1
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Chopp LB, Zhu X, Gao Y, Nie J, Singh J, Kumar P, Young KZ, Patel S, Li C, Balmaceno-Criss M, Vacchio MS, Wang MM, Livak F, Merchant JL, Wang L, Kelly MC, Zhu J, Bosselut R. Zfp281 and Zfp148 control CD4 + T cell thymic development and T H2 functions. Sci Immunol 2023; 8:eadi9066. [PMID: 37948511 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adi9066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
How CD4+ lineage gene expression is initiated in differentiating thymocytes remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the paralog transcription factors Zfp281 and Zfp148 control both this process and cytokine expression by T helper cell type 2 (TH2) effector cells. Genetic, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomic analyses showed that these factors promote the intrathymic CD4+ T cell differentiation of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC II)-restricted thymocytes, including expression of the CD4+ lineage-committing factor Thpok. In peripheral T cells, Zfp281 and Zfp148 promoted chromatin opening at and expression of TH2 cytokine genes but not of the TH2 lineage-determining transcription factor Gata3. We found that Zfp281 interacts with Gata3 and is recruited to Gata3 genomic binding sites at loci encoding Thpok and TH2 cytokines. Thus, Zfp148 and Zfp281 collaborate with Gata3 to promote CD4+ T cell development and TH2 cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B Chopp
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Immunology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Xiaoliang Zhu
- Molecular and Cellular Immunoregulation Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yayi Gao
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jia Nie
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jatinder Singh
- Single Cell Analysis Facility, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Parimal Kumar
- Single Cell Analysis Facility, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kelly Z Young
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Shil Patel
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Caiyi Li
- Flow Cytometry Core, Laboratory of Genomic Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mariah Balmaceno-Criss
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Melanie S Vacchio
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michael M Wang
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Neurology Service, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
| | - Ferenc Livak
- Flow Cytometry Core, Laboratory of Genomic Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Juanita L Merchant
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
| | - Lie Wang
- Institute of Immunology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Michael C Kelly
- Single Cell Analysis Facility, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jinfang Zhu
- Molecular and Cellular Immunoregulation Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Rémy Bosselut
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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2
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Winkels H, Ghosheh Y, Kobiyama K, Kiosses WB, Orecchioni M, Ehinger E, Suryawanshi V, Herrera-De La Mata S, Marchovecchio P, Riffelmacher T, Thiault N, Kronenberg M, Wolf D, Seumois G, Vijayanand P, Ley K. Thymus-Derived CD4 +CD8 + Cells Reside in Mediastinal Adipose Tissue and the Aortic Arch. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 207:2720-2732. [PMID: 34740961 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Double-positive CD4+CD8αβ+ (DP) cells are thought to reside as T cell progenitors exclusively within the thymus. We recently discovered an unexpected CD4+ and CD8αβ+ immune cell population in healthy and atherosclerotic mice by single-cell RNA sequencing. Transcriptomically, these cells resembled thymic DPs. Flow cytometry and three-dimensional whole-mount imaging confirmed DPs in thymus, mediastinal adipose tissue, and aortic adventitia, but nowhere else. Deep transcriptional profiling revealed differences between DP cells isolated from the three locations. All DPs were dependent on RAG2 expression and the presence of the thymus. Mediastinal adipose tissue DPs resided in close vicinity to invariant NKT cells, which they could activate in vitro. Thymus transplantation failed to reconstitute extrathymic DPs, and frequencies of extrathymic DPs were unaltered by pharmacologic inhibition of S1P1, suggesting that their migration may be locally confined. Our results define two new, transcriptionally distinct subsets of extrathymic DPs that may play a role in aortic vascular homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger Winkels
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA; .,Department of Cardiology, Clinic III for Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Dennis Wolf
- University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; and
| | | | | | - Klaus Ley
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
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3
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Pipkin ME. Runx proteins and transcriptional mechanisms that govern memory CD8 T cell development. Immunol Rev 2021; 300:100-124. [PMID: 33682165 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Adaptive immunity to intracellular pathogens and tumors is mediated by antigen-experienced CD8 T cells. Individual naive CD8 T cells have the potential to differentiate into a diverse array of antigen-experienced subsets that exhibit distinct effector functions, life spans, anatomic positioning, and potential for regenerating an entirely new immune response during iterative pathogenic exposures. The developmental process by which activated naive cells undergo diversification involves regulation of chromatin structure and transcription but is not entirely understood. This review examines how alterations in chromatin structure, transcription factor binding, extracellular signals, and single-cell gene expression explain the differential development of distinct effector (TEFF ) and memory (TMEM ) CD8 T cell subsets. Special emphasis is placed on how Runx proteins function with additional transcription factors to pioneer changes in chromatin accessibility and drive transcriptional programs that establish the core attributes of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, subdivide circulating and non-circulating TMEM cell subsets, and govern terminal differentiation. The discussion integrates the roles of specific cytokine signals, transcriptional circuits and how regulation of individual nucleosomes and RNA polymerase II activity can contribute to the process of differentiation. A model that integrates many of these features is discussed to conceptualize how activated CD8 T cells arrive at their fates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Pipkin
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute - FL, Jupiter, FL, USA
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4
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Liu C, Lan Y, Liu B, Zhang H, Hu H. T Cell Development: Old Tales Retold By Single-Cell RNA Sequencing. Trends Immunol 2021; 42:165-175. [PMID: 33446417 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian T cell development initiates from the migration of hematopoietic progenitors to the thymus, which undergo cell proliferation, T-lineage specification and commitment, as well as positive and negative selection. These processes are precisely controlled at multiple levels and have been intensively studied using gene-modified animal models and in vitro coculture systems. However, several long-standing questions, including the characterization of the rare but crucial progenitors/precursors and the molecular mechanisms underlying their fate decision, have been dampened because of cell scarcity and lack of appropriate techniques. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) makes it possible to investigate and resolve some of these questions, leading to new remarkable progress in identifying and characterizing early thymic progenitors and delineating the refined developmental trajectories of conventional and unconventional T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yu Lan
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Bing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Sciences, Beijing 100071, China; Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Huiyuan Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Hongbo Hu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China.
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5
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Chen ML, Sun A, Cao W, Eliason A, Mendez KM, Getzler AJ, Tsuda S, Diao H, Mukori C, Bruno NE, Kim SY, Pipkin ME, Koralov SB, Sundrud MS. Physiological expression and function of the MDR1 transporter in cytotoxic T lymphocytes. J Exp Med 2020; 217:151682. [PMID: 32302378 PMCID: PMC7201929 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20191388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistance-1 (MDR1) acts as a chemotherapeutic drug efflux pump in tumor cells, although its physiological functions remain enigmatic. Using a recently developed MDR1-knockin reporter allele (Abcb1aAME), we found that constitutive MDR1 expression among hematopoietic cells was observed in cytolytic lymphocytes—including CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer cells—and regulated by Runt-related (Runx) transcription factors. Whereas MDR1 was dispensable for naive CD8+ T cell development, it was required for both the normal accumulation of effector CTLs following acute viral infection and the protective function of memory CTLs following challenge with an intracellular bacterium. MDR1 acted early after naive CD8+ T cell activation to suppress oxidative stress, enforce survival, and safeguard mitochondrial function in nascent CTLs. These data highlight an important endogenous function of MDR1 in cell-mediated immune responses and suggest that ongoing efforts to intentionally inhibit MDR1 in cancer patients could be counterproductive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Lan Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Amy Sun
- Department of Pathology, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Wei Cao
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Amber Eliason
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Kayla M Mendez
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Adam J Getzler
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Shanel Tsuda
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Huitian Diao
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Clever Mukori
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Nelson E Bruno
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Sang Yong Kim
- Rodent Genetic Engineering Core, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Matthew E Pipkin
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
| | - Sergei B Koralov
- Department of Pathology, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Mark S Sundrud
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL
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6
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Chopp LB, Gopalan V, Ciucci T, Ruchinskas A, Rae Z, Lagarde M, Gao Y, Li C, Bosticardo M, Pala F, Livak F, Kelly MC, Hannenhalli S, Bosselut R. An Integrated Epigenomic and Transcriptomic Map of Mouse and Human αβ T Cell Development. Immunity 2020; 53:1182-1201.e8. [PMID: 33242395 PMCID: PMC8641659 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2020.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
αβ lineage T cells, most of which are CD4+ or CD8+ and recognize MHC I- or MHC II-presented antigens, are essential for immune responses and develop from CD4+CD8+ thymocytes. The absence of in vitro models and the heterogeneity of αβ thymocytes have hampered analyses of their intrathymic differentiation. Here, combining single-cell RNA and ATAC (chromatin accessibility) sequencing, we identified mouse and human αβ thymocyte developmental trajectories. We demonstrated asymmetric emergence of CD4+ and CD8+ lineages, matched differentiation programs of agonist-signaled cells to their MHC specificity, and identified correspondences between mouse and human transcriptomic and epigenomic patterns. Through computational analysis of single-cell data and binding sites for the CD4+-lineage transcription factor Thpok, we inferred transcriptional networks associated with CD4+- or CD8+-lineage differentiation, and with expression of Thpok or of the CD8+-lineage factor Runx3. Our findings provide insight into the mechanisms of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell differentiation and a foundation for mechanistic investigations of αβ T cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B Chopp
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Immunology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Vishaka Gopalan
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Ciucci
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Allison Ruchinskas
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Single Cell Analysis Facility, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zachary Rae
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Single Cell Analysis Facility, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Manon Lagarde
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yayi Gao
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Caiyi Li
- Laboratory of Genomic Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marita Bosticardo
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Francesca Pala
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ferenc Livak
- Laboratory of Genomic Integrity, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael C Kelly
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Single Cell Analysis Facility, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sridhar Hannenhalli
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rémy Bosselut
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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7
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Zeidan N, Damen H, Roy DC, Dave VP. Critical Role for TCR Signal Strength and MHC Specificity in ThPOK-Induced CD4 Helper Lineage Choice. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 202:3211-3225. [PMID: 31036767 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1801464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Sustained TCR signaling is critical for ThPOK induction in MHC class II (MHCII)-signaled thymocytes leading to the CD4 helper lineage commitment. ThPOK suppresses the cytotoxic program in the signaled thymocytes and is shown to be necessary and sufficient for the CD4 helper lineage choice. Accordingly, loss and gain of ThPOK function redirects MHCII- and MHC class I (MHCI)-signaled thymocytes into the CD8 cytotoxic and CD4 helper lineage, respectively. However, the impact of a defined ThPOK level on the CD4 helper lineage choice of MHCII- and MHCI-specific thymocytes and the role of TCR signaling in this process is not evaluated. Equally, it is not clear if suppression of the cytotoxic program by ThPOK is sufficient in redirecting MHCI-restricted thymocytes into the CD4 helper lineage. In this study, we have investigated CD8 to CD4 helper lineage redirection in three independent ThPOK overexpressing transgenic mouse lines. Our analysis shows that one of the transgenic lines, despite overexpressing ThPOK compared with wild-type CD4 mature T cells and compromising cytotoxic program, failed to redirect all MHCI-signaled thymocytes into the CD4 helper lineage, resulting in the continued presence of CD8+ mature T cells and the generation of a large number of double negative mature T cells. Critically, the same ThPOK transgene completely restored the CD4 helper lineage commitment of MHCII-specific Thpok -/- thymocytes. Importantly, augmenting TCR signaling significantly enhanced the ThPOK-mediated CD4 helper lineage choice of MHCI-specific thymocytes but was still substantially less efficient than that of MHCII-specific thymocytes expressing the same amount of ThPOK. Together, these data suggest that the ThPOK-induced CD4 helper lineage commitment is strongly influenced by TCR signal strength and MHC specificity of developing thymocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabil Zeidan
- Département d'Immunologie-Oncologie, Centre de Recherche Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada.,Département de Microbiologie, Immunologie et Infectiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada; and
| | - Hassan Damen
- Département d'Immunologie-Oncologie, Centre de Recherche Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - Denis-Claude Roy
- Département d'Immunologie-Oncologie, Centre de Recherche Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Vibhuti P Dave
- Département d'Immunologie-Oncologie, Centre de Recherche Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada; .,Département de Microbiologie, Immunologie et Infectiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada; and
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8
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Serroukh Y, Gu-Trantien C, Hooshiar Kashani B, Defrance M, Vu Manh TP, Azouz A, Detavernier A, Hoyois A, Das J, Bizet M, Pollet E, Tabbuso T, Calonne E, van Gisbergen K, Dalod M, Fuks F, Goriely S, Marchant A. The transcription factors Runx3 and ThPOK cross-regulate acquisition of cytotoxic function by human Th1 lymphocytes. eLife 2018; 7:30496. [PMID: 29488879 PMCID: PMC5844691 DOI: 10.7554/elife.30496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic CD4 (CD4CTX) T cells are emerging as an important component of antiviral and antitumor immunity, but the molecular basis of their development remains poorly understood. In the context of human cytomegalovirus infection, a significant proportion of CD4 T cells displays cytotoxic functions. We observed that the transcriptional program of these cells was enriched in CD8 T cell lineage genes despite the absence of ThPOK downregulation. We further show that establishment of CD4CTX-specific transcriptional and epigenetic programs occurred in a stepwise fashion along the Th1-differentiation pathway. In vitro, prolonged activation of naive CD4 T cells in presence of Th1 polarizing cytokines led to the acquisition of perforin-dependent cytotoxic activity. This process was dependent on the Th1 transcription factor Runx3 and was limited by the sustained expression of ThPOK. This work elucidates the molecular program of human CD4CTX T cells and identifies potential targets for immunotherapy against viral infections and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmina Serroukh
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Charleroi, Belgium
| | - Chunyan Gu-Trantien
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Charleroi, Belgium
| | | | - Matthieu Defrance
- Laboratoire d'Epigénétique du Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Thien-Phong Vu Manh
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy 13288, Aix Marseille Université UM2, Marseille, France
| | - Abdulkader Azouz
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Charleroi, Belgium
| | - Aurélie Detavernier
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Charleroi, Belgium
| | - Alice Hoyois
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Charleroi, Belgium
| | - Jishnu Das
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Martin Bizet
- Laboratoire d'Epigénétique du Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Emeline Pollet
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy 13288, Aix Marseille Université UM2, Marseille, France
| | - Tressy Tabbuso
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Charleroi, Belgium
| | - Emilie Calonne
- Laboratoire d'Epigénétique du Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Klaas van Gisbergen
- Department of Haematopoiesis, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marc Dalod
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy 13288, Aix Marseille Université UM2, Marseille, France
| | - François Fuks
- Laboratoire d'Epigénétique du Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Stanislas Goriely
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Charleroi, Belgium
| | - Arnaud Marchant
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Charleroi, Belgium
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9
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Vinton CL, Ortiz AM, Calantone N, Mudd JC, Deleage C, Morcock DR, Whitted S, Estes JD, Hirsch VM, Brenchley JM. Cytotoxic T Cell Functions Accumulate When CD4 Is Downregulated by CD4 + T Cells in African Green Monkeys. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2017; 198:4403-4412. [PMID: 28438898 PMCID: PMC5502537 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
African green monkeys (AGMs) are a natural host of SIV that do not develop simian AIDS. Adult AGMs naturally have low numbers of CD4+ T cells and a large population of MHC class II-restricted CD8αα T cells that are generated through CD4 downregulation in CD4+ T cells. In this article, we study the functional profiles and SIV infection status in vivo of CD4+ T cells, CD8αα T cells, and CD8αβ T cells in lymph nodes, peripheral blood, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of AGMs and rhesus macaques (in which CD4 downregulation is not observed). We show that, although CD8αα T cells in AGMs maintain functions associated with CD4+ T cells (including Th follicular functionality in lymphoid tissues and Th2 responses in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid), they also accumulate functions normally attributed to canonical CD8+ T cells. These hyperfunctional CD8αα T cells are found to circulate peripherally, as well as reside within the lymphoid tissue. Due to their unique combination of CD4 and CD8 T cell effector functions, these CD4- CD8αα T cells are likely able to serve as an immunophenotype capable of Th1, follicular Th, and CTL functionalities, yet they are unable to be infected by SIV. These data demonstrate the ambiguity of CD4/CD8 expression in dictating the functional capacities of T cells and suggest that accumulation of hyperfunctional CD8αα T cells in AGMs may lead to tissue-specific antiviral immune responses in lymphoid follicles that limit SIV replication in this particular anatomical niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol L Vinton
- Barrier Immunity Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Alexandra M Ortiz
- Barrier Immunity Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Nina Calantone
- Barrier Immunity Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Joseph C Mudd
- Barrier Immunity Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Claire Deleage
- Retroviral Immunopathology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick, MD 21702; and
| | - David R Morcock
- Retroviral Immunopathology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick, MD 21702; and
| | - Sonya Whitted
- Nonhuman Primate Section, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Jacob D Estes
- Retroviral Immunopathology Section, AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick, MD 21702; and
| | - Vanessa M Hirsch
- Nonhuman Primate Section, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Jason M Brenchley
- Barrier Immunity Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892;
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10
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Abstract
During thymic development, thymocytes expressing a T cell receptor consisting of an alpha and beta chain (TCRαβ), commit to either the cytotoxic- or T helper-lineage fate. This lineage dichotomy is controlled by key transcription factors, including the T helper (Th) lineage master regulator, the Th-inducing BTB/POZ domain-containing Kruppel-like zinc-finger transcription factor, ThPOK, (formally cKrox or Zfp67; encoded by Zbtb7b), which suppresses the cytolytic program in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-restricted CD4(+) thymocytes and the Runt related transcription factor 3 (Runx3), which counteracts ThPOK in MHC class I restricted precursor cells and promotes the lineage commitment of CD8αβ(+) cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL). ThPOK continues to repress the CTL gene program in mature CD4(+) T cells, even as they differentiate into effector Th cell subsets. The Th cell fate however is not fixed and two recent studies showed that mature, antigen-stimulated CD4(+) T cells have the flexibility to terminate the expression of ThPOK and functionally reprogram to cytotoxic effector cells. This unexpected plasticity of CD4(+) T cells results in the post-thymic termination of the Th lineage fate and the functional differentiation of distinct MHC class II-restricted CD4(+) CTL. The recognition of CD4 CTL as a defined separate subset of effector cells and the identification of the mechanisms and factors that drive their reprogramming finally create new opportunities to explore the physiological relevance of these effector cells in vivo and to determine their pivotal roles in both, protective immunity as well as in immune-related pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilde Cheroutre
- Division of Developmental Immunology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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11
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Xiong Y, Bosselut R. CD4-CD8 differentiation in the thymus: connecting circuits and building memories. Curr Opin Immunol 2012; 24:139-45. [PMID: 22387323 PMCID: PMC3773541 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2012.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2011] [Revised: 01/22/2012] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The proper choice of the CD4-helper or CD8-cytotoxic lineages by developing T cells is crucial for the generation of an antigen-responsive and functionally fit T cell repertoire. Here we present a brief overview of the transcriptional control of this process, with emphasis on two issues. The study of Cd4 expression, that had previously generated important paradigms for transcriptional regulation in eukaryotic cells, now brings new twists to the concept of 'epigenetic memory'. And connections are emerging between transcriptional regulators critical for commitment to either lineage. The present review attempts to integrate these findings and discusses the still elusive mechanisms that match CD4-CD8 lineage differentiation to MHC specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumei Xiong
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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12
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Cytotoxic CD4 T cells in antiviral immunity. J Biomed Biotechnol 2011; 2011:954602. [PMID: 22174559 PMCID: PMC3228492 DOI: 10.1155/2011/954602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2011] [Accepted: 09/09/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
CD4 T cells that acquire cytotoxic phenotype and function have been repeatedly identified in humans, mice, and other species in response to many diverse pathogens. Since CD4 cytotoxic T cells are able to recognize antigenic determinants unique from those recognized by the parallel CD8 cytotoxic T cells, they can potentially contribute additional immune surveillance and direct effector function by lysing infected or malignant cells. Here, we briefly review much of what is known about the generation of cytotoxic CD4 T cells and describe our current understanding of their role in antiviral immunity. Furthering our understanding of the many roles of CD4 T cells during an anti-viral response is important for developing effective vaccine strategies that promote long-lasting protective immunity.
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13
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Beaulieu AM, Sant'Angelo DB. The BTB-ZF family of transcription factors: key regulators of lineage commitment and effector function development in the immune system. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2011; 187:2841-7. [PMID: 21900183 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1004006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Successful immunity depends upon the activity of multiple cell types. Commitment of pluripotent precursor cells to specific lineages, such as T or B cells, is obviously fundamental to this process. However, it is also becoming clear that continued differentiation and specialization of lymphoid cells is equally important for immune system integrity. Several members of the BTB-ZF family have emerged as critical factors that control development of specific lineages and also of specific effector subsets within these lineages. For example, BTB-ZF genes have been shown to control T cell versus B cell commitment and CD4 versus CD8 lineage commitment. Others, such as PLZF for NKT cells and Bcl-6 for T follicular helper cells, are necessary for the acquisition of effector functions. In this review, we summarize current findings concerning the BTB-ZF family members with a reported role in the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee M Beaulieu
- Immunology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
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14
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Zediak VP, Johnnidis JB, Wherry EJ, Berger SL. Cutting edge: persistently open chromatin at effector gene loci in resting memory CD8+ T cells independent of transcriptional status. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2011; 186:2705-9. [PMID: 21278341 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1003741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Memory CD8(+) T cells are characterized by more rapid and robust effector function upon infection compared with naive T cells, but factors governing effector gene responsiveness are incompletely understood. We sought to understand transcriptional control of the effector genes IFN-γ (Ifng), granzyme B (Gzmb), and perforin 1 (Prf1) in murine memory CD8(+) T cells by characterizing their transcriptional profiles and chromatin states during lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. Each effector gene has a distinct transcriptional profile in resting memory cells and following restimulation. Primary infection leads to reduced nucleosomal density near the transcription start sites and reduced H3K27 methylation throughout the Ifng and Gzmb loci, and these chromatin changes persist in the memory phase. Despite similarities in chromatin at the memory stage, PolII recruitment and continuous transcription occur at the Ifng locus but not the Gzmb locus. We propose that these chromatin changes poise effector genes for rapid upregulation, but are insufficient for PolII recruitment and transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie P Zediak
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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15
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Wang L, Xiong Y, Bosselut R. Tenuous paths in unexplored territory: From T cell receptor signaling to effector gene expression during thymocyte selection. Semin Immunol 2010; 22:294-302. [PMID: 20537906 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2010.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2010] [Accepted: 04/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
During the last step of alphabeta T cell development, thymocytes that have rearranged genes encoding TCR chains and express CD4 and CD8 coreceptors are selected on the basis of their TCR reactivity to escape programmed cell death and become mature CD4 or CD8 T cells. This process is triggered by intrathymic TCR signaling, that activates 'sensor' transcription factors 'constitutively' expressed in DP thymocytes. Eventually, TCR-signaled thymocytes evolve effector transcriptional circuits that control basal metabolism, migration, survival and initiation of lineage-specific gene expression. This review examines how components of the 'sensing' transcription apparatus responds to positive selection signals, and highlights important differences with mature T cell responses. In a second part, we evaluate current observations and hypotheses on the connections between sensing transcription factors and effector circuitries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lie Wang
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-4259, USA
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16
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Abstract
During alphabeta T cell development, cells diverge into alternate CD4 helper and CD8(+) cytotoxic T cell lineages. The precise correlation between a T cell's CD8 and CD4 choice and its TCR specificity to class I or class II MHC was noted more than 20 years ago, and establishing the underlying mechanism has remained a focus of intense study since then. This review deals with three formerly discrete topics that are gradually becoming interconnected: the role of TCR signaling in lineage commitment, the regulation of expression of the CD4 and CD8 genes, and transcriptional regulation of lineage commitment. It is widely accepted that TCR signaling exerts a decisive influence on lineage choice, although the underlying mechanism remains intensely debated. Current evidence suggests that both duration and intensity of TCR signaling may control lineage choice, as proposed by the kinetic signaling and quantitative instructive models, respectively. Alternate expression of the CD4 and CD8 genes is the most visible manifestation of lineage choice, and much progress has been made in defining the responsible cis elements and transcription factors. Finally, important clues to the molecular basis of lineage commitment have been provided by the recent identification of the transcription factor ThPOK as a key regulator of lineage choice. ThPOK is selectively expressed in class II-restricted cells at the CD4(+)8(lo) stage and is necessary and sufficient for development to the CD4 lineage. Given the central role of ThPOK in lineage commitment, understanding its upstream regulation and downstream gene targets is expected to reveal further important aspects of the molecular machinery underlying lineage commitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi He
- Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111, USA
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17
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Abstract
SUMMARY Natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) use cytotoxic granules containing perforin and granzymes to lyse infected or malignant host cells, thereby providing immunity to intracellular microbes and tumors. Perforin is essential for cytotoxic granule-mediated killing. Perforin expression is regulated transcriptionally and correlates tightly with the development of cells that can exhibit cytotoxic activity. Although a number of genes transcribed by T cells and NK cells have been studied, the cell-specificity of perforin gene expression makes it an ideal model system in which to clarify the transcriptional mechanisms that guide the development and activation of cytotoxic lymphocytes. In this review, we discuss what is known about perforin expression and its regulation, then elaborate on recent studies that utilized chromosome transfer and bacterial artificial chromosome transgenics to define a comprehensive set of cis-regulatory regions that control transcription of the human PRF1 gene in a near-physiologic context. In addition, we compare the human and murine Prf1 loci and discuss how transcription factors known to be important for driving CTL differentiation might also directly regulate the cis-acting domains that control Prf1. Our review emphasizes how studies of PRF1/Prf1 gene transcription can illuminate not only the mechanisms of cytotoxic lymphocyte differentiation but also some basic principles of transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Pipkin
- Department of Signaling and Gene Expression, The La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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Van Coppernolle S, Verstichel G, Timmermans F, Velghe I, Vermijlen D, De Smedt M, Leclercq G, Plum J, Taghon T, Vandekerckhove B, Kerre T. Functionally mature CD4 and CD8 TCRalphabeta cells are generated in OP9-DL1 cultures from human CD34+ hematopoietic cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2009; 183:4859-70. [PMID: 19801512 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0900714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Human CD34(+) hematopoietic precursor cells cultured on delta-like ligand 1 expressing OP9 (OP9-DL1) stromal cells differentiate to T lineage cells. The nature of the T cells generated in these cultures has not been studied in detail. Since these cultures do not contain thymic epithelial cells which are the main cell type mediating positive selection in vivo, generation of conventional helper CD4(+) and cytotoxic CD8(+) TCRalphabeta cells is not expected. Phenotypically mature CD27(+)CD1(-) TCRgammadelta as well as TCRalphabeta cells were generated in OP9-DL1 cultures. CD8 and few mature CD4 single-positive TCRalphabeta cells were observed. Mature CD8 single-positive cells consisted of two subpopulations: one expressing mainly CD8alphabeta and one expressing CD8alphaalpha dimers. TCRalphabeta CD8alphaalpha and TCRgammadelta cells both expressed the IL2Rbeta receptor constitutively and proliferated on IL-15, a characteristic of unconventional T cells. CD8alphabeta(+) and CD4(+) TCRalphabeta cells were unresponsive to IL-15, but could be expanded upon TCR stimulation as mature CD8alphabeta(+) and CD4(+) T cells. These T cells had the characteristics of conventional T cells: CD4(+) cells expressed ThPOK, CD40L, and high levels of IL-2 and IL-4; CD8(+) cells expressed Eomes, Runx3, and high levels of granzyme, perforin, and IFN-gamma. Induction of murine or human MHC class I expression on OP9-DL1 cells had no influence on the differentiation of mature CD8(+) cells. Similarly, the presence of dendritic cells was not required for the generation of mature CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells. These data suggest that positive selection of these cells is induced by interaction between T precursor cells.
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19
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Abstract
A critical step during intrathymic T-cell development is the transition of CD4(+) CD8(+) double-positive (DP) cells to the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I)-restricted CD4(-) CD8(+) and MHC-II-restricted CD4(+) CD8(-) single-positive (SP) cell stage. Here, we identify a novel gene that is essential for this process. Through the T-cell phenotype-based screening of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU)-induced mutant mice, we established a mouse line in which numbers of CD4 and CD8 SP thymocytes as well as peripheral CD4 and CD8 T cells were dramatically reduced. Using linkage analysis and DNA sequencing, we identified a missense point mutation in a gene, E430004N04Rik (also known as themis), that does not belong to any known gene family. This orphan gene is expressed specifically in DP and SP thymocytes and peripheral T cells, whereas in mutant thymocytes the levels of protein encoded by this gene were drastically reduced. We generated E430004N04Rik-deficient mice, and their phenotype was virtually identical to that of the ENU mutant mice, thereby confirming that this gene is essential for the development of SP thymocytes.
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20
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Cruz-Guilloty F, Pipkin ME, Djuretic IM, Levanon D, Lotem J, Lichtenheld MG, Groner Y, Rao A. Runx3 and T-box proteins cooperate to establish the transcriptional program of effector CTLs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 206:51-9. [PMID: 19139168 PMCID: PMC2626671 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20081242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 360] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Activation of naive CD8+ T cells with antigen induces their differentiation into effector cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs). CTLs lyse infected or aberrant target cells by exocytosis of lytic granules containing the pore-forming protein perforin and a family of proteases termed granzymes. We show that effector CTL differentiation occurs in two sequential phases in vitro, characterized by early induction of T-bet and late induction of Eomesodermin (Eomes), T-box transcription factors that regulate the early and late phases of interferon (IFN) γ expression, respectively. In addition, we demonstrate a critical role for the transcription factor Runx3 in CTL differentiation. Runx3 regulates Eomes expression as well as expression of three cardinal markers of the effector CTL program: IFN-γ, perforin, and granzyme B. Our data point to the existence of an elaborate transcriptional network in which Runx3 initially induces and then cooperates with T-box transcription factors to regulate gene transcription in differentiating CTLs.
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21
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Rothenberg EV. Decision by committee: new light on the CD4/CD8-lineage choice. Immunol Cell Biol 2008; 87:109-12. [PMID: 19079359 DOI: 10.1038/icb.2008.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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22
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Singer A, Adoro S, Park JH. Lineage fate and intense debate: myths, models and mechanisms of CD4- versus CD8-lineage choice. Nat Rev Immunol 2008; 8:788-801. [PMID: 18802443 DOI: 10.1038/nri2416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 335] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Following successful gene rearrangement at alphabeta T-cell receptor (TCR) loci, developing thymocytes express both CD4 and CD8 co-receptors and undergo a life-or-death selection event, which is known as positive selection, to identify cells that express TCRs with potentially useful ligand specificities. Positively selected thymocytes must then differentiate into either CD4(+) helper T cells or CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells, a crucial decision known as CD4/CD8-lineage choice. In this Review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular events involved in lineage-fate decision and discuss them in the context of the major models of CD4/CD8-lineage choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred Singer
- Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
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23
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Wildt KF, Sun G, Grueter B, Fischer M, Zamisch M, Ehlers M, Bosselut R. The transcription factor Zbtb7b promotes CD4 expression by antagonizing Runx-mediated activation of the CD4 silencer. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2007; 179:4405-14. [PMID: 17878336 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.179.7.4405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The persistence of CD4 expression is a key event distinguishing the differentiation of MHC class II-restricted thymocytes into CD4 T cells from that of MHC class I-restricted thymocytes into CD8 T cells. The zinc finger transcription factor Zbtb7b (or cKrox or Thpok) is normally expressed in MHC class II-restricted thymocytes and promotes CD4 lineage choice. When expressed in MHC class I-restricted cells, Zbtb7b redirects these cells from their normal CD8 fate to CD4 differentiation, implying that it promotes, directly or not, sustained CD4 expression; the present study has investigated the mechanism of this effect. We demonstrate that, although Zbtb7b does not enhance CD4 expression on its own, it antagonizes the CD4 repression mediated by the transcription factor Runx3, which is normally up-regulated during CD8 differentiation and promotes CD4 silencing. Zbtb7b also antagonizes CD4 repression by the related protein Runx1, which is expressed in CD4 lineage cells. This antagonism is observed both in vitro and in vivo, is transcriptional, and requires domains of Zbtb7b that are essential to its ability to promote CD4 differentiation in vivo. Furthermore, Zbtb7b fails to antagonize Runx in cells treated with histone deacetylase inhibitors, suggesting that Zbtb7b acts by reducing the expression of thus far unknown factors that cooperate with Runx molecules to repress CD4. These findings demonstrate that the transcription factor Zbtb7b promotes CD4 expression by antagonizing Runx-mediated CD4 repression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn F Wildt
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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24
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Maurice D, Hooper J, Lang G, Weston K. c-Myb regulates lineage choice in developing thymocytes via its target gene Gata3. EMBO J 2007; 26:3629-40. [PMID: 17641686 PMCID: PMC1949015 DOI: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7601801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2006] [Accepted: 06/26/2007] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
During T-cell development, thymocytes with intermediate avidity for antigen-MHC complexes are positively selected and then differentiate into functional cytotoxic and helper T cells. This process is controlled by signalling from the T-cell receptor (TCR). Here, we show that the c-Myb transcription factor is a critical downstream regulator of positive selection, promoting the development of helper T cells and blocking the development of cytotoxic T cells. A gain-of-function c-Myb transgene stops development of cytotoxic T cells, instead causing accumulation of a precursor population. Conversely, loss of c-Myb in selecting cells results in significantly fewer helper T cells. In c-Myb-null thymocytes, Gata3, a critical inducer of T-helper cell fate, is not upregulated in response to T-cell receptor signaling, following selection. We show that Gata3 is a direct target of c-Myb, and propose that c-Myb is an important regulator of Gata3, required for transduction of the T-cell receptor signal for subsequent helper cell lineage differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Maurice
- Institute of Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology, London, UK
| | - Joel Hooper
- Institute of Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology, London, UK
| | - Georgina Lang
- Institute of Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology, London, UK
| | - Kathleen Weston
- Institute of Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology, London, UK
- Institute of Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK. Tel.: +44 207 153 5253; Fax: +44 207 352 3299; E-mail:
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25
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Abstract
The generation of CD4 and CD8 alphabeta T-cell lineages from CD4+ CD8+ double-positive (DP) thymocyte precursors is a complex process initiated by engagement of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) by T-cell receptor (TCR) and coreceptor. Quantitative differences in TCR signaling induced by this interaction impose an instructional bias on CD4/CD8 lineage commitment that must be reinforced by MHC recognition and TCR signaling over subsequent selection steps in order for the thymocyte to progress and mature in the adopted lineage. Our studies show that the transmembrane receptor Notch plays a role in this process by modifying TCR signal transduction in DP thymocytes. In this review, we consider the functional relationship of TCR and Notch signaling pathways in the selection and specification of CD4 and CD8 T-cell lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Laky
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0420, USA
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26
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He X, Kappes DJ. CD4/CD8 lineage commitment: light at the end of the tunnel? Curr Opin Immunol 2006; 18:135-42. [PMID: 16480861 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2006.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2005] [Accepted: 02/01/2006] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Two surprisingly clear results have emerged in the past year that suggest that the seemingly intractable problem of CD4/CD8 lineage commitment might eventually be resolved. Manipulating expression of the CD4 and CD8 coreceptors has long been a favorite method to examine the influence of T-cell receptor signalling on lineage commitment. An elegant new twist on this approach now shows that it is all a matter of timing. Thus, termination of CD4 expression after the initiation of positive selection is sufficient to cause complete redirection of class II-restricted thymocytes to the CD8 lineage, which strongly supports quantitative instructive models of lineage commitment. Progress in the field has been significantly hampered by ignorance of the underlying intracellular pathways. Two independent groups, which employed old-fashioned genetics versus new-fangled microarray technology, have now identified the same transcription factor, Th-POK, as a key regulator of alternate lineage commitment. The presence of this factor directs positively selected thymocytes to the CD4 lineage, whereas its absence causes default development to the CD8 lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao He
- Fox Chase Cancer Center, 7701 Burholme Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
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