Project description:Blimp-1 expression in T cells extinguishes the T follicular helper cell fate and drives terminal differentiation, but also limits autoimmunity. Although various factors have been described to control Blimp-1 expression in T cells, little is known about what regulates Blimp-1 expression in Th2 cells and the molecular basis of its actions. Herein, we report that STAT3 unexpectedly played a critical role in regulating Blimp-1 in Th2 cells. Furthermore, we found that the cytokine IL-10 acted directly on Th2 cells and was necessary and sufficient to induce optimal Blimp-1 expression through STAT3. Together, Blimp-1 and STAT3 amplified IL-10 production in Th2 cells, creating a strong autoregulatory loop that enhanced Blimp-1 expression. Increased Blimp-1 in T cells antagonized STAT5-regulated cell cycle and anti-apoptotic genes to limit cell expansion. These data elucidate the signals required for Blimp-1 expression in Th2 cells and reveal an unexpected mechanism of action of IL-10 in T cells, providing insights into the molecular underpinning by which Blimp-1 constrains T cell expansion to limit autoimmunity.
Project description:The mechanisms in regulating the development of IL-10 producing B cells are largely unknown. To clarify which transcription factor is critical for regulation of IL-10 producing B cells, we compared the gene expression profile of IL-10 positive B cells and IL-10 negative B cells. Transcriptional repressor Prdm1/Blimp1 is known to play a key role in controlling B ells differentiation. We show a dual role for Blimp-1 in IL-10 expression in IL-10 producing B cells and plasmablasts.
Project description:Interleukin-23 (IL-23) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine required for the pathogenicity of T helper 17 (Th17) cells but the molecular mechanisms governing this process remain unclear. We identified the transcription factor Blimp-1 (Prdm1) as a key IL-23-induced factor that drove the inflammatory function of Th17 cells. In contrast to thymic deletion of Blimp-1, which causes T cell development defects and spontaneous autoimmunity, peripheral deletion of this transcription factor resulted in reduced Th17 activation and reduced severity of autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Furthermore, genome wide occupancy and overexpression studies in Th17 cells revealed that Blimp-1 co-localized with transcription factors RORγt, STAT-3 and p300 at the Il23r, Il17a/f and Csf2 cytokine loci to enhance their expression. Blimp-1 also directly bound to and repressed cytokine loci Il2 and Bcl6. Taken together, our results demonstrate that Blimp-1 is an essential transcription factor downstream of IL-23 that acts in concert with RORγt to activate the Th17 inflammatory program. Genome-wide binding analysis of Blimp1 from in vitro generated T effector and regulatory cells