First Author | Wu B | Year | 2018 |
Journal | Immunity | Volume | 49 |
Issue | 5 | Pages | 886-898.e5 |
PubMed ID | 30446383 | Mgi Jnum | J:273608 |
Mgi Id | MGI:6284471 | Doi | 10.1016/j.immuni.2018.09.004 |
Citation | Wu B, et al. (2018) RAS P21 Protein Activator 3 (RASA3) Specifically Promotes Pathogenic T Helper 17 Cell Generation by Repressing T-Helper-2-Cell-Biased Programs. Immunity 49(5):886-898.e5 |
abstractText | Pathogenic Th17 (pTh17) cells drive inflammation and immune-pathology, but whether pTh17 cells are a Th17 cell subset whose generation is under specific molecular control remains unaddressed. We found that Ras p21 protein activator 3 (RASA3) was highly expressed by pTh17 cells relative to non-pTh17 cells and was required specifically for pTh17 generation in vitro and in vivo. Mice conditionally deficient for Rasa3 in T cells showed less pathology during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Rasa3-deficient T cells acquired a Th2 cell-biased program that dominantly trans-suppressed pTh17 cell generation via interleukin 4 production. The Th2 cell bias of Rasa3-deficient T cells was due to aberrantly elevated transcription factor IRF4 expression. RASA3 promoted proteasome-mediated IRF4 protein degradation by facilitating interaction of IRF4 with E3-ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b. Therefore, a RASA3-IRF4-Cbl-b pathway specifically directs pTh17 cell generation by balancing reciprocal Th17-Th2 cell programs. These findings indicate that a distinct molecular program directs pTh17 cell generation and reveals targets for treating pTh17 cell-related pathology and diseases. |