Immune activation associates with the intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS). To elicit effective immune responses, ROS levels must be balanced. Emerging evidenceshows that ROS-mediated signal transduction can be regulated by selenoproteins such asmethionine sulfoxide reductase B1 (MsrB1). However, how the selenoprotein shapes immunityremains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrated that MsrB1 plays a crucial role in the ability ofdendritic cells (DCs) to provide the antigen presentation and costimulation that are needed forcluster of differentiation antigen four (CD4) T-cell priming in mice. We found that MsrB1 regulatedsignal transducer and activator of transcription-6 (STAT6) phosphorylation in DCs. Moreover, bothin vitro and in vivo, MsrB1 potentiated the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Interleukin-12 (IL-12)production by DCs and drove T-helper 1 (Th1) differentiation after immunization. We propose thatMsrB1 activates the STAT6 pathway in DCs, thereby inducing the DC maturation and IL-12production that promotes Th1 differentiation. Additionally, we showed that MsrB1 promotedfollicular helper T-cell (Tfh) differentiation when mice were immunized with sheep red blood cells.This study unveils as yet unappreciated roles of the MsrB1 selenoprotein in the innate control ofadaptive immunity. Targeting MsrB1 may have therapeutic potential in terms of controllingimmune reactions.
Keywords: T-cell activation; T-helper 1; dendritic cells; methionine oxidation; methionine sulfoxide reductase B1; signal transducer and activator of transcription-6 (STAT6).