, Conlon KP, Basrur V, Chen Z, Han X, Hooper LV, Burstein E, Venuprasad K. RORγt-Raftlin1 complex regulates the pathogenicity of Th17 cells and colonic inflammation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4972. [PMID: 37591835 PMCID: PMC10435467 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40622-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Th17 cells that produce Interleukin IL-17 are pathogenic in many human diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, but are, paradoxically, essential for maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier in a non-inflammatory state. However, the intracellular mechanisms that regulate distinct transcriptional profiles and functional diversity of Th17 cells remain unclear. Here we show Raftlin1, a lipid raft protein, specifically upregulates and forms a complex with RORγt in pathogenic Th17 cells. Disruption of the RORγt-Raftlin1 complex results in the reduction of pathogenic Th17 cells in response to Citrobacter rodentium; however, there is no effect on nonpathogenic Th17 cells in response to commensal segmented filamentous bacteria. Mechanistically, we show that Raftlin1 recruits distinct phospholipids to RORγt and promotes the pathogenicity of Th17 cells. Thus, we have identified a mechanism that drives the pathogenic function of Th17 cells, which could provide a platform for advanced therapeutic strategies to dampen Th17-mediated inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Kumar Singh
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Ritesh Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jianyi Yin
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - John F Brooks Ii
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Mahesh Kathania
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Sandip Mukherjee
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jitendra Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Kevin P Conlon
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Venkatesha Basrur
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Zhe Chen
- Department of Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Xianlin Han
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Lora V Hooper
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Ezra Burstein
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - K Venuprasad
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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6
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Zeng J, Li M, Zhao Q, Chen M, Zhao L, Wei S, Yang H, Zhao Y, Wang A, Shen J, Du F, Chen Y, Deng S, Wang F, Zhang Z, Li Z, Wang T, Wang S, Xiao Z, Wu X. Small molecule inhibitors of RORγt for Th17 regulation in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Pharm Anal 2023; 13:545-562. [PMID: 37440911 PMCID: PMC10334362 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
As a ligand-dependent transcription factor, retinoid-associated orphan receptor γt (RORγt) that controls T helper (Th) 17 cell differentiation and interleukin (IL)-17 expression plays a critical role in the progression of several inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. An emerging novel approach to the therapy of these diseases thus involves controlling the transcriptional capacity of RORγt to decrease Th17 cell development and IL-17 production. Several RORγt inhibitors including both antagonists and inverse agonists have been discovered to regulate the transcriptional activity of RORγt by binding to orthosteric- or allosteric-binding sites in the ligand-binding domain. Some of small-molecule inhibitors have entered clinical evaluations. Therefore, in current review, the role of RORγt in Th17 regulation and Th17-related inflammatory and autoimmune diseases was highlighted. Notably, the recently developed RORγt inhibitors were summarized, with an emphasis on their optimization from lead compounds, efficacy, toxicity, mechanisms of action, and clinical trials. The limitations of current development in this area were also discussed to facilitate future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuping Zeng
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Mingxing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Qianyun Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Meijuan Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Long Zhao
- Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Shulin Wei
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Huan Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Yueshui Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Anqi Wang
- School of Medicine, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Jing Shen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Fukuan Du
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Shuai Deng
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Tiangang Wang
- Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Shengpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, 999078, China
| | - Zhangang Xiao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Xu Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, 999078, China
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Zhang W, Cao X, Zhong X, Wu H, Shi Y, Feng M, Wang YC, Ann D, Gwack Y, Yuan YC, Shang W, Sun Z. SRC2 controls CD4 + T cell activation via stimulating c-Myc-mediated upregulation of amino acid transporter Slc7a5. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221352120. [PMID: 37094160 PMCID: PMC10160970 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221352120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
T cell activation stimulates substantially increased protein synthesis activity to accumulate sufficient biomass for cell proliferation. The protein synthesis is fueled by the amino acids transported from the environment. Steroid nuclear receptor coactivator 2 (SRC2) is a member of a family of transcription coactivators. Here, we show that SRC2 recruited by c-Myc enhances CD4+ T cell activation to stimulate immune responses via upregulation of amino acid transporter Slc7a5. Mice deficient of SRC2 in T cells (SRC2fl/fl/CD4Cre) are resistant to the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and susceptible to Citrobacter rodentium (C. rodentium) infection. Adoptive transfer of naive CD4+ T cells from SRC2fl/fl/CD4Cre mice fails to elicit EAE and colitis in Rag1/ recipients. Further, CD4+ T cells from SRC2fl/fl/CD4Cre mice display defective T cell proliferation, cytokine production, and differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, SRC2 functions as a coactivator to work together with c-Myc to stimulate the expression of amino acid transporter Slc7a5 required for T cell activation. Slc7a5 fails to be up-regulated in CD4+ T cells from SRC2fl/fl/CD4Cre mice, and forced expression of Slc7a5 rescues proliferation, cytokine production, and the ability of SRC2fl/fl/CD4Cre CD4+ T cells to induce EAE. Therefore, SRC2 is essential for CD4+ T cell activation and, thus, a potential drug target for controlling CD4+ T cell-mediated autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wencan Zhang
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
| | - Xu Cao
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
| | - Xiancai Zhong
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
| | - Hongmin Wu
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
| | - Yun Shi
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
| | - Mingye Feng
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
| | - Yi-Chang Wang
- Department of Diabetes Complication and Metabolism, Arthur Rigs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
| | - David Ann
- Department of Diabetes Complication and Metabolism, Arthur Rigs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
| | - Yousang Gwack
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Yate-Ching Yuan
- Division of Translational Bioinformatic, Bioinformatics Core, City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
| | - Weirong Shang
- Department of Gynecology and Obsterics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30322
| | - Zuoming Sun
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA91010
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8
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Mohan D, Sherman HL, Mitra A, Lawlor R, Shanthalingam S, Ullom J, Pobezinskaya EL, Zhang G, Osborne BA, Pobezinsky LA, Tew GN, Minter LM. LKB1 isoform expression modulates T cell plasticity downstream of PKCθ and IL-6. Mol Immunol 2023; 157:129-141. [PMID: 37018939 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2023.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Following activation, CD4 T cells undergo metabolic and transcriptional changes as they respond to external cues and differentiate into T helper (Th) cells. T cells exhibit plasticity between Th phenotypes in highly inflammatory environments, such as colitis, in which high levels of IL-6 promote plasticity between regulatory T (Treg) cells and Th17 cells. Protein Kinase C theta (PKCθ) is a T cell-specific serine/threonine kinase that promotes Th17 differentiation while negatively regulating Treg differentiation. Liver kinase B1 (LKB1), also a serine/threonine kinase and encoded by Stk11, is necessary for Treg survival and function. Stk11 can be alternatively spliced to produce a short variant (Stk11S) by transcribing a cryptic exon. However, the contribution of Stk11 splice variants to Th cell differentiation has not been previously explored. Here we show that in Th17 cells, the heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein, hnRNPLL, mediates Stk11 splicing into its short splice variant, and that Stk11S expression is diminished when Hnrnpll is depleted using siRNA knock-down approaches. We further show that PKCθ regulates hnRNPLL and, thus, Stk11S expression in Th17 cells. We provide additional evidence that exposing induced (i)Tregs to IL-6 culminates in Stk11 splicing downstream of PKCθAltogether our data reveal a yet undescribed outside-in signaling pathway initiated by IL-6, that acts through PKCθ and hnRNPLL to regulate Stk11 splice variants and facilitate Th17 cell differentiation. Furthermore, we show for the first time, that this pathway can also be initiated in developing iTregs exposed to IL-6, providing mechanistic insight into iTreg phenotypic stability and iTreg to Th17 cell plasticity.
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9
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Fasting Protocols Do Not Improve Intestinal Architecture and Immune Parameters in C57BL/6 Male Mice Fed a High Fat Diet. MEDICINES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:medicines10020018. [PMID: 36827218 PMCID: PMC9961949 DOI: 10.3390/medicines10020018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The intestinal ecosystem, including epithelium, immune cells, and microbiota, are influenced by diet and timing of food consumption. The purpose of this study was to evaluate various dietary protocols after ad libitum high fat diet (HFD) consumption on intestinal morphology and mucosal immunity. METHODS C57BL/6 male mice were fed a 45% high fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks and then randomized to the following protocols; (1) chow, (2) a purified high fiber diet known as the Daniel Fast (DF), HFD consumed (3) ad libitum or in a restricted manner; (4) caloric-restricted, (5) time-restricted (six hours of fasting in each 24 h), or (6) alternate-day fasting (24 h fasting every other day). Intestinal morphology and gut-associated immune parameters were investigated after 2 months on respective protocols. RESULTS Consuming a HFD resulted in shortening of the intestine and reduction in villi and crypt size. Fasting, while consuming the HFD, did not restore these parameters to the extent seen with the chow and DF diet. Goblet cell number and regulatory T cells had improved recovery with high fiber diets, not seen with the HFD irrespective of fasting. CONCLUSION Nutritional content is a critical determinant of intestinal parameters associated with gut health.
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10
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Gilad Y, Lonard DM, O’Malley BW. Steroid receptor coactivators - their role in immunity. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1079011. [PMID: 36582250 PMCID: PMC9793089 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1079011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Steroid Receptor Coactivators (SRCs) are essential regulators of transcription with a wide range of impact on human physiology and pathology. In immunology, SRCs play multiple roles; they are involved in the regulation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), macrophage (MΦ) activity, lymphoid cells proliferation, development and function, to name just a few. The three SRC family members, SRC-1, SRC-2 and SRC-3, can exert their immunological function either in an independent manner or act in synergy with each other. In certain biological contexts, one SRC family member can compensate for lack of activity of another member, while in other cases one SRC can exert a biological function that competes against the function of another family counterpart. In this review we illustrate the diverse biological functionality of the SRCs with regard to their role in immunity. In the light of recent development of SRC small molecule inhibitors and stimulators, we discuss their potential relevance as modulators of the immunological activity of the SRCs for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosi Gilad
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Yosi Gilad, ; David M. Lonard, ; Bert W. O’Malley,
| | - David M. Lonard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Yosi Gilad, ; David M. Lonard, ; Bert W. O’Malley,
| | - Bert W. O’Malley
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Yosi Gilad, ; David M. Lonard, ; Bert W. O’Malley,
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11
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Zhang W, Cao X, Zhong X, Wu H, Feng M, Gwack Y, Noah I, Sun Z. Steroid nuclear receptor coactivator 2 controls immune tolerance by promoting induced T reg differentiation via up-regulating Nr4a2. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn7662. [PMID: 35704583 PMCID: PMC9200286 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn7662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Steroid nuclear receptor coactivator 2 (SRC2) is a member of a family of transcription coactivators. While SRC1 inhibits the differentiation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) critical for establishing immune tolerance, we show here that SRC2 stimulates Treg differentiation. SRC2 is dispensable for the development of thymic Tregs, whereas naive CD4+ T cells from mice deficient of SRC2 specific in Tregs (SRC2fl/fl/Foxp3YFP-Cre) display defective Treg differentiation. Furthermore, the aged SRC2fl/fl/Foxp3YFP-Cre mice spontaneously develop autoimmune phenotypes including enlarged spleen and lung inflammation infiltrated with IFNγ-producing CD4+ T cells. SRC2fl/fl/Foxp3YFP-Cre mice also develop severer experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) due to reduced Tregs. Mechanically, SRC2 recruited by NFAT1 binds to the promoter and activates the expression of Nr4a2, which then stimulates Foxp3 expression to promote Treg differentiation. Members of SRC family coactivators thus play distinct roles in Treg differentiation and are potential drug targets for controlling immune tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wencan Zhang
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Xu Cao
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Xiancai Zhong
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Hongmin Wu
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Mingye Feng
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Yousang Gwack
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Isakov Noah
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of Negev, Bear Sheva, Israel
| | - Zuoming Sun
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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12
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Srour N, Khan S, Richard S. The Influence of Arginine Methylation in Immunity and Inflammation. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:2939-2958. [PMID: 35602664 PMCID: PMC9114649 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s364190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Exploration in the field of epigenetics has revealed that protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) contribute to disease, and this has given way to the development of specific small molecule compounds that inhibit arginine methylation. Protein arginine methylation is known to regulate fundamental cellular processes, such as transcription; pre-mRNA splicing and other RNA processing mechanisms; signal transduction, including the anti-viral response; and cellular metabolism. PRMTs are also implicated in the regulation of physiological processes, including embryonic development, myogenesis, and the immune system. Finally, the dysregulation of PRMTs is apparent in cancer, neurodegeneration, muscular disorders, and during inflammation. Herein, we review the functions of PRMTs in immunity and inflammation. We also discuss recent progress with PRMTs regarding the modulation of gene expression related to T and B lymphocyte differentiation, germinal center dynamics, and anti-viral signaling responses, as well as the clinical relevance of using PRMT inhibitors alone or in combination with other drugs to treat cancer, immune, and inflammatory-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivine Srour
- Segal Cancer Centre, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1E2, Canada
- Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, and Departments of Biochemistry, Human Genetics, and Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Sarah Khan
- Segal Cancer Centre, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1E2, Canada
- Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, and Departments of Biochemistry, Human Genetics, and Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Stephane Richard
- Segal Cancer Centre, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1E2, Canada
- Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, and Departments of Biochemistry, Human Genetics, and Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1E2, Canada
- Correspondence: Stephane Richard, Email
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13
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Tecalco-Cruz AC, Pedraza-Chaverri J, Briones-Herrera A, Cruz-Ramos E, López-Canovas L, Zepeda-Cervantes J. Protein degradation-associated mechanisms that are affected in Alzheimer´s disease. Mol Cell Biochem 2022; 477:915-925. [PMID: 35083609 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-021-04334-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia associated with age-related neurodegeneration. Alteration of several molecular mechanisms has been correlated with the progression of AD. In recent years, dysregulation of proteostasis-associated pathways has emerged as a potential risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. This review investigated the ubiquitin-proteasome system, lysosome-associated degradation, endoplasmic-reticulum-associated degradation, and the formation of advanced glycation end products. These pathways involved in proteostasis have been reported to be altered in AD, suggesting that their study may be critical for identifying new biomarkers and target molecules for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeles C Tecalco-Cruz
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (UACM), Apdo. Postal 03100, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - José Pedraza-Chaverri
- Departamento de Biología. Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. Postal 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Briones-Herrera
- Departamento de Biología. Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. Postal 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Cruz-Ramos
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (UACM), Apdo. Postal 03100, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Lilia López-Canovas
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (UACM), Apdo. Postal 03100, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jesús Zepeda-Cervantes
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. Postal 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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14
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Th17 cell master transcription factor RORC2 regulates HIV-1 gene expression and viral outgrowth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2105927118. [PMID: 34819367 PMCID: PMC8640723 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105927118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV-1 infects CD4 T cells, and, among these, T helper 17 (Th17) cells are known to be particularly permissive for virus replication. The infection of Th17 cells is critical for AIDS pathogenesis and viral persistence. It is, however, not clear why these cells are highly permissive to HIV-1. We found that Th17 cell permissiveness depends on the expression of the hormone receptor RORC2, which is the master transcriptional regulator of Th17 cell differentiation. We identify RORC2 as a cell-specific host-dependency factor that can be targeted by small molecules. Our results suggest that RORC2 may be a cell-specific target to mitigate the loss of Th17 cells as a consequence of their preferential HIV-1 infection. Among CD4+ T cells, T helper 17 (Th17) cells are particularly susceptible to HIV-1 infection and are depleted from mucosal sites, which causes damage to the gut barrier, resulting in a microbial translocation-induced systemic inflammation, a hallmark of disease progression. Furthermore, a proportion of latently infected Th17 cells persist long term in the gastrointestinal lymphatic tract where a low-level HIV-1 transcription is observed. This residual viremia contributes to chronic immune activation. Thus, Th17 cells are key players in HIV pathogenesis and viral persistence. It is, however, unclear why these cells are highly susceptible to HIV-1 infection. Th17 cell differentiation depends on the expression of the master transcriptional regulator RORC2, a retinoic acid-related nuclear hormone receptor that regulates specific transcriptional programs by binding to promoter/enhancer DNA. Here, we report that RORC2 is a key host cofactor for HIV replication in Th17 cells. We found that specific inhibitors that bind to the RORC2 ligand-binding domain reduced HIV replication in CD4+ T cells. The depletion of RORC2 inhibited HIV-1 infection, whereas its overexpression enhanced it. RORC2 was also found to promote HIV-1 gene expression by binding to the nuclear receptor responsive element in the HIV-1 long terminal repeats (LTR). In treated HIV-1 patients, RORC2+ CD4 T cells contained more proviral DNA than RORC2− cells. Pharmacological inhibition of RORC2 potently reduced HIV-1 outgrowth in CD4+ T cells from antiretroviral-treated patients. Altogether, these results provide an explanation as to why Th17 cells are highly susceptible to HIV-1 infection and suggest that RORC2 may be a cell-specific target for HIV-1 therapy.
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15
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Strutzenberg TS, Zhu Y, Novick SJ, Garcia-Ordonez RD, Doebelin C, He Y, Chang MR, Kamenecka TM, Edwards DP, Griffin PR. Conformational Changes of RORγ During Response Element Recognition and Coregulator Engagement. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167258. [PMID: 34547329 PMCID: PMC8556364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
The retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γ (RORγ) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor of the nuclear receptor super family that underpins metabolic activity, immune function, and cancer progression. Despite being a valuable drug target in health and disease, our understanding of the ligand-dependent activities of RORγ is far from complete. Like most nuclear receptors, RORγ must recruit coregulatory protein to enact the RORγ target gene program. To date, a majority of structural studies have been focused exclusively on the RORγ ligand-binding domain and the ligand-dependent recruitment of small peptide segments of coregulators. Herein, we examine the ligand-dependent assembly of full length RORγ:coregulator complexes on cognate DNA response elements using structural proteomics and small angle x-ray scattering. The results from our studies suggest that RORγ becomes elongated upon DNA recognition, preventing long range interdomain crosstalk. We also determined that the DNA binding domain adopts a sequence-specific conformation, and that coregulatory protein may be able to 'sense' the ligand- and DNA-bound status of RORγ. We propose a model where ligand-dependent coregulator recruitment may be influenced by the sequence of the DNA to which RORγ is bound. Overall, the efforts described herein will illuminate important aspects of full length RORγ and monomeric orphan nuclear receptor target gene regulation through DNA-dependent conformational changes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yingmin Zhu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Scott J Novick
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | | | - Christelle Doebelin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Yuanjun He
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Mi Ra Chang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Theodore M Kamenecka
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Dean P Edwards
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Patrick R Griffin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA.
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Li Z, Liu T, He X, Bai C. The evolution paths of some reprehensive scaffolds of RORγt modulators, a perspective from medicinal chemistry. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 228:113962. [PMID: 34776280 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The ligand binding domain (LBD) of retinoid-related orphan nuclear receptor γt (RORγt) has been exploited as a promising target for the new small molecule therapeutics to cure autoimmune diseases via modulating the IL-17 and IL-22 production by Th17 cells. Diverse chemical scaffolds of these small molecules have been discovered by multiple groups with methods such as high throughput screening (HTS) and virtual screening. These different scaffolds are further developed by medicinal chemists to afford lead compounds the best of which enter clinical trials. In this review, we summarize these chemical scaffolds and their evolution paths according to the groups in which they have been discovered or studied. We combine the data of the chemistry, biological assays and structural biology of each chemical scaffold, in order to afford insight to develop new RORγt modulators with higher potency, less toxicity and elucidated working mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuohao Li
- Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Xixin He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chuan Bai
- Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
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17
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Kumar R, Theiss AL, Venuprasad K. RORγt protein modifications and IL-17-mediated inflammation. Trends Immunol 2021; 42:1037-1050. [PMID: 34635393 PMCID: PMC8556362 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RORγt, the master transcription factor for cytokine interleukin (IL)-17, is expressed explicitly in Th17 cells, γδT cells, and type 3 innate lymphoid cells in mice and humans. Since dysregulated IL-17 expression is strongly linked to several human inflammatory diseases, the RORγt-IL-17 axis has been the focus of intense research. Recently, several studies have shown that RORγt is modified by multiple post-translational mechanisms, including ubiquitination, acetylation, SUMOylation, and phosphorylation. This review discusses how post-translational modifications modulate RORγt function and its turnover to regulate IL-17-driven inflammation. Broad knowledge of these pathways is crucial for a clear understanding of the pathogenic role of RORγt+IL-17+ cells and for the development of putative therapeutic strategies to target IL-17-driven diseases such as multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and inflammatory bowel disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritesh Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Arianne L Theiss
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - K Venuprasad
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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18
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Zhang J, Bouch RJ, Blekhman MG, He Z. USP19 Suppresses Th17-Driven Pathogenesis in Autoimmunity. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 207:23-33. [PMID: 34135062 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Th17 cells have emerged as a chief pathogenic cell type in murine models of autoimmunity and human autoimmune diseases. Th17 cells are markedly plastic in their pathogenic potential, as they can adopt pro- or anti-inflammatory programming under distinct conditions. The specific mechanism underlying the plasticity of Th17 pathogenesis remains elusive. In this study, we found that Th17 lineage-specific transcription factor RORγt directly bound to the promoters of genes engaged in the ubiquitination pathway and thus upregulated their expression in pathogenic Th17 cells. We observed that ubiquitination activity correlated with Th17-related pathology in the context of autoimmunity. Consistent with this finding, the deubiquitinase USP19 was shown to suppress pathogenic Th17 differentiation in vitro and Th17-mediated pathogenesis in vivo. Mechanistically, USP19 removed the K63-linked ubiquitin chain from RORγt lysine 313, which is essential for recruiting the coactivator SRC3. Collectively, our findings indicate that USP19 selectively suppresses the pathogenic potential of Th17 cells and offer novel strategies for treating autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; and
| | - Ronald J Bouch
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; and
| | | | - Zhiheng He
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; and
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19
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Li H, Zhu XX, Xiang JB, Jian L. Buserelin Inhibits the Immunosuppressive Activity of Regulatory T Cells through the Protein Kinase A Signaling in a Central Precocious Puberty Model. Immunol Invest 2021; 51:909-923. [PMID: 33586576 DOI: 10.1080/08820139.2021.1885437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Background: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRHas) are used for treating central precocious puberty (CPP). However, their roles in the regulation of immune cells especially regulatory T cells (Tregs) remains elusive. Therefore, we characterized buserelin-induced phenotypical and functional changes of Tregs.Methods: A rat CPP model was established followed by administration of buserelin acetate. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the expression of functional molecules in splenic Tregs. The suppressive activity of Tregs was determined by the suppression assay. GnRHR expression in Tregs was assessed by flow cytometry analysis and Immunoblotting. Normal Tregs were then stimulated and treated with buserelin acetate in vitro. After that, Foxp3 expression, Treg proliferation, and cytokine production were analyzed by flow cytometry. Intracellular signaling was evaluated by Immunoblotting, and Treg function was determined by the suppression assay.Results: After in vivo buserelin treatment, the frequency of splenic Tregs was decreased, with the reduction in the expression of Foxp3, IL-10, and TGF-β. The suppressive activity of Tregs was weakened. Buserelin down-regulated Foxp3 expression while promoting the expression of RORγt and IL-17 in Tregs through activating the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway in vitro. The PKA inhibitor H-89 abolished the effect of buserelin and enhanced Treg function.Conclusion: Buserelin impaired the immunosuppressive activity of Tregs through the PKA signal pathway. Buserelin-induced activation of PKA signaling down-regulated Foxp3 expression while promoting RORγt expression in Tregs, and subsequently weakened Treg function. Our study indicates the necessity of monitoring Treg activity in CPP patients to avoid potential autoimmunity or inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Renhe Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Second Clinical Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Renhe Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Second Clinical Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Jin-Bo Xiang
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Renhe Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Second Clinical Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Lei Jian
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Renhe Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Second Clinical Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
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Dan YL, Zhao CN, Mao YM, Wu Q, He YS, Hu YQ, Xiang K, Yang XK, Sam NB, Wu GC, Pan HF. Association of PER2 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms with genetic susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus 2021; 30:734-740. [PMID: 33497301 DOI: 10.1177/0961203321989794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The circadian clock plays a crucial role in the progress of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we performed a case-control study to explore the association between Period 2 (PER2) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the susceptibility of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A total of 492 SLE patients and 493 healthy controls were included. The improved multiple ligase detection reaction (iMLDR) was used for genotyping. The correlations between four SNPs of PER2 (rs10929273, rs11894491, rs36124720, rs934945) and the genetic susceptibility and clinical manifestations of SLE were analyzed. Significant differences were observed in the distributions of allele frequencies and genotype under dominant model in rs11894491 between SLE patients and controls (p = 0.030, p = 022, respectively). We hypothesized that PER2 gene SNPs was related to the genetic susceptibility and clinical manifestations, implying the potential role of PER2 in the pathogenesis of SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Lin Dan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.,Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui, China
| | - Chan-Na Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.,Anhui Chest Hospital (Anhui Provincial Institute of Tuberculosis Control), Anhui, China
| | - Yan-Mei Mao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.,Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui, China
| | - Qian Wu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.,Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui, China
| | - Yi-Sheng He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.,Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui, China
| | - Yu-Qian Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.,Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui, China
| | - Kun Xiang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.,Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao-Ke Yang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China
| | - Napoleon Bellua Sam
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Guo-Cui Wu
- School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China
| | - Hai-Feng Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.,Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui, China
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21
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Lapin NA, Gill K, Shah BR, Chopra R. Consistent opening of the blood brain barrier using focused ultrasound with constant intravenous infusion of microbubble agent. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16546. [PMID: 33024157 PMCID: PMC7538995 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73312-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The blood brain barrier (BBB) is a major obstacle to the delivery of therapeutics to the brain. Focused ultrasound (FUS) in combination with microbubbles can non-invasively open the BBB in a targeted manner. Bolus intravenous injections of microbubbles are standard practice, but dynamic influx and clearance mechanisms prevent delivery of a uniform dose with time. When multiple targets are selected for sonication in a single treatment, uniform serum concentrations of microbubbles are important for consistent BBB opening. Herein, we show that bubble infusions were able to achieve consistent BBB opening at multiple target sites. FUS exposures were conducted with different Definity microbubble concentrations at various acoustic pressures. To quantify the effects of infusion on BBB opening, we calculated the MRI contrast enhancement rate. When infusions were performed at rates of 7.2 µl microbubbles/kg/min or below, we were able to obtain consistent BBB opening without injury at all pressures. However, when infusion rates exceeded 20 µl/kg/min, signs of injury occurred at pressures from 0.39 to 0.56 MPa. When compared to bolus injections, a bubble infusion offers a more controlled and consistent approach to multi-target BBB disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman A Lapin
- Focused Ultrasound Laboratory, Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Kirt Gill
- Focused Ultrasound Laboratory, Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Bhavya R Shah
- Focused Ultrasound Laboratory, Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.,Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.,Advanced Imaging Research Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Rajiv Chopra
- Focused Ultrasound Laboratory, Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA. .,Advanced Imaging Research Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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22
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Age-of-onset information helps identify 76 genetic variants associated with allergic disease. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008725. [PMID: 32603359 PMCID: PMC7367489 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Risk factors that contribute to inter-individual differences in the age-of-onset of allergic diseases are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify genetic risk variants associated with the age at which symptoms of allergic disease first develop, considering information from asthma, hay fever and eczema. Self-reported age-of-onset information was available for 117,130 genotyped individuals of European ancestry from the UK Biobank study. For each individual, we identified the earliest age at which asthma, hay fever and/or eczema was first diagnosed and performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of this combined age-of-onset phenotype. We identified 50 variants with a significant independent association (P<3x10-8) with age-of-onset. Forty-five variants had comparable effects on the onset of the three individual diseases and 38 were also associated with allergic disease case-control status in an independent study (n = 222,484). We observed a strong negative genetic correlation between age-of-onset and case-control status of allergic disease (rg = -0.63, P = 4.5x10-61), indicating that cases with early disease onset have a greater burden of allergy risk alleles than those with late disease onset. Subsequently, a multivariate GWAS of age-of-onset and case-control status identified a further 26 associations that were missed by the univariate analyses of age-of-onset or case-control status only. Collectively, of the 76 variants identified, 18 represent novel associations for allergic disease. We identified 81 likely target genes of the 76 associated variants based on information from expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and non-synonymous variants, of which we highlight ADAM15, FOSL2, TRIM8, BMPR2, CD200R1, PRKCQ, NOD2, SMAD4, ABCA7 and UBE2L3. Our results support the notion that early and late onset allergic disease have partly distinct genetic architectures, potentially explaining known differences in pathophysiology between individuals. So far, genetic studies of allergic disease have investigated the presence of the disease rather than the age at which the first allergic symptoms develop. We aimed to identify genetic risk variants associated with the age at which symptoms of allergic disease first develop, considering information from asthma, hay fever and eczema by examining 117,130 genotyped individuals of European ancestry from the UK Biobank study. We identified 50 variants with a significant independent association (P<3x10-8) with age-of-onset. Forty-five variants had comparable effects on the onset of the three individual diseases and 38 were also associated with allergic disease case-control status in an independent study (n = 222,484). We then performed a multivariate GWAS of age-of-onset and case-control status identified a further 26 associations that were missed by the univariate analyses of age-of-onset or case-control status only. 18 of 76 variants identified represent novel associations for allergic disease. We identified 81 likely target genes of the 76 genetic variants, including ADAM15, FOSL2, TRIM8, BMPR2, CD200R1, PRKCQ, NOD2, SMAD4, ABCA7 and UBE2L3. Our results support the notion that early and late onset allergic disease have partly distinct genetic architectures, potentially explaining known differences in pathophysiology between individuals.
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23
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Hu Y, Cheng L, Zhong W, Chen M, Zhang Q. Bioinformatics Analysis of Gene Expression Profiles for Risk Prediction in Patients with Septic Shock. Med Sci Monit 2019; 25:9563-9571. [PMID: 31838482 PMCID: PMC6929537 DOI: 10.12659/msm.918491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Septic shock occurs when sepsis is associated with critically low blood pressure, and has a high mortality rate. This study aimed to undertake a bioinformatics analysis of gene expression profiles for risk prediction in septic shock. Material/Methods Two good quality datasets associated with septic shock were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, GSE64457 and GSE57065. Patients with septic shock had both sepsis and hypotension, and a normal control group was included. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using OmicShare tools based on R. Functional enrichment of DEGs was analyzed using DAVID. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established using STRING. Survival curves of key genes were constructed using GraphPad Prism version 7.0. Each putative central gene was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves using MedCalc statistical software. Results GSE64457 and GSE57065 included 130 RNA samples derived from whole blood from 97 patients with septic shock and 33 healthy volunteers to obtain 975 DEGs, 455 of which were significantly down-regulated and 520 were significantly upregulated (P<0.05). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis identified significantly enriched DEGs in four signaling pathways, MAPK, TNF, HIF-1, and insulin. Six genes, WDR82, ASH1L, NCOA1, TPR, SF1, and CREBBP in the center of the PPI network were associated with septic shock, according to survival curve and ROC analysis. Conclusions Bioinformatics analysis of gene expression profiles identified four signaling pathways and six genes, potentially representing molecular mechanisms for the occurrence, progression, and risk prediction in septic shock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingchun Hu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China (mainland)
| | - Lingxia Cheng
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China (mainland)
| | - Wu Zhong
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China (mainland)
| | - Muhu Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China (mainland)
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China (mainland)
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24
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Xu L, Zhao T, Yuan G, Hou S, Zeng W, Chen F. PRKCQ rs4750316 is associated with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome in a Han Chinese population. Mol Vis 2019; 25:834-842. [PMID: 31908401 PMCID: PMC6925663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The PRKCQ and REL genes are said to be associated with multiple autoimmune diseases. This study investigated the association between these genes and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome in Han Chinese. Methods A two-stage case-control study was performed on three single nucleotide polymorphisms ([SNPs] rs4750316, rs11258747, and rs947474) of the PRKCQ gene and three SNPs (rs842647, rs702873, and rs13031237) of the REL gene using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLPs) in a total of 859 patients with VKH syndrome and 1,542 healthy controls. Variables such as extraocular presentations were assessed. The data were analyzed using chi-square analysis, and corrected for multiple comparisons with the Bonferroni method. Results We found a decreased frequency of the GC genotype and the C allele of rs4750316 in patients with VKH syndrome when the GG genotype or G allele was used as a reference, respectively (GC genotype: P =2.45e-10, odds ratio [OR]=0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.28-0.51; C allele: P=8.79e-10, OR=0.41, 95% CI=0.31-0.55). The genotypic and allelic frequencies of rs11258747, rs947474, rs842647, rs702873, and rs13031237 were not statistically significantly different between patients with VKH syndrome and controls. Stratification analysis indicated that the PRKCQ rs4750316 polymorphism was associated with patients with VKH syndrome experiencing headache, alopecia, poliosis, tinnitus, and dysacusia, but no statistically significant association of the other five SNPs was found. Conclusions The PRKCQ rs4750316 polymorphism may be a susceptibility factor for VKH syndrome pathogenesis and extraocular presentations, indicating that PRKCQ may be involved in the pathogenesis and extraocular presentations of VKH syndrome through the T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Xu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road 1, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Rodent Laboratory Animals, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Tingting Zhao
- Laboratory Animal Center, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road 1, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Rodent Laboratory Animals, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Gangxiang Yuan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Shengping Hou
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Wenxin Zeng
- Laboratory Animal Center, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road 1, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Rodent Laboratory Animals, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Feilan Chen
- Laboratory Animal Center, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road 1, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Rodent Laboratory Animals, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, P. R. China
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25
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Jiang Y, Wang X, Dong C. Molecular mechanisms of T helper 17 cell differentiation: Emerging roles for transcription cofactors. Adv Immunol 2019; 144:121-153. [PMID: 31699215 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2019.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
T helper 17 (Th17) cells, characterized by secretion of IL-17 and IL-17F, are a specialized CD4+ effector T cell lineage that not only facilitates host defense against pathogen infection and maintenance of mucosal barrier, but also potently induces tissue inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Since its discovery in 2005, the developmental program of Th17 cells has been characterized, which involves a number of key cytokines, transcription factors and multiple layers of epigenetic modifications. However, how these mechanisms integrate into the complex regulatory network in Th17 cells has not been well defined. Emerging evidences have revealed essential roles of cofactors in controlling chromosome accessibilities and activities of Th17-specific transcription factors. Moreover, cofactors also act as critical signaling integrators to coordinate multiple signaling pathways and transcriptional programs. Deficiency or dysregulation of these cofactors results in defects in Th17 responses and induction of associated autoimmune diseases. Our lab has recently reported several important cofactors in Th17 cells. Here we summarize our findings regarding this new scenario of developmental regulation of Th17 cells. These findings may benefit the development of innovative strategies to treat autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jiang
- Institute for Immunology and School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohu Wang
- Institute for Immunology and School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Dong
- Institute for Immunology and School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Lab for Immunological Research on Chronic Diseases, Beijing, China.
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26
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Jetten AM, Cook DN. (Inverse) Agonists of Retinoic Acid-Related Orphan Receptor γ: Regulation of Immune Responses, Inflammation, and Autoimmune Disease. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2019; 60:371-390. [PMID: 31386594 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010919-023711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt) functions as a ligand-dependent transcription factor that regulates multiple proinflammatory genes and plays a critical role in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Various endogenous and synthetic RORγ (inverse) agonists have been identified that regulate RORγ transcriptional activity, including many cholesterol intermediates and oxysterols. Changes in cholesterol biosynthesis and metabolism can therefore have a significant impact on the generation of oxysterol RORγ ligands and, consequently, can control RORγt activity and inflammation. These observations contribute to a growing literature that connects cholesterol metabolism to the regulation of immune responses and autoimmune disease. Loss of RORγ function in knockout mice and in mice treated with RORγ inverse agonists results in reduced production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17A/F, and increased resistance to autoimmune disease in several experimental rodent models. Thus, RORγt inverse agonists might provide an attractive therapeutic approach to treat a variety of autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton M Jetten
- Cell Biology Section, Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA;
| | - Donald N Cook
- Immunogenetics Section, Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
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He Z, Zhang J, Du Q, Xu J, Gwack Y, Sun Z. SRC3 Is a Cofactor for RORγt in Th17 Differentiation but Not Thymocyte Development. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 202:760-769. [PMID: 30567733 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1801187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
SRC3, a highly conserved member of the steroid receptor coactivator (SRC) family, is recruited by transcription factors to regulate cellular function. Previously, we demonstrated that SRC1, another highly conserved member of the SRC family, interacts with RORγt to regulate Th17 differentiation. However, the relationship between SRC1 and SRC3 in the regulation of Th17 cell function remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that mouse SRC3 interacts with RORγt in Th17 cells but not in thymocytes. In addition, Src3-/- mice exhibited defective Th17 differentiation and induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis but normal thymocyte development. Furthermore, a K313 to arginine mutation of RORγt (RORγt-K313R), which disrupts the interaction of RORγt with SRC3 but not with SRC1, impairs Th17 differentiation but not thymocyte development. These data suggest that SRC3 works with SRC1 to regulate RORγt-dependent Th17 differentiation but is not essential for RORγt-dependent thymocyte development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiheng He
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010.,Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Qian Du
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Jianming Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030; and
| | - Yousang Gwack
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Zuoming Sun
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010;
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28
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He Z, Zhang J, Huang Z, Du Q, Li N, Zhang Q, Chen Y, Sun Z. Sumoylation of RORγt regulates T H17 differentiation and thymocyte development. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4870. [PMID: 30451821 PMCID: PMC6242824 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07203-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
RORγt controls the differentiation of TH17 cells, which are mediators of autoimmune conditions such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). RORγt also regulates thymocyte development and lymph node genesis. Here we show that the function of RORγt is regulated by its sumoylation. Loss of Sumo3, but not Sumo1, dampens TH17 differentiation and delays the progression of thymic CD8+ immature single-positive cells (ISPs). RORγt is SUMO3-modified by E3 ligase PIAS4 at lysine 31 (K31), and the mutation of K31 to arginine in mice prevents RORγt sumoylation, leading to impaired TH17 differentiation, resistance to TH17-mediated EAE, accumulation of thymic ISPs, and a lack of Peyer’s patches. Mechanistically, sumoylation of RORγt-K31 recruits histone acetyltransferase KAT2A, which stabilizes the binding of SRC1 to enhance RORγt transcription factor activity. This study thus demonstrates that sumoylation is a critical mechanism for regulating RORγt function, and reveals new drug targets for preventing TH17-mediated autoimmunity. The transcription factor RORγt is essential for the differentiation of TH17 cells, thymocyte development and lymphoid organogenesis. Here the authors show that the function of RORγt is regulated by PIAS4-mediated sumoylation that stabilize the interaction with SRC1 and KAT2A, to enhance the transcriptional activity of RORγt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiheng He
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, 91010, CA, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, 91010, CA, USA.,Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, 91010, CA, USA
| | - Zhaofeng Huang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Qian Du
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, 91010, CA, USA
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan Univerity, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Yuan Chen
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, 91010, CA, USA
| | - Zuoming Sun
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, 91010, CA, USA.
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29
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Zhang J, He Z, Sen S, Wang F, Zhang Q, Sun Z. TCF-1 Inhibits IL-17 Gene Expression To Restrain Th17 Immunity in a Stage-Specific Manner. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 200:3397-3406. [PMID: 29632143 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
T cell factor 1 (TCF-1) is expressed in both developing and mature T cells and has been shown to restrain mature T cell-mediated Th17 responses by inhibiting IL-17 expression. However, it is not clear when TCF-1 is required in vivo to restrain the magnitude of peripheral Th17 responses and what the molecular mechanisms responsible for TCF-1-regulated IL-17 gene expression are. In this study, we showed that conditional deletion of TCF-1 at the early but not later CD4+CD8+ double-positive stage in mice enhanced Th17 differentiation and aggravated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, which correlates with abnormally high IL-17 expression. Expression of TCF-1 in TCF-1-deficient thymocytes but not TCF-1-deficient Th17 cells inhibited IL-17 expression. TCF-1 binds to IL-17 promoter regions, and deletion of two TCF-1 binding sites relieves TCF-1-mediated inhibition of IL-17 promoter activity. Lastly, wild-type TCF-1, but not a TCF-1 mutant that has no intrinsic histone deacetylase activity, was able to inhibit IL-17 expression in TCF-1 deficient mouse thymocytes. Thus, our study demonstrates the requirement of TCF-1 in vivo at stages earlier than double-positive cells to restrain peripheral Th17 immunity by directly binding and inhibiting IL-17 promoter in its intrinsic histone deacetylase-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010.,Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010; and
| | - Zhiheng He
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Subha Sen
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Zuoming Sun
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010;
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