title: Overlapping and distinct roles of STAT4 and T-bet in the regulation of T cell differentiation and allergic airway inflammation.
abstract: T-bet and STAT4 play critical roles in helper T cell differentiation, especially for Th1 cells. However, it is still unknown about the relative importance and redundancy of T-bet and STAT4 for Th1 differentiation. It is also unknown about their independent role of T-bet and STAT4 in the regulation of allergic airway inflammation. In this study, we addressed these issues by comparing T-bet-deficient (T-bet(-/-)) mice, STAT4(-/-) mice, and T-bet- and STAT4-double-deficient (T-bet(-/-)STAT4(-/-)) mice on the same genetic background. Th1 differentiation was severely decreased in T-bet(-/-) mice and STAT4(-/-) mice as compared with that in wild-type mice, but Th1 differentiation was still observed in T-bet(-/-) mice and STAT4(-/-) mice. However, Th1 cells were hardly detected in T-bet(-/-)STAT4(-/-) mice. In contrast, the maintenance of Th17 cells was enhanced in T-bet(-/-) mice but was reduced in STAT4(-/-) mice and T-bet(-/-)STAT4(-/-) mice. In vivo, Ag-induced eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment into the airways was enhanced in T-bet(-/-) mice but was attenuated in STAT4(-/-) mice and T-bet(-/-)STAT4(-/-) mice. Ag-induced IL-17 production in the airways was also diminished in STAT4(-/-) mice and T-bet(-/-)STAT4(-/-) mice. These results indicate that STAT4 not only plays an indispensable role in T-bet-independent Th1 differentiation but also is involved in the maintenance of Th17 cells and the enhancement of allergic airway inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furuta
authors.forename: Shin-ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kagami
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamachi
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suto
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Norihiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Itsuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakajima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000276:immunology*; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D020381:Interleukin-17; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor; C494091:Stat4 protein, mouse; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor; D010047:Ovalbumin