1. H2-O deficiency promotes regulatory T cell differentiation and CD4 T cell hyperactivity.
- Author
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Welsh, Robin A., Nianbin Song, Chan-Su Park, Peske, J. David, and Sadegh-Nasseri, Scheherazade
- Subjects
REGULATORY T cells ,T cell differentiation ,IMMUNOMODULATORS ,T cells ,T cell receptors ,PEPTIDES - Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Treg) are crucial immune modulators, yet the exact mechanism of thymic Treg development remains controversial. Here, we present the first direct evidence for H2-O, an MHC class II peptide editing molecular chaperon, on selection of thymic Tregs. We identified that lack of H2-O in the thymic medulla promotes thymic Treg development and leads to an increased peripheral Treg frequency. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of splenic CD4 T cells revealed not only an enrichment of effector-like Tregs, but also activated CD4 T cells in the absence of H2-O. Our data support two concepts; a) lack of H2-O expression in the thymic medulla creates an environment permissive to Treg development and, b) that loss of H2-O drives increased basal autostimulation of CD4 T cells. These findings can help in better understanding of predispositions to autoimmunity and design of therapeutics for treatment of autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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