Constitutive expression of NF-κB inducing kinase in regulatory T cells impairs suppressive function and promotes instability and pro-inflammatory cytokine production.

ABSTRACT: CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are indispensable negative regulators of immune responses. To understand Treg biology in health and disease, it is critical to elucidate factors that affect Treg homeostasis and suppressive function. Tregs express several costimulatory TNF receptor family members that activate non-canonical NF-κB via accumulation of NF-κB inducing kinase (NIK). We previously showed that constitutive NIK expression in all T cells causes fatal multi-organ autoimmunity associated with hyperactive conventional T cell responses and poor Treg-mediated suppression. Here, we show that constitutive NIK expression that is restricted to Tregs via a Cre-inducible transgene causes an autoimmune syndrome. We found that constitutive NIK expression decreased expr

SUBMITTER: Polesso F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5677020 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature