Thymus-derived regulatory T cell development is regulated by C-type lectin-mediated BIC/microRNA 155 expression

R Sánchez-Díaz, R Blanco-Dominguez… - … and cellular biology, 2017 - Taylor & Francis
R Sánchez-Díaz, R Blanco-Dominguez, S Lasarte, K Tsilingiri, E Martín-Gayo…
Molecular and cellular biology, 2017Taylor & Francis
Thymus-derived regulatory T (tTreg) cells are key to preventing autoimmune diseases, but
the mechanisms involved in their development remain unsolved. Here, we show that the C-
type lectin receptor CD69 controls tTreg cell development and peripheral Treg cell
homeostasis through the regulation of BIC/microRNA 155 (miR-155) and its target,
suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS-1). Using Foxp3-mRFP/cd69+/− or Foxp3-
mRFP/cd69−/− reporter mice and short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated silencing and miR …
Abstract
Thymus-derived regulatory T (tTreg) cells are key to preventing autoimmune diseases, but the mechanisms involved in their development remain unsolved. Here, we show that the C-type lectin receptor CD69 controls tTreg cell development and peripheral Treg cell homeostasis through the regulation of BIC/microRNA 155 (miR-155) and its target, suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS-1). Using Foxp3-mRFP/cd69+/ or Foxp3-mRFP/cd69−/− reporter mice and short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated silencing and miR-155 transfection approaches, we found that CD69 deficiency impaired the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) pathway in Foxp3+ cells. This results in BIC/miR-155 inhibition, increased SOCS-1 expression, and severely impaired tTreg cell development in embryos, adults, and Rag2−/− γc−/− hematopoietic chimeras reconstituted with cd69−/− stem cells. Accordingly, mirn155/ mice have an impaired development of CD69+ tTreg cells and overexpression of the miR-155-induced CD69 pathway, suggesting that both molecules might be concomitantly activated in a positive-feedback loop. Moreover, in vitro-inducible CD25+ Treg (iTreg) cell development is inhibited in Il2rγ//cd69/ mice. Our data highlight the contribution of CD69 as a nonredundant key regulator of BIC/miR-155-dependent Treg cell development and homeostasis.
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