Interleukin-7 optimizes FOXP3+CD4+ regulatory T cells reactivity to interleukin-2 by modulating CD25 expression

PLoS One. 2014 Dec 8;9(12):e113314. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113314. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The vast majority of Foxp3 regulatory T cells (Treg) exhibits constitutive expression of CD25 (IL-2Rα), which allows the constitution of the high affinity IL-2Rαβγ receptor, ensuring efficient IL-2 binding by Treg. Maintenance of CD25 expression at Treg surface depends on both cell intrinsic factors and environmental stimuli such as IL-2 itself. Whether other factors can participate to maintenance of CD25 expression in vivo is at present unknown. In the present work we demonstrated that IL-7, a gamma-chain cytokine exerting a crucial role in T cell development and homeostasis, is able and necessary to sustain the expression of high levels of CD25 at Treg surface. We demonstrated that, during in vitro cultures performed in the absence of IL-2, IL-7 is able to sustain CD25 expression at Treg surface through a transcriptional mechanism. By studying mice in which IL-7 signaling is either genetically impaired or increased and by employing adoptive transfer murine models, we demonstrated that IL-7 is necessary for sustained expression of CD25 at Treg surface in vivo. To ascertain the biological impact of IL-7 mediated modulation of CD25 expression, we demonstrated that IL-7 modulation of CD25 expression at Treg surface affected their ability to efficiently bind IL-2 and transduce IL-2 signaling. Finally, we demonstrated that IL-7 dependent modulation of CD25 associated with potentiated IL-2 induced expansion of Treg in vivo. Collectively, our results identify IL-7 as a necessary factor contributing to sustained CD25 expression at Treg surface in vivo thereby affecting their ability to efficiently react to IL-2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interleukin-2 / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-7 / genetics
  • Interleukin-7 / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Protein Binding
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism*

Substances

  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • Interleukin-7

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Agence Nationale de la recherche contre le SIDA et les hépatites virales (ANRS) and Fondation de France. Federico Simonetta was also supported by the Fondation pour la recherche médicale (FRM). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.