1. Placental growth factor regulates the generation of TH17 cells to link angiogenesis with autoimmunity
- Author
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Yoo, Seung-Ah, Kim, Mingyo, Kang, Min-Cheol, Kong, Jin-Sun, Kim, Ki-Myo, Lee, Saseong, Hong, Bong-Ki, Jeong, Gi Heon, Lee, Jinhee, Shin, Min-Gyeong, Kim, Yeon-Gu, Apicella, Ivana, Cicatiello, Valeria, De Falco, Sandro, Yoon, Chong-Hyeon, Cho, Chul-Soo, Ryoo, Zae Young, Lee, Seung-Hyo, and Kim, Wan-Uk
- Abstract
Helper T cells actively communicate with adjacent cells by secreting soluble mediators, yet crosstalk between helper T cells and endothelial cells remains poorly understood. Here we found that placental growth factor (PlGF), a homolog of the vascular endothelial growth factor that enhances an angiogenic switch in disease, was selectively secreted by the TH17 subset of helper T cells and promoted angiogenesis. Interestingly, the ‘angio-lymphokine’ PlGF, in turn, specifically induced the differentiation of pathogenic TH17 cells by activating the transcription factor STAT3 via binding to its receptors and replaced the activity of interleukin-6 in the production of interleukin-17, whereas it suppressed the generation of regulatory T cells. Moreover, T cell-derived PlGF was required for the progression of autoimmune diseases associated with TH17 differentiation, including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and collagen-induced arthritis, in mice. Collectively, our findings provide insights into the PlGF-dictated links among angiogenesis, TH17 cell development and autoimmunity.
- Published
- 2019
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