title: TGF-beta promotes Th17 cell development through inhibition of SOCS3.
abstract: TGF-beta, together with IL-6 and IL-21, promotes Th17 cell development. IL-6 and IL-21 induce activation of STAT3, which is crucial for Th17 cell differentiation, as well as the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)3, a major negative feedback regulator of STAT3-activating cytokines that negatively regulates Th17 cells. However, it is still largely unclear how TGF-beta regulates Th17 cell development and which TGF-beta signaling pathway is involved in Th17 cell development. In this report, we demonstrate that TGF-beta inhibits IL-6- and IL-21-induced SOCS3 expression, thus enhancing as well as prolonging STAT3 activation in naive CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells. TGF-beta inhibits IL-6-induced SOCS3 promoter activity in T cells. Also, SOCS3 small interfering RNA knockdown partially compensates for the action of TGF-beta on Th17 cell development. In mice with a dominant-negative form of TGF-beta receptor II and impaired TGF-beta signaling, IL-6-induced CD4(+) T cell expression of SOCS3 is higher whereas STAT3 activation is lower compared with wild-type B6 CD4(+) T cells. The addition of a TGF-beta receptor I kinase inhibitor that blocks Smad-dependent TGF-beta signaling greatly, but not completely, abrogates the effect of TGF-beta on Th17 cell differentiation. Our data indicate that inhibition of SOCS3 and, thus, enhancement of STAT3 activation is at least one of the mechanisms of TGF-beta promotion of Th17 cell development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294, USA. hqin@uab.edu
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Lanfang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Charles O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Elson
authors.forename: Sandrine A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Niyongere
authors.forename: Sun Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Stephanie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Casey T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roarty
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Etty N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Benveniste
authors.forename: Yingzi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000071223:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein; D050826:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000098546:Interleukin-21; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D000071223:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein; D050826:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000098546:Interleukin-21; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors; C491411:Socs3 protein, mouse; C494087:Stat3 protein, mouse