c-Rel is Required for the Induction of pTregs in the Eye but Not in the Gut Mucosa

ABSTRACT

Regulatory T (Treg) cells play an integral role in maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmune diseases. Forkhead box P3 expression marks the commitment of progenitor cells to the Treg lineage. Although the essential function of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB family transcription factor c-Rel in the regulation of natural Treg cells has been firmly established, little is known about whether c-Rel is involved in the in vivo generation of peripheral Treg cells (pTregs), which develop from mature CD4+ conventional T cells outside of the thymus. We sought to answer this question through the induction of pTregs in the eye and gut mucosa using ovalbumin-specific T cell receptor transgenic mice that do or do not express c-Rel. Our results showed that Tregs can be induced in the eye in a c-Rel-dependent manner when immune-mediated inflammation occurs. However, c-Rel is dispensable for the induction of pTregs in the gut mucosa after oral antigen administration. Thus, c-Rel may play distinct roles in regulating the development of pTregs in different organs.

Abbreviations ACAID: Anterior Chamber-Associated Immune Deviation; ATF: activating transcription factor; CREB: cAMP responsive element-binding protein; DMEM: Dulbecco minimum essential medium; HBSS: Hanks Balanced Salt Solution; NFAT: Nuclear Factor of Activated T cells; PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline; PE: Phycoerythrin; WT: wild type.

KEYWORDS:

• c-Rel
• eye
• Foxp3
• gut mucosa
• pTreg

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Funding

This study was supported by the Shenzhen Kongque antibody drug program grant; Shenzhen Basic Research Program (JCYJ20140610151856705); National Institutes of Health, USA (AI-077533); National Natural Science Foundation of China (81471554, 81470611, 81530027); National Basic Research Program of China (2013CB967004); Taishan Scholar Program (ts 20150215); and Shandong Province Key Research and development program, China (grant no.: 2015GGH318010).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Shenzhen Kongque antibody drug program grant; Shenzhen Basic Research Program (JCYJ20140610151856705); National Institutes of Health, USA (AI-077533); National Natural Science Foundation of China (81471554, 81470611, 81530027); National Basic Research Program of China (2013CB967004); Taishan Scholar Program (ts 20150215); and Shandong Province Key Research and development program, China (grant no.: 2015GGH318010).