Smad2/3 and IRF4 play a cooperative role in IL-9–producing T cell induction

T Tamiya, K Ichiyama, H Kotani, T Fukaya… - The Journal of …, 2013 - journals.aai.org
T Tamiya, K Ichiyama, H Kotani, T Fukaya, T Sekiya, T Shichita, K Honma, K Yui…
The Journal of Immunology, 2013journals.aai.org
IL-9 is a pleiotropic cytokine that can regulate autoimmune and allergic responses. Th9 cells
can develop from naive T cells or Th2 cells through stimulation by TGF-β in vitro. In this
study, we demonstrated that Smad2 and Smad3 are necessary for IL-9 production from T
cells in an OVA-induced asthma model using T cell–specific Smad2-and Smad3-deficient
mice. Smad2 and Smad3 were also redundantly essential for TGF-β signaling to induce
histone modifications for Il9 transcription. Although Smad2/3 was recruited to the Il9 …
Abstract
IL-9 is a pleiotropic cytokine that can regulate autoimmune and allergic responses. Th9 cells can develop from naive T cells or Th2 cells through stimulation by TGF-β in vitro. In this study, we demonstrated that Smad2 and Smad3 are necessary for IL-9 production from T cells in an OVA-induced asthma model using T cell–specific Smad2-and Smad3-deficient mice. Smad2 and Smad3 were also redundantly essential for TGF-β signaling to induce histone modifications for Il9 transcription. Although Smad2/3 was recruited to the Il9 promoter by TGF-β stimulation, they are not sufficient to activate the Il9 promoter. By the screening the transcription factors, we found that IFN regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) was essential for the Smad2/3-mediated Il9 promoter activation. In addition, Smad2/3 physically interacted with IRF4, and Smad2/3 did not bind to the Il9 promoter and could not induce Th9 in IRF4-deficient T cells. Similarly, IRF4 could not stimulate Il9 transcription in the absence of Smad2/3, and TGF-β enhanced IRF4 recruitment to the Il9 promoter in a Smad2/3-dependent manner. We propose that Smad2/3 and IRF4 cooperatively transactivate the Il9 promoter and play an important role in regulating allergic immune responses by inducing Th9 cells.
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