CD161 expression characterizes a subpopulation of human regulatory T cells that produces IL-17 in a STAT3-dependent manner.
Eur J Immunol
; 43(8): 2043-54, 2013 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23677517
ABSTRACT
Treg cells are critical for the prevention of autoimmune diseases and are thus prime candidates for cell-based clinical therapy. However, human Treg cells are "plastic", and are able to produce IL-17 under inflammatory conditions. Here, we identify and characterize the human Treg subpopulation that can be induced to produce IL-17 and identify its mechanisms. We confirm that a subpopulation of human Treg cells produces IL-17 in vitro when activated in the presence of IL-1ß, but not IL-6. "IL-17 potential" is restricted to population III (CD4(+) CD25(hi) CD127(lo) CD45RA(-) ) Treg cells expressing the natural killer cell marker CD161. We show that these cells are functionally as suppressive and have similar phenotypic/molecular characteristics to other subpopulations of Treg cells and retain their suppressive function following IL-17 induction. Importantly, we find that IL-17 production is STAT3 dependent, with Treg cells from patients with STAT3 mutations unable to make IL-17. Finally, we show that CD161(+) population III Treg cells accumulate in inflamed joints of patients with inflammatory arthritis and are the predominant IL-17-producing Treg-cell population at these sites. As IL-17 production from this Treg-cell subpopulation is not accompanied by a loss of regulatory function, in the context of cell therapy, exclusion of these cells from the cell product may not be necessary.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Linfócitos T Reguladores
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Interleucina-17
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Fator de Transcrição STAT3
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Subfamília B de Receptores Semelhantes a Lectina de Células NK
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Eur J Immunol
Ano de publicação:
2013
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido