c-Maf-dependent Treg cell control of intestinal TH17 cells and IgA establishes host-microbiota homeostasis

Christian Neumann, Jonas Blume, Urmi Roy, Peggy P Teh, Ajithkumar Vasanthakumar, Alexander Beller, Yang Liao, Frederik Heinrich, Teresita L Arenzana, Jason A Hackney, Celine Eidenschenk, Eric J C Gálvez, Christina Stehle, Gitta A Heinz, Patrick Maschmeyer, Tom Sidwell, Yifang Hu, Derk Amsen, Chiara Romagnani, Hyun-Dong ChangAndrey Kruglov, Mir-Farzin Mashreghi, Wei Shi, Till Strowig, Sascha Rutz, Axel Kallies, Alexander Scheffold

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

115 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are crucial for the maintenance of immune homeostasis both in lymphoid tissues and in non-lymphoid tissues. Here we demonstrate that the ability of intestinal Treg cells to constrain microbiota-dependent interleukin (IL)-17-producing helper T cell (TH17 cell) and immunoglobulin A responses critically required expression of the transcription factor c-Maf. The terminal differentiation and function of several intestinal Treg cell populations, including RORγt+ Treg cells and follicular regulatory T cells, were c-Maf dependent. c-Maf controlled Treg cell-derived IL-10 production and prevented excessive signaling via the kinases PI(3)K (phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase) and Akt and the metabolic checkpoint kinase complex mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin) and expression of inflammatory cytokines in intestinal Treg cells. c-Maf deficiency in Treg cells led to profound dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota, which when transferred to germ-free mice was sufficient to induce exacerbated intestinal TH17 responses, even in a c-Maf-competent environment. Thus, c-Maf acts to preserve the identity and function of intestinal Treg cells, which is essential for the establishment of host-microbe symbiosis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)471-481
Number of pages11
JournalNature immunology
Volume20
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2019

Keywords

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Colitis/immunology
  • Cytokines/metabolism
  • Dysbiosis
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Homeostasis
  • Immunoglobulin A/biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-10/biosynthesis
  • Intestines/immunology
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microbiota
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-maf/genetics
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/enzymology
  • Th17 Cells/immunology

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