microRNA-17–92 regulates IL-10 production by regulatory T cells and control of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

D de Kouchkovsky, JH Esensten… - The Journal of …, 2013 - journals.aai.org
D de Kouchkovsky, JH Esensten, WL Rosenthal, MM Morar, JA Bluestone, LT Jeker
The Journal of Immunology, 2013journals.aai.org
Abstract microRNAs (miRNA) are essential for regulatory T cell (Treg) function but little is
known about the functional relevance of individual miRNA loci. We identified the miR-17–92
cluster as CD28 costimulation dependent, suggesting that it may be key for Treg
development and function. Although overall immune homeostasis was maintained in mice
with miR-17–92–deficient Tregs, expression of the miR-17–92 miRNA cluster was critical for
Treg accumulation and function during an acute organ-specific autoimmune disease in vivo …
Abstract
microRNAs (miRNA) are essential for regulatory T cell (Treg) function but little is known about the functional relevance of individual miRNA loci. We identified the miR-17–92 cluster as CD28 costimulation dependent, suggesting that it may be key for Treg development and function. Although overall immune homeostasis was maintained in mice with miR-17–92–deficient Tregs, expression of the miR-17–92 miRNA cluster was critical for Treg accumulation and function during an acute organ-specific autoimmune disease in vivo. Treg-specific loss of miR-17–92 expression resulted in exacerbated experimental autoimmune encephalitis and failure to establish clinical remission. Using peptide-MHC tetramers, we demonstrate that the miR-17–92 cluster was specifically required for the accumulation of activated Ag-specific Treg and for differentiation into IL-10–producing effector Treg.
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