Nitric oxide modulates TGF-beta-directive signals to suppress Foxp3+ regulatory T cell differentiation and potentiate Th1 development

J Immunol. 2011 Jun 15;186(12):6972-80. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1100485. Epub 2011 May 9.

Abstract

TGF-β can induce Foxp3(+) inducible regulatory T cells (Treg) and also synergize with IL-6 and IL-4 to induce Th17 and Th9 cells. We now report that NO modulates TGF-β activity away from Treg but toward the Th1 lineage. NO potentiated Th1 differentiation in the presence of TGF-β in both IL-12-independent and -dependent fashions by augmenting IFN-γ-activated STAT-1 and T-bet. Differentiation into Treg, Th1, and Th17 lineages could be modulated by NO competing with other cofactors, such as IL-6 and retinoic acid. NO antagonized IL-6 to block TGF-β-directed Th17 differentiation, and together with IL-6, NO suppressed Treg development induced by TGF-β and retinoic acid. Furthermore, we show that physiologically produced NO from TNF and inducible NO synthase-producing dendritic cells can contribute to Th1 development predominating over Treg development through a synergistic activity induced when these cells cocluster with conventional dendritic cells presenting Ag to naive Th cells. This illustrates that NO is another cofactor allowing TGF-β to participate in development of multiple Th lineages and suggests a new mechanism by which NO, which is associated with protection against intracellular pathogens, might maintain effective Th1 immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology*
  • Cell Lineage / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / immunology
  • Mice
  • Nitric Oxide / immunology
  • Nitric Oxide / pharmacology*
  • Signal Transduction / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / cytology*
  • Th1 Cells / cytology*
  • Th1 Cells / drug effects
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / immunology*

Substances

  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Nitric Oxide