Project description:Expansion of B cell-helper T cells including T follicular helper (Tfh) and T peripheral helper (Tph) cells is a prominent feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a prototypical autoimmune disease with broad autoantibody production. Human Tfh and Tph cells are marked by high production of the B cell chemoattractant CXCL13, yet regulation of T cell CXCL13 production and the relationship between a CXCL13+ state and other differentiated T cell states remains largely undefined. Here, we identify a dramatic imbalance in CD4 T cell phenotypes in SLE patients, with expansion of PD-1+/ICOS+ CXCL13+ T cells and reduction of CD96hi IL-22+ T cells. Using CRISPR screens, we identify the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) as a potent negative regulator of CXCL13 production by human CD4 T cells. Transcriptomic, epigenetic, and functional studies demonstrate that AHR coordinates with AP-1 family member JUN to prevent CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cell differentiation and promote an IL-22+ phenotype. Type I interferon (IFN), a pathogenic driver of SLE, opposes AHR and JUN to promote T cell production of CXCL13. These results place CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cells on a polarization axis opposite from Th22 cells and reveal AHR, JUN, and IFN as key regulators of these divergent T cell states.
Project description:SLE is prototypical autoimmune disease driven by pathologic T cell-B cell interactions. Expansion of B cell-helper T cells including T follicular helper (Tfh) and T peripheral helper (Tph) cells is a prominent feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Human Tfh and Tph cells characteristically produce high levels of the B cell chemoattractant CXCL13, yet regulation of T cell CXCL13 production and the relationship between CXCL13+ T cells and other T cell states remains unclear. Here, we identify an imbalance in CD4 T cell phenotypes in SLE patients, with expansion of PD-1+/ICOS+ CXCL13+ T cells and reduction of CD96hi IL-22+ T cells. Using CRISPR screens, we identify the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) as a potent negative regulator of CXCL13 production by human CD4 T cells. Transcriptomic, epigenetic, and functional studies demonstrate that AHR coordinates with AP-1 family member JUN to prevent CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cell differentiation and promote an IL-22+ phenotype. Type I interferon (IFN), a pathogenic driver of SLE, opposes AHR and JUN to promote T cell production of CXCL13. These results place CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cells on a polarization axis opposite from Th22 cells and reveal AHR, JUN, and IFN as key regulators of these divergent T cell states.
Project description:SLE is prototypical autoimmune disease driven by pathologic T cell-B cell interactions. Expansion of B cell-helper T cells including T follicular helper (Tfh) and T peripheral helper (Tph) cells is a prominent feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Human Tfh and Tph cells characteristically produce high levels of the B cell chemoattractant CXCL13, yet regulation of T cell CXCL13 production and the relationship between CXCL13+ T cells and other T cell states remains unclear. Here, we identify an imbalance in CD4 T cell phenotypes in SLE patients, with expansion of PD-1+/ICOS+ CXCL13+ T cells and reduction of CD96hi IL-22+ T cells. Using CRISPR screens, we identify the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) as a potent negative regulator of CXCL13 production by human CD4 T cells. Transcriptomic, epigenetic, and functional studies demonstrate that AHR coordinates with AP-1 family member JUN to prevent CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cell differentiation and promote an IL-22+ phenotype. Type I interferon (IFN), a pathogenic driver of SLE, opposes AHR and JUN to promote T cell production of CXCL13. These results place CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cells on a polarization axis opposite from Th22 cells and reveal AHR, JUN, and IFN as key regulators of these divergent T cell states.
Project description:SLE is prototypical autoimmune disease driven by pathologic T cell-B cell interactions. Expansion of B cell-helper T cells including T follicular helper (Tfh) and T peripheral helper (Tph) cells is a prominent feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Human Tfh and Tph cells characteristically produce high levels of the B cell chemoattractant CXCL13 yet regulation of T cell CXCL13 production and the relationship between CXCL13+ T cells and other T cell states remains unclear. Here, we identify an imbalance in CD4 T cell phenotypes in SLE patients, with expansion of PD-1+/ICOS+ CXCL13+ T cells and reduction of CD96hi IL-22+ T cells. Using CRISPR screens, we identify the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) as a potent negative regulator of CXCL13 production by human CD4 T cells. Transcriptomic, epigenetic, and functional studies demonstrate that AHR coordinates with AP-1 family member JUN to prevent CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cell differentiation and promote an IL-22+ phenotype. Type I interferon (IFN), a pathogenic driver of SLE, opposes AHR and JUN to promote T cell production of CXCL13. These results place CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cells on a polarization axis opposite from Th22 cells and reveal AHR, JUN, and IFN as key regulators of these divergent T cell states.
Project description:SLE is prototypical autoimmune disease driven by pathologic T cell-B cell interactions. Expansion of B cell-helper T cells including T follicular helper (Tfh) and T peripheral helper (Tph) cells is a prominent feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Human Tfh and Tph cells characteristically produce high levels of the B cell chemoattractant CXCL135,6, yet regulation of T cell CXCL13 production and the relationship between CXCL13+ T cells and other T cell states remains unclear. Here, we identify an imbalance in CD4 T cell phenotypes in SLE patients, with expansion of PD-1+/ICOS+ CXCL13+ T cells and reduction of CD96hi IL-22+ T cells. Using CRISPR screens, we identify the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) as a potent negative regulator of CXCL13 production by human CD4 T cells. Transcriptomic, epigenetic, and functional studies demonstrate that AHR coordinates with AP-1 family member JUN to prevent CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cell differentiation and promote an IL-22+ phenotype. Type I interferon (IFN), a pathogenic driver of SLE7, opposes AHR and JUN to promote T cell production of CXCL13. These results place CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cells on a polarization axis opposite from Th22 cells and reveal AHR, JUN, and IFN as key regulators of these divergent T cell states.
Project description:SLE is prototypical autoimmune disease driven by pathologic T cell-B cell interactions. Expansion of B cell-helper T cells including T follicular helper (Tfh) and T peripheral helper (Tph) cells is a prominent feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Human Tfh and Tph cells characteristically produce high levels of the B cell chemoattractant CXCL13, yet regulation of T cell CXCL13 production and the relationship between CXCL13+ T cells and other T cell states remains unclear. Here, we identify an imbalance in CD4 T cell phenotypes in SLE patients, with expansion of PD-1+/ICOS+ CXCL13+ T cells and reduction of CD96hi IL-22+ T cells. Using CRISPR screens, we identify the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) as a potent negative regulator of CXCL13 production by human CD4 T cells. Transcriptomic, epigenetic, and functional studies demonstrate that AHR coordinates with AP-1 family member JUN to prevent CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cell differentiation and promote an IL-22+ phenotype. Type I interferon (IFN), a pathogenic driver of SLE, opposes AHR and JUN to promote T cell production of CXCL13. These results place CXCL13+ Tph/Tfh cells on a polarization axis opposite from Th22 cells and reveal AHR, JUN, and IFN as key regulators of these divergent T cell states.
Project description:Pemphigus, a rare autoimmune bullous disease mediated by anti-desmoglein autoantibodies, can be controlled with systemic medication like rituximab and high-dose systemic corticosteroids combined with immunosuppressants. However, some patients continue to experience chronically recurrent blisters in a specific area, requiring long-term maintenance systemic therapy. We demonstrate the presence of skin tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) with desmoglein-specific B cells in chronic blisters from pemphigus patients. In the skin TLSs, CD4+ T cells predominantly produced CXCL13. These clonally expanded CXCL13+CD4+ T cells exhibited features of activated Th1-like cells and downregulated genes associated with T-cell receptor-mediated signaling. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are in direct contact with CXCL13+CD4+ memory T cells and increased CXCL13 production of CD4+ T cells through IL-2 consumption and TGF-β stimulation. Lastly, Intralesional corticosteroid injection improved chronic blisters and reduce skin TLSs in patients with pemphigus. This study concludes that skin TLSs are associated with the persistence of chronically recurrent blisters in pemphigus patients, and the microenvironmental network involving CXCL13+CD4+ T cells and Tregs within these structures plays an important role in CXCL13 production.
Project description:Purpose: The goal of this study is to characterise the follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) upon antigen-immunocomplex immunisation. Methods: FACS sorting of Live/Death- Podoplanin+ CD31- CD45- CXCL13-TdTomato+ after LN disgregation of CXCL13-CreTdTomato mice. Mice has been previously immunised with antigen-Ics at different time-points. Cells were loaded into 10x Genomics Chromium Platform, and sequenced using Illumina HiSeq 4000. Conclusions: Our study detects previously identified stromal cell populations and shows the heterogeneity present on the FDCs. We detect 3 different FDC clusters.