Dopaminergic signalling limits suppressive activity and gut homing of regulatory T cells upon intestinal inflammation

Mucosal Immunol. 2021 May;14(3):652-666. doi: 10.1038/s41385-020-00354-7. Epub 2020 Nov 12.

Abstract

Evidence from inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) patients and animal models has indicated that gut inflammation is driven by effector CD4+ T-cell, including Th1 and Th17. Conversely, Treg seem to be dysfunctional in IBD. Importantly, dopamine, which is abundant in the gut mucosa under homoeostasis, undergoes a sharp reduction upon intestinal inflammation. Here we analysed the role of the high-affinity dopamine receptor D3 (DRD3) in gut inflammation. Our results show that Drd3 deficiency confers a stronger immunosuppressive potency to Treg, attenuating inflammatory colitis manifestation in mice. Mechanistic analyses indicated that DRD3-signalling attenuates IL-10 production and limits the acquisition of gut-tropism. Accordingly, the ex vivo transduction of wild-type Treg with a siRNA for Drd3 induced a potent therapeutic effect abolishing gut inflammation. Thus, our findings show DRD3-signalling as a major regulator of Treg upon gut inflammation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Colitis / immunology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dopaminergic Neurons / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Inflammation / immunology*
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / immunology*
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • Intestines / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neuroimmunomodulation
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Receptors, Dopamine D3 / genetics
  • Receptors, Dopamine D3 / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*

Substances

  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptors, Dopamine D3
  • Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing
  • Interleukin-10