Abstract
Intestinal colonization by antigenically foreign microbes necessitates expanded peripheral immune tolerance. Here we show commensal microbiota prime expansion of CD4 T cells unified by the Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) transcriptional regulator and an essential role for KLF2+ CD4 cells in averting microbiota-driven intestinal inflammation. CD4 cells with commensal specificity in secondary lymphoid organs and intestinal tissues are enriched for KLF2 expression, and distinct from FOXP3+ regulatory T cells or other differentiation lineages. Mice with conditional KLF2 deficiency in T cells develop spontaneous rectal prolapse and intestinal inflammation, phenotypes overturned by eliminating microbiota or reconstituting with donor KLF2+ cells. Activated KLF2+ cells selectively produce IL-10, and eliminating IL-10 overrides their suppressive function in vitro and protection against intestinal inflammation in vivo. Together with reduced KLF2+ CD4 cell accumulation in Crohn's disease, a necessity for the KLF2+ subpopulation of T regulatory type 1 (Tr1) cells in sustaining commensal tolerance is demonstrated.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Article number | 113323 |
Journal | Cell reports |
Volume | 42 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 28 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 The Author(s)
Keywords
- CD4 T cell
- CP: Immunology
- Candida albicans
- Crohn's disease
- Tr1 cell
- bacterial flagellin Cbir1
- commensal tolerance
- inflammatory bowel disease
- intestinal inflammation
- microbiota
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't