RESUMEN
Immune cells need to sustain a state of constant alertness over a lifetime. Yet, little is known about the regulatory processes that control the fluent and fragile balance that is called homeostasis. Here we demonstrate that JAK-STAT signaling, beyond its role in immune responses, is a major regulator of immune cell homeostasis. We investigated JAK-STAT-mediated transcription and chromatin accessibility across 12 mouse models, including knockouts of all STAT transcription factors and of the TYK2 kinase. Baseline JAK-STAT signaling was detected in CD8+ T cells and macrophages of unperturbed mice-but abrogated in the knockouts and in unstimulated immune cells deprived of their normal tissue context. We observed diverse gene-regulatory programs, including effects of STAT2 and IRF9 that were independent of STAT1. In summary, our large-scale dataset and integrative analysis of JAK-STAT mutant and wild-type mice uncovered a crucial role of JAK-STAT signaling in unstimulated immune cells, where it contributes to a poised epigenetic and transcriptional state and helps prepare these cells for rapid response to immune stimuli.
Asunto(s)
Homeostasis , Quinasas Janus , Macrófagos , Ratones Noqueados , Factores de Transcripción STAT , Transducción de Señal , Animales , Ratones , Macrófagos/inmunología , Macrófagos/metabolismo , Quinasas Janus/metabolismo , Factores de Transcripción STAT/metabolismo , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/inmunología , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/metabolismo , Factor de Transcripción STAT1/metabolismo , Factor de Transcripción STAT1/genética , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Subunidad gamma del Factor 3 de Genes Estimulados por el Interferón/metabolismo , Subunidad gamma del Factor 3 de Genes Estimulados por el Interferón/genética , TYK2 Quinasa/metabolismo , TYK2 Quinasa/genética , Regulación de la Expresión GénicaRESUMEN
Immune responses are tightly regulated yet highly variable between individuals. To investigate human population variation of trained immunity, we immunized healthy individuals with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). This live-attenuated vaccine induces not only an adaptive immune response against tuberculosis but also triggers innate immune activation and memory that are indicative of trained immunity. We established personal immune profiles and chromatin accessibility maps over a 90-day time course of BCG vaccination in 323 individuals. Our analysis uncovered genetic and epigenetic predictors of baseline immunity and immune response. BCG vaccination enhanced the innate immune response specifically in individuals with a dormant immune state at baseline, rather than providing a general boost of innate immunity. This study advances our understanding of BCG's heterologous immune-stimulatory effects and trained immunity in humans. Furthermore, it highlights the value of epigenetic cell states for connecting immune function with genotype and the environment.