Cutting edge: IL-23 receptor gfp reporter mice reveal distinct populations of IL-17-producing cells.
IL-23, an IL-12 family member, has been implicated in the development of Th17 cells and the progression of autoimmune diseases. However, due to the lack of availability of sensitive Ab reagents specific for the IL-23 receptor (IL-23R), it has been difficult to characterize the cell types that express the IL-23R and are responsive to IL-23 in vivo. To address the role of IL-23 in vivo, we have generated a novel "knock-in" mouse in which we have replaced the intracellular domain of the IL-23R with the GFP. We show that in addition to Th17 cells, a subset of myeloid cells express IL-23R and respond to IL-23 by producing IL-17 and IL-22. Our studies further demonstrate that IL-23R expression is crucial for generation of encephalitogenic Th17 cells, but its expression on the innate immune system is dispensible in the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Amit
A
Awasthi
Lorena
L
Riol-Blanco
Anneli
A
Jäger
Thomas
T
Korn
Caroline
C
Pot
George
G
Galileos
Estelle
E
Bettelli
Vijay K
VK
Kuchroo
Mohamed
M
Oukka
D000818:Animals; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D055879:Gene Knock-In Techniques; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D020381:Interleukin-17; D053759:Interleukin-23; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins