| First Author | Chang JH | Year | 2014 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 211 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 137-51 |
| PubMed ID | 24378539 | Mgi Jnum | J:208351 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5562964 | Doi | 10.1084/jem.20131019 |
| Citation | Chang JH, et al. (2014) TRAF3 regulates the effector function of regulatory T cells and humoral immune responses. J Exp Med 211(1):137-51 |
| abstractText | Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) control different aspects of immune responses, but how the effector functions of Treg cells are regulated is incompletely understood. Here we identified TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3) as a regulator of Treg cell function. Treg cell-specific ablation of TRAF3 impaired CD4 T cell homeostasis, characterized by an increase in the Th1 type of effector/memory T cells. Moreover, the ablation of TRAF3 in Treg cells resulted in increased antigen-stimulated activation of follicular T helper cells (TFH cells), coupled with heightened formation of germinal centers and production of high-affinity IgG antibodies. Although the loss of TRAF3 did not reduce the overall frequency of Treg cells, it attenuated the antigen-stimulated production of follicular Treg cells (TFR cells). TRAF3 signaling in Treg cells was required to maintain high level expression of inducible co-stimulator (ICOS), which in turn was required for TFR cell generation and inhibition of antibody responses. These findings establish TRAF3 as a mediator of Treg cell function in the regulation of antibody responses and suggest a role for TRAF3 in mediating ICOS expression in Treg cells. |
