title: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor deficiency in T cells suppresses the development of collagen-induced arthritis.
abstract: The contributions of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis have not been elucidated. Here, we show that Ahr deficiency ameliorated collagen-induced arthritis, a mouse model of RA. Collagen-immunized Ahr KO mice showed decreased serum levels of such proinflammatory cytokines as IL-1β and IL-6. The Th17 and Th1 cell populations in lymph nodes from these mice decreased and increased, respectively, whereas the percentage of regulatory T cells was unchanged. Interestingly, a lack of Ahr specifically in T cells significantly suppressed collagen-induced arthritis development, whereas Ahr deficiency in macrophages had no effect. These finding indicate that the development of experimental autoimmune arthritis depends on the presence of Ahr in T cells, and that Th1/Th17 balance may be particularly important for this process.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immune Regulation, Osaka University World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakahama
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Nam Trung
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Ichino
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chinen
authors.forename: Hamza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hanieh
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nohara
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujii-Kuriyama
authors.forename: Tadamitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D019426:Integrases / Q000378:metabolism; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) / Q000378:metabolism; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck); C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3