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McCullough MJ, Tune MK, Cabrera JC, Torres-Castillo J, He M, Feng Y, Doerschuk CM, Dang H, Beltran AS, Hagan RS, Mock JR. Characterization of the MT-2 Treg-like cell line in the presence and absence of forkhead box P3 (FOXP3). Immunol Cell Biol 2024; 102:211-224. [PMID: 38288547 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
CD4+ forkhead box P3 (FOXP3)+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential in maintaining immune tolerance and suppressing excessive immune responses. Tregs also contribute to tissue repair processes distinct from their roles in immune suppression. For these reasons, Tregs are candidates for targeted therapies for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and in diseases where tissue damage occurs. MT-2 cells, an immortalized Treg-like cell line, offer a model to study Treg biology and their therapeutic potential. In the present study, we use clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-mediated knockdown of FOXP3 in MT-2 cells to understand the transcriptional and functional changes that occur when FOXP3 is lost and to compare MT-2 cells with primary human Tregs. We demonstrate that loss of FOXP3 affects the transcriptome of MT-2 cells and that FOXP3's potential downstream targets include a wide range of transcripts that participate in the cell cycle, promote growth and contribute to inflammatory processes, but do not wholly simulate previously reported human primary Treg transcriptional changes in the absence of FOXP3. We also demonstrate that FOXP3 regulates cell cycling and proliferation, expression of molecules crucial to Treg function and MT-2 cell-suppressive activities. Thus, MT-2 cells offer opportunities to address regulatory T-cell functions in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan J McCullough
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Miriya K Tune
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Jose Torres-Castillo
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Minghong He
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Yongqiang Feng
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Claire M Doerschuk
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Center for Airways Disease, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hong Dang
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Adriana S Beltran
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Robert S Hagan
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jason R Mock
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Castillo Cabrera J, Dang H, Graves A, Zhang Z, Torres-Castillo J, Li K, King Z, Liu P, Aubé J, Bear JE, Damania B, Hagan RS, Baldwin AS. AGC kinase inhibitors regulate STING signaling through SGK-dependent and SGK-independent mechanisms. Cell Chem Biol 2023; 30:1601-1616.e6. [PMID: 37939709 PMCID: PMC10842197 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Type 1 IFN expression is critical in the innate immune response, but aberrant expression is associated with autoimmunity and cancer. Here, we identify N-[4-(1H46 pyrazolo[3,4-b] pyrazin-6-yl)-phenyl]-sulfonamide (Sanofi-14h), a compound with preference for inhibition of the AGC family kinase SGK3, as an inhibitor of Ifnb1 gene expression in response to STING stimulation of macrophages. Sanofi-14h abrogated SGK activity and also impaired activation of the critical TBK1/IRF3 pathway downstream of STING activation, blocking interaction of STING with TBK1. Deletion of SGK1/3 in a macrophage cell line did not block TBK1/IRF3 activation but decreased expression of transcription factors, such as IRF7 and STAT1, required for the innate immune response. Other AGC kinase inhibitors blocked TBK1 and IRF3 activation suggesting common action on a critical regulatory node in the STING pathway. These studies reveal both SGK-dependent and SGK-independent mechanisms in the innate immune response and indicate an approach to block aberrant Ifnb1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny Castillo Cabrera
- Pathobiology and Translational Sciences Graduate Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hong Dang
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Marsico Lung Institute, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Adam Graves
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Zhigang Zhang
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jose Torres-Castillo
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Marsico Lung Institute, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kelin Li
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Zayna King
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Pengda Liu
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeff Aubé
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - James E Bear
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Blossom Damania
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Robert S Hagan
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Marsico Lung Institute, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Albert S Baldwin
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Hagan RS, Gomez JC, Torres-Castillo J, Martin JR, Doerschuk CM. TBK1 Is Required for Host Defense Functions Distinct from Type I IFN Expression and Myeloid Cell Recruitment in Murine Streptococcus pneumoniae Pneumonia. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2022; 66:671-681. [PMID: 35358404 PMCID: PMC9163639 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2020-0311oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial pneumonia induces the rapid recruitment and activation of neutrophils and macrophages into the lung, and these cells contribute to bacterial clearance and other defense functions. TBK1 (TANK-binding kinase 1) performs many functions, including activation of the type I IFN pathway and regulation of autophagy and mitophagy, but its contribution to antibacterial defenses in the lung is unclear. We previously showed that lung neutrophils upregulate mRNAs for TBK1 and its accessory proteins during Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia, despite low or absent expression of type I IFN in these cells. We hypothesized that TBK1 performs key antibacterial functions in pneumonia apart from type I IFN expression. Using TBK1 null mice, we show that TBK1 contributes to antibacterial defenses and promotes bacterial clearance and survival. TBK1 null mice express lower concentrations of many cytokines in the infected lung. Conditional deletion of TBK1 with LysMCre results in TBK1 deletion from macrophages but not neutrophils. LysMCre TBK1 mice have no defect in cytokine expression, implicating a nonmacrophage cell type as a key TBK1-dependent cell. TBK1 null neutrophils have no defect in recruitment to the infected lung but show impaired activation of p65/NF-κB and STAT1 and lower expression of reactive oxygen species, IFNγ, and IL12p40. TLR1/2 and 4 agonists each induce phosphorylation of TBK1 in neutrophils. Surprisingly, neutrophil TBK1 activation in vivo does not require the adaptor STING. Thus, TBK1 is a critical component of STING-independent antibacterial responses in the lung, and TBK1 is necessary for multiple neutrophil functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S. Hagan
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Marsico Lung Institute, and
| | - John C. Gomez
- Marsico Lung Institute, and
- Center for Airways Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jose Torres-Castillo
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Marsico Lung Institute, and
| | - Jessica R. Martin
- Marsico Lung Institute, and
- Center for Airways Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Claire M. Doerschuk
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Marsico Lung Institute, and
- Center for Airways Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Mock JR, Tune MK, Dial CF, Torres-Castillo J, Hagan RS, Doerschuk CM. Effects of IFN-γ on immune cell kinetics during the resolution of acute lung injury. Physiol Rep 2021; 8:e14368. [PMID: 32061190 PMCID: PMC7023890 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The immunologic responses that occur early in the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) elicit immune‐mediated damage. The mechanisms underlying the resolution of ARDS, particularly the role of signaling molecules in regulating immune cell kinetics, remain important questions. Th1‐mediated responses can contribute to the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI). Interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) orchestrates early inflammatory events, enhancing immune‐mediated damage. The current study investigated IFN‐γ during resolution in several experimental models of ALI. The absence of IFN‐γ resulted in altered kinetics of lymphocyte and macrophage responses, suggesting that IFN‐γ present in this microenvironment is influential in ALI resolution. Genetic deficiency of IFN‐γ or administering neutralizing IFN‐γ antibodies accelerated the pace of resolution. Neutralizing IFN‐γ decreased the numbers of interstitial and inflammatory macrophages and increased alveolar macrophage numbers during resolution. Our results underline the complexity of lung injury resolution and provide insight into the effects through which altered IFN‐γ concentrations affect immune cell kinetics and the rate of resolution. These findings suggest that therapies that spatially or temporally control IFN‐γ signaling may promote ALI resolution. Identifying and elucidating the mechanisms critical to ALI resolution will allow the development of therapeutic approaches to minimize collateral tissue damage without adversely altering the response to injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Mock
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Miriya K Tune
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Catherine F Dial
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jose Torres-Castillo
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Robert S Hagan
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Claire M Doerschuk
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Center for Airways Disease, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Abstract
Macrophages provide key elements of the host response to influenza A virus (IAV) infection, including expression of type I IFN and inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. TBK1 (TNF receptor-associated factor family member-associated NF-κB activator-binding kinase 1) contributes to IFN expression and antiviral responses in some cell types, but its role in the innate response to IAV in vivo is unknown. We hypothesized that macrophage TBK1 contributes to both IFN and non-IFN components of host defense and IAV pathology. We generated myeloid-conditional TBK1 knockout mice and assessed the in vitro and in vivo consequences of IAV infection. Myeloid-specific loss of TBK1 in vivo resulted in less severe host response to IAV, as assessed by decreased mortality, weight loss, and hypoxia and less inflammatory changes in BAL fluid relative to wild-type mice despite no differences in viral load. Mice lacking myeloid TBK1 showed less recruitment of CD64+SiglecF-Ly6Chi inflammatory macrophages, less expression of inflammatory cytokines in the BAL fluid, and less expression of both IFN regulatory factor and NF-κB target genes in the lung. Analysis of sorted alveolar macrophages, inflammatory macrophages, and lung interstitial macrophages revealed that each subpopulation requires TBK1 for distinct components of the response to IAV infection. Our findings define roles for myeloid TBK1 in IAV-induced lung inflammation apart from IFN type I expression and point to myeloid TBK1 as a central and cell type-specific regulator of virus-induced lung damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Hagan
- 1 Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine.,2 Marsico Lung Institute, and
| | - Jose Torres-Castillo
- 1 Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine.,2 Marsico Lung Institute, and
| | - Claire M Doerschuk
- 1 Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine.,2 Marsico Lung Institute, and.,3 Center for Airways Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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