Dataset Information

Transcription profiling of Hepatitis C – specific natural CD25pos cells

ABSTRACT: We reported previously that a proportion of natural CD25+ cells isolated from the PBMC of HCV patients can further upregulate CD25 expression in response to HCV peptides stimulation in vitro, and proposed that virus-specific regulatory T cells (Treg) were primed and expanded during the disease. Here we describe epigenetic analysis of the FOXP3 locus in HCV-responsive natural CD25+ cells and show that these cells are not activated conventional T cells expressing FOXP3, but hard-wired Treg with a stable FOXP3 phenotype and function. Of ~46,000 genes analyzed in genome wide transcription profiling, about 1% were differentially expressed between HCV-responsive Treg, HCV-non-responsive natural CD25+ cells and conventional T cells. Expression profiles, including cell death, activation, proliferation and transcriptional regulation, suggest a survival advantage of HCV-responsive Treg over the other cell populations. Since no Treg-specific activation marker is known, we tested 97 NS3-derived peptides for their ability to elicit CD25 response (assuming it is a surrogate marker), accompanied by high resolution HLA typing of the patients. Some reactive peptides overlapped with previously described T cell epitopes. Our data offers new insights into HCV immune evasion and tolerance and highlights the non-self specific nature of Treg during infection.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE16576 | GEO | 2009/12/24

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA116133

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Regulatory T cells (Treg) contribute to the crucial immunological processes of self-tolerance and immune homeostasis. However, the mechanisms underlying Treg function and cell fate decisions to differentiate between Treg and conventional T cells (Tconv) remain to be fully elucidated, especially at the histone modification level. Covalent modifications of histones establish and maintain chromatin structure, and regulate gene transcription events by facilitating access to cis-elements by trans-acting factors during mammalian development and cellular differentiation. We aimed to investigate the role of the methylation form of histone modification as related to Treg function and phenotype. High-resolution maps of the genome-wide distribution of monomethylated histone H3 lysine 4, H3K4me1, and the trimethylated form H3K4me3 were generated for human activated conventional CD4+CD25+FOXP3- T cells (aTconv) and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) by sequencing using the Solexa 1G Genetic Analyzer. We found 2115 H3K4me3 regions corresponding to proximal promoter regions; the genes associated with these regions in Treg cells included the crucial transcription factor forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) and the chemokine receptor CCR7. We also identified 41024 Treg cell type-specific H3K4me1 regions. The majority of the H3K4me1 regions differing between the Treg and aTconv cells were located at promoter-distal sites, some of which were selected and consolidated to further examine enhancer activity in in vitro reporter gene assays. The findings from our study provide a comprehensive genome-wide dataset of lineage-specific H3K4me1 and H3K4me3 patterns in Treg and aTconv cells, which may control the differentiation decision, lineage commitment and cell type-specific gene regulation. This basic principle is likely not confined to the two closely-related T cell populations, but may apply generally to somatic cell lineages in adult organisms. Genome-wide distribution of monomethylated histone H3 lysine 4, H3K4me1, and the trimethylated form H3K4me3 in human activated conventional CD4+CD25+FOXP3- T cells (aTconv) and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) (5 samples in total)

Project description:Regulatory T (Treg) cells are involved in self tolerance, immune homeostasis, prevention of autoimmunity, and suppression of immunity to pathogens or tumours. The forkhead transcription factor FOXP3 is essential for Treg cell development and function as mutations in FOXP3 cause severe autoimmunity in mice and humans. However, the FOXP3-dependent molecular mechanisms leading to this severe phenotype are not well understood. Here we introduce the chromatin remodelling enzyme SATB1 (special AT-rich sequence-binding protein-1) as an important target gene of FOXP3. So far, SATB1 has been associated with normal thymic T-cell development, peripheral T-cell homeostasis, TH1/TH2 polarization, and reprogramming of gene expression. In natural and induced murine and human FOXP3+ Treg cells SATB1 expression is significantly reduced. While there is no differential epigenetic regulation of the SATB1 locus between Treg and Teffector cells, FOXP3 reduces SATB1 expression directly as a transcriptional repressor at the SATB1 locus and indirectly via miR-155 induction, which specifically binds to the 3’UTR of the SATB1 mRNA. Reduced SATB1 expression in FOXP3+ cells achieved either by overexpression or induction of FOXP3 is linked to significant reduction in TH1 and TH2 cytokines, while loss of FOXP3 function either by knock down or genetic mutation leads to significant upregulation of SATB1 and subsequent cytokine production. Alltogether, these findings demonstrate that reduced SATB1 expression in Treg cells is necessary for maintenance of a Treg-cell phenotype in vitro and in vivo and places SATB1-mediated T cell-specific modulation of global chromatin remodelling central during the decision process between effector and regulatory T-cell function. Gene expression profiling of freshly isolated CD4+ T cells, separated into CD25 negative and positive subpopulations, from three different donors. FOXP3 is stably and constitutively expressed at a high level in CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and at a low level in CD4+CD25- cells.

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Transcription profiling of Hepatitis C – specific natural CD25pos cells

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