TGF-β signaling controls Foxp3 methylation and T reg cell differentiation by modulating Uhrf1 activity

X Sun, Y Cui, H Feng, H Liu, X Liu - Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2019 - rupress.org
X Sun, Y Cui, H Feng, H Liu, X Liu
Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2019rupress.org
Regulatory T (T reg) cells are required for the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Both
TGF-β signaling and epigenetic modifications are important for Foxp3 induction, but how
TGF-β signaling participates in the epigenetic regulation of Foxp3 remains largely unknown.
Here we showed that T cell–specific ablation of Uhrf1 resulted in T reg–biased differentiation
in TCR-stimulated naive T cells in the absence of TGF-β signaling, and these Foxp3+ T cells
had a suppressive function. Adoptive transfer of Uhrf1−/− naive T cells could significantly …
Regulatory T (T reg) cells are required for the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Both TGF-β signaling and epigenetic modifications are important for Foxp3 induction, but how TGF-β signaling participates in the epigenetic regulation of Foxp3 remains largely unknown. Here we showed that T cell–specific ablation of Uhrf1 resulted in T reg–biased differentiation in TCR-stimulated naive T cells in the absence of TGF-β signaling, and these Foxp3+ T cells had a suppressive function. Adoptive transfer of Uhrf1−/− naive T cells could significantly suppress colitis due to increased iT reg cell generation. Mechanistically, Uhrf1 was induced upon TCR stimulation and participated in the maintenance of DNA methylation patterns of T reg cell–specific genes during cell division, while it was phosphorylated upon TGF-β stimulation and sequestered outside the nucleus, and ultimately underwent proteasome-dependent degradation. Collectively, our study reveals a novel epigenetic mechanism of TGF-β–mediated iT reg cell differentiation by modulating Uhrf1 activity and suggests that Uhrf1 may be a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory diseases for generating stable iT reg cells.
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