Mohammad Ameen Al-Aghbar, Meritxell Espino Guarch, Nicholas van Panhuys
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
The activation of CD4+ T-cells in a T cell receptor (TCR)-dependent antigen-specific manner is a central characteristic of the adaptive immune response. In addition to ensuring that CD4+ T-cells recognise their cognate antigen during activation, TCR-mediated signalling can also direct the outcome of differentiation. In both in vivo and in vitro model systems, strong TCR signalling has been demonstrated to drive Th1 differentiation, whereas weak TCR signalling drives Th2 responses. During the process of differentiation, TCR signal strength acts as a quantitative component in combination with the qualitative effects imparted by cytokines to polarise distinct T-helper lineages. Here, we investigated the role of interleukin 2 (IL-2) signalling in determining the outcome of TCR-dependent differentiation. IL-2 production was initiated as an early response to TCR-induced activation and was regulated by the strength of TCR signalling initially received. In the absence of IL-2, TCR dependent differentiation was found to be abolished. However, proliferative responses and early markers of activation were maintained, including the upregulation of GATA3, Tbet and Foxp3 at 24 h post-stimulation. Demonstrating that IL-2 signalling has a key role in stabilising and amplifying lineage-specific transcirption factor expression during differentiation. Further, activation of IL-2-deficient T-cells in the presence of exogenous cytokines was sufficient to restore differentiation whilst maintaining transcriptional signatures imparted during initial TCR signalling. Combined, our data demonstrate that the integration of quantitative TCR-dependent signalling and qualitative IL-2 signalling is essential for determining the fate of CD4+ T-cells during differentiation.
期刊介绍:
Immunology is one of the longest-established immunology journals and is recognised as one of the leading journals in its field. We have global representation in authors, editors and reviewers.
Immunology publishes papers describing original findings in all areas of cellular and molecular immunology. High-quality original articles describing mechanistic insights into fundamental aspects of the immune system are welcome. Topics of interest to the journal include: immune cell development, cancer immunology, systems immunology/omics and informatics, inflammation, immunometabolism, immunology of infection, microbiota and immunity, mucosal immunology, and neuroimmunology.
The journal also publishes commissioned review articles on subjects of topical interest to immunologists, and commissions in-depth review series: themed sets of review articles which take a 360° view of select topics at the heart of immunological research.