IFNγ signaling endows DCs with the capacity to control type I inflammation during parasitic infection through promoting T-bet+ regulatory T cells

PLoS Pathog. 2015 Feb 6;11(2):e1004635. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004635. eCollection 2015 Feb.

Abstract

IFNγ signaling drives dendritic cells (DCs) to promote type I T cell (Th1) immunity. Here, we show that activation of DCs by IFNγ is equally crucial for the differentiation of a population of T-bet+ regulatory T (Treg) cells specialized to inhibit Th1 immune responses. Conditional deletion of IFNγ receptor in DCs but not in Treg cells resulted in a severe defect in this specific Treg cell subset, leading to exacerbated immune pathology during parasitic infections. Mechanistically, IFNγ-unresponsive DCs failed to produce sufficient amount of IL-27, a cytokine required for optimal T-bet induction in Treg cells. Thus, IFNγ signalling endows DCs with the ability to efficiently control a specific type of T cell immunity through promoting a corresponding Treg cell population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction / immunology
  • T-Box Domain Proteins / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*
  • Th1 Cells / cytology
  • Th1 Cells / immunology
  • Toxoplasmosis / immunology*

Substances

  • T-Box Domain Proteins
  • T-box transcription factor TBX21
  • Interferon-gamma

Associated data

  • GEO/GSE64594