Attenuation of acute graft-versus-host disease in the absence of the transcription factor RORγt.
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains the most significant complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Previously, acute GVHD had been considered to be mediated predominantly by Th1-polarized T cells. Recently, investigators have identified a second proinflammatory lineage of T cells termed Th17 that is critically dependent on the transcription factor retinoic acid-related orphan receptor (ROR)γt. In this study, we have evaluated the role of Th17 cells in murine acute GVHD by infusing donor T cells lacking RORC and as a consequence the isoform RORγt. Recipients given donor CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells lacking RORC had significantly attenuated acute GVHD and markedly decreased tissue pathology in the colon, liver, and lung. Using a clinically relevant haploidentical murine transplantation model, we showed that RORC(-/-) CD4(+) T cells alone diminished the severity and lethality of acute GVHD. This was not found when CD4(+) T cells from RORC(-/-) mice were given to completely mismatched BALB/c mice, and it was correlated with absolute differences in the generation of TNF in the colon after transplant. Thus, CD4(+) T cell expression of RORC is important in the pathogenesis of acute GVHD.
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
LeShara M
LM
Fulton
Michael J
MJ
Carlson
James M
JM
Coghill
Laura E
LE
Ott
Michelle L
ML
West
Angela
A
Panoskaltsis-Mortari
Dan R
DR
Littman
Bruce R
BR
Blazar
Jonathan S
JS
Serody
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3