Green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate modulates differentiation of naïve CD4⁺ T cells into specific lineage effector cells.
CD4(+) T helper (Th) subsets Th1, Th9, and Th17 cells are implicated in inducing autoimmunity whereas regulatory T cells (Treg) have a protective effect. We and others have previously shown that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) attenuates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and alters CD4(+) T cell subpopulations. In this study, we investigated how EGCG impacts differentiation of naïve CD4(+) T cells into different effector lineages and report that EGCG impeded Th1, Th9, and Th17 differentiation and prevented IL-6-induced suppression of Treg development. We further showed that EGCG inhibited T-bet, PU.1, and RORγt, the specific transcription factors for Th1, Th9, and Th17 differentiation, respectively. These effects, in turn, may be mediated by EGCG-induced downregulation of transducers p-STAT1 and p-STAT4 for Th1, and p-STAT3 for Th17. EGCG-induced change in Th17/Treg balance may be mediated by its inhibition of IL-6 signaling because EGCG inhibited soluble IL-6R, membrane gp130, and IL-6-induced phosphorylation of STAT3. This notion was further supported by the in vivo results showing inhibited IL-6 and soluble IL-6R but increased soluble gp130 levels in plasma from EAE mice fed EGCG. Together, our results suggest that EGCG modulates development of CD4(+) T cell lineages through impacting their respective and interactive regulatory networks ultimately leading to an attenuated autoimmune response.
Nutritional Immunology Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Junpeng
J
Wang
Munkyong
M
Pae
Simin Nikbin
SN
Meydani
Dayong
D
Wu
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000378:metabolism; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
D015850:Interleukin-6; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D013662:Tea; C528688:interleukin-23 receptor, mouse; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate