调节性 T 细胞发育的一个关键转录因子 Foxp3

调节性 T 细胞是目前免疫学领域研究的热点,对于维持机体免疫耐受和免疫应答稳态具有非常重要的作用 . 对其发育和功能机制的深入认识,不但有助于了解错综复杂的免疫系统理论,而且在自身免疫性疾病、肿瘤和艾滋病的治疗以及移植耐受的诱导等方面具有广泛的应用前景 . 最近的研究发现,转录因子 Foxp3 对于调节性 T 细胞的发育具有重要的作用,是调节性 T 细胞发育的一个关键转录因子 .     

Salt Sensing by Serum/Glucocorticoid-Regulated Kinase 1 Promotes Th17-like Inflammatory Adaptation of Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells

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Coupling of the Cell Cycle and Apoptotic Machineries in Developing T Cells

Proliferation and apoptosis are diametrically opposite processes. Expression of certain genes like c-Myc, however, can induce both, pointing to a possible linkage between them. Developing CD4⁺CD8⁺ thymocytes are intrinsically sensitive to apoptosis, but the molecular basis is not known. We have found that these noncycling cells surprisingly express many cell cycle proteins. We generated transgenic mice expressing a CDK2 kinase-dead (CDK2-DN) protein in the T cell compartment. Analysis of these mice showed that the CDK2-DN protein acts as a dominant negative mutant in mature T cells as expected, but surprisingly, it acts as a dominant active protein in CD4⁺CD8⁺ thymocytes. The levels of CDK2 kinase activity, cyclin E, cyclin A, and other cell cycle proteins in transgenic CD4⁺CD8⁺ thymocytes are increased. Concurrently, caspase levels are elevated, and apoptosis is significantly enhanced in vitro and in vivo. E2F-1, the unique E2F member capable of inducing apoptosis when overexpressed, is specifically up-regulated in transgenic CD4⁺CD8⁺ thymocytes but not in other T cell populations. These results demonstrate that the cell cycle and apoptotic machineries are normally linked, and expression of cell cycle proteins in developing T cells contributes to their inherent 1sensitivity to apoptosis.     

Novel IL27p28/IL12p40 Cytokine Suppressed Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis by Inhibiting Autoreactive Th1/Th17 Cells and Promoting Expansion of Regulatory T Cells

IL-12 family cytokines are important in host immunity. Whereas some members (IL-12, IL-23) play crucial roles in pathogenesis of organ-specific autoimmune diseases by inducing the differentiation of Th1 and Th17 lymphocytes, others (IL-27 and IL-35) suppress inflammatory responses and limit tissue injury induced by these T cell subsets. In this study, we have genetically engineered a novel IL27p28/IL12p40 heterodimeric cytokine (p28/p40) that antagonizes signaling downstream of the gp130 receptor. We investigated whether p28/p40 can be used to ameliorate uveitis, a CNS inflammatory disease. Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) is the mouse model of human uveitis and is mediated by Th1 and Th17 cells. We show here that p28/p40 suppressed EAU by inhibiting the differentiation and inflammatory responses of Th1 and Th17 cells while promoting expansion of IL-10⁺- and Foxp3⁺-expressing regulatory T cells. Lymph node cells from mice treated with p28/p40 blocked adoptive transfer of EAU to naïve syngeneic mice by immunopathogenic T cells and suppressive effects of p28/p40 derived in part from antagonizing STAT1 and STAT3 pathways induced by IL-27 and IL-6. Interestingly, IL27p28 also suppressed EAU, but to a lesser extent than p28/p40. The inhibition of uveitogenic lymphocyte proliferation and suppression of EAU by p28/p40 and IL27p28 establish efficacy of single chain and heterodimeric IL-12 family cytokines in treatment of a CNS autoimmune disease. Creation of the biologically active p28/p40 heterodimeric cytokine represents an important proof-of-concept experiment, suggesting that cytokines comprising unique IL-12 α- and β-subunit pairing may exist in nature and may constitute a new class of therapeutic cytokines.