Cutting edge: Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells induced by IL-2 and TGF-β are resistant to Th17 conversion by IL-6

SG Zheng, J Wang, DA Horwitz - The Journal of Immunology, 2008 - journals.aai.org
SG Zheng, J Wang, DA Horwitz
The Journal of Immunology, 2008journals.aai.org
TGF-β has pleiotropic effects on T cell differentiation that are determined by other cytokines
in the local environment. Whereas IL-2 and TGF-β induce naive T cells to become
forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (Foxp3) positive regulatory cells (iTregs), the
combination of IL-6 and TGF-β induces IL-17-producing cells (Th17). Moreover, IL-6 can use
TGF-β produced by thymus-derived natural regulatory T cells (nTregs) to convert them to
Th17 cells. In this study, we report a major difference between iTregs and nTregs. Treatment …
Abstract
TGF-β has pleiotropic effects on T cell differentiation that are determined by other cytokines in the local environment. Whereas IL-2 and TGF-β induce naive T cells to become forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (Foxp3) positive regulatory cells (iTregs), the combination of IL-6 and TGF-β induces IL-17-producing cells (Th17). Moreover, IL-6 can use TGF-β produced by thymus-derived natural regulatory T cells (nTregs) to convert them to Th17 cells. In this study, we report a major difference between iTregs and nTregs. Treatment of iTregs with IL-6 did not affect Foxp3 expression, and their suppressive activity in vitro and in vivo was intact. To explain this difference between nTregs and iTregs, we found that IL-2 and TGF-β down-regulate IL-6 receptor expression and IL-6 signaling. The resistance of iTregs to Th17 conversion suggests that they can function more effectively than nTregs in an inflammatory milieu and emphasizes the central role of IL-2 in combination with TGF-β to maintain immunologic homeostasis.
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