NK Cells Inhibit T-bet-deficient, Autoreactive Th17 Cells

作者：Wu, W.; Shi, S.; Ljunggren, H. -G.; Cava, A. L.; Van Kaer, L.; Shi, F. -D.; Liu, R.^*

来源：Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, 2012, 76(6): 559-566.

DOI：10.1111/j.1365-3083.2012.02773.x

• NATURAL-KILLER-CELLS
• ROR-GAMMA-T
• DIFFERENTIATION
• AUTOIMMUNITY
• LINEAGE
• DIRECTS
• INNATE
• MICE

The differentiation and maintenance of Th17 cells require a unique cytokine milieu and activation of lineage-specific transcription factors. This process appears to be antagonized by the transcription factor T-bet, which controls the differentiation of Th1 cells. Considering that T-bet-deficient (T-bet(-/-)) mice are largely devoid of natural killer (NK) cells due to a defect in the terminal maturation of these cells, and because NK cells can influence the differentiation of T helper cells, we investigated whether the absence of NK cells in T-bet-deficient mice contributes to the augmentation of autoreactive Th17 cell responses. We show that the loss of T-bet renders the transcription factors Rorc and STAT3 highly responsive to activation by stimuli provided by NK cells. Furthermore, reconstitution of T-bet(-/-) mice with wild-type NK cells inhibited the development of autoreactive Th17 cells through NK cell-derived production of IFN-gamma. These results identify NK cells as critical regulators in the development of autoreactive Th17 cells and Th17-mediated pathology.

• 出版日期2012-12
• 单位天津市环湖医院; 天津医科大学