The role of negative regulators or suppressors of the damage-associated molecular pattern-mediated (DAMP-mediated) stimulation of innate immune responses is being increasingly appreciated. However, the presence and function of suppressors of DAMP-mediated effects on T cells, and whether they can be targeted to mitigate T cell-dependent immunopathology remain unknown. Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin G (Siglec-G) is a negative regulator of DAMP-mediated responses in innate immune cells, but its T cell-autonomous role is unknown. Utilizing loss-of-function-based (genetic knockout) and gain-of-function-based (agonist) approaches, we demonstrate that in the presence of certain DAMPs, Siglec-G suppressed in vitro and in vivo T cell responses. We also demonstrate that its T cell-autonomous role is critical for modulating the severity of the T cell-mediated immunopathology, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Enhancing the Siglec-G signaling in donor T cells with its agonist, a CD24Fc fusion protein, ameliorated GVHD while preserving sufficient graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effects in vivo. Collectively, these data demonstrate that Siglec-G is a potentially novel negative regulator of T cell responses, which can be targeted to mitigate GVHD.
Keywords: Immunology; Transplantation.