PD-1 Inhibitory Receptor Downregulates Asparaginyl Endopeptidase and Maintains Foxp3 Transcription Factor Stability in Induced Regulatory T Cells

Immunity. 2018 Aug 21;49(2):247-263.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2018.05.006. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

Abstract

CD4+ T cell differentiation into multiple T helper (Th) cell lineages is critical for optimal adaptive immune responses. This report identifies an intrinsic mechanism by which programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1) signaling imparted regulatory phenotype to Foxp3+ Th1 cells (denoted as Tbet+iTregPDL1 cells) and inducible regulatory T (iTreg) cells. Tbet+iTregPDL1 cells prevented inflammation in murine models of experimental colitis and experimental graft versus host disease (GvHD). Programmed death ligand-1 (PDL-1) binding to PD-1 imparted regulatory function to Tbet+iTregPDL1 cells and iTreg cells by specifically downregulating endo-lysosomal protease asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP). AEP regulated Foxp3 stability and blocking AEP imparted regulatory function in Tbet+iTreg cells. Also, Aep-/- iTreg cells significantly inhibited GvHD and maintained Foxp3 expression. PD-1-mediated Foxp3 maintenance in Tbet+ Th1 cells occurred both in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and during chronic viral infection. Collectively, this report has identified an intrinsic function for PD-1 in maintaining Foxp3 through proteolytic pathway.

Keywords: AEP; Foxp3; GvHD; LCMV; PD-1; PDL-1; colitis; iTreg; melanoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Colitis / immunology
  • Colitis / pathology
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / immunology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / pathology
  • Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / immunology
  • Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / pathology
  • Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / immunology
  • Melanoma, Experimental / immunology
  • Melanoma, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*
  • Th1 Cells / cytology
  • Th1 Cells / immunology*

Substances

  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse
  • Pdcd1 protein, mouse
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • asparaginyl endopeptidase, lysosomal