| First Author | Wu D | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | Nat Commun | Volume | 8 |
| Pages | 15876 | PubMed ID | 28621313 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:250354 | Mgi Id | MGI:5920410 |
| Doi | 10.1038/ncomms15876 | Citation | Wu D, et al. (2017) Lkb1 maintains Treg cell lineage identity. Nat Commun 8:15876 |
| abstractText | Regulatory T (Treg) cells are a distinct T-cell lineage characterized by sustained Foxp3 expression and potent suppressor function, but the upstream dominant factors that preserve Treg lineage-specific features are mostly unknown. Here, we show that Lkb1 maintains Treg cell lineage identity by stabilizing Foxp3 expression and enforcing suppressor function. Upon T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation Lkb1 protein expression is upregulated in Treg cells but not in conventional T cells. Mice with Treg cell-specific deletion of Lkb1 develop a fatal early-onset autoimmune disease, with no Foxp3 expression in most Treg cells. Lkb1 stabilizes Foxp3 expression by preventing STAT4-mediated methylation of the conserved noncoding sequence 2 (CNS2) in the Foxp3 locus. Independent of maintaining Foxp3 expression, Lkb1 programs the expression of a wide spectrum of immunosuppressive genes, through mechanisms involving the augmentation of TGF-beta signalling. These findings identify a critical function of Lkb1 in maintaining Treg cell lineage identity. |
