Home Publications Research Grants Inventions & Patents Awards Additional Research Activities Faculties & Institutions Research Areas

Recirculating IL-1R2+ Tregs fine-tune intrathymic Treg development under inflammatory conditions

Nikolouli E, Elfaki Y, Herppich S, Schelmbauer C, Delacher M, Falk C, Mufazalov IA, Waisman A, Feuerer M, Huehn J (2021)

---

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Book Volume: 18

Pages Range: 182-193

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1038/s41423-019-0352-8

Abstract

The vast majority of Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are generated in the thymus, and several factors, such as cytokines and unique thymic antigen-presenting cells, are known to contribute to the development of these thymus-derived Tregs (tTregs). Here, we report the existence of a specific subset of Foxp3⁺ Tregs within the thymus that is characterized by the expression of IL-1R2, which is a decoy receptor for the inflammatory cytokine IL-1. Detailed flow cytometric analysis of the thymocytes from Foxp3^hCD2xRAG1^GFP reporter mice revealed that the IL-1R2⁺ Tregs are mainly RAG1^GFP– and CCR6⁺CCR7^–, demonstrating that these Tregs are recirculating cells entering the thymus from the periphery and that they have an activated phenotype. In the spleen, the majority of IL-1R2⁺ Tregs express neuropilin-1 (Nrp-1) and Helios, suggesting a thymic origin for these Tregs. Interestingly, among all tissues studied, the highest frequency of IL-1R2⁺ Tregs was observed in the thymus, indicating preferential recruitment of this Treg subset by the thymus. Using fetal thymic organ cultures (FTOCs), we demonstrated that increased concentrations of exogenous IL-1β blocked intrathymic Treg development, resulting in a decreased frequency of CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ tTregs and an accumulation of CD25⁺Foxp3⁻ Treg precursors. Interestingly, the addition of IL-1R2⁺ Tregs, but not IL-1R2⁻ Tregs, to reaggregated thymic organ cultures (RTOCs) abrogated the IL-1β-mediated blockade, demonstrating that these recirculating IL-1R2⁺ Tregs can quench IL-1 signaling in the thymus and thereby maintain thymic Treg development even under inflammatory conditions.

Involved external institutions

How to cite

APA:

Nikolouli, E., Elfaki, Y., Herppich, S., Schelmbauer, C., Delacher, M., Falk, C.,... Huehn, J. (2021). Recirculating IL-1R2+ Tregs fine-tune intrathymic Treg development under inflammatory conditions. Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 18(1), 182-193. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41423-019-0352-8

MLA:

Nikolouli, Eirini, et al. "Recirculating IL-1R2+ Tregs fine-tune intrathymic Treg development under inflammatory conditions." Cellular & Molecular Immunology 18.1 (2021): 182-193.

BibTeX: Download