title: MicroRNA-181a/b-1 Is Not Required for Innate γδ NKT Effector Cell Development.
abstract: Thymic development of αβ T lymphocytes into invariant natural killer (NK) T cells depends on their selection via agonistic lipid antigen presented by CD1d. If successful, newly selected NKT cells gain effector functions already in the thymus. Some γδ T cell subsets also acquire effector functions in the thymus. However, it is not clear whether agonistic TCR stimulation is involved in thymic γδ T cell selection and development. Here we combine two genetic models to address this question. MiR-181a/b-1-/-mice, which show impaired agonistic T cell selection of invariant αβ NKT cells, were crossed to Tcrd-H2BeGFP reporter mice to monitor selection, intra-thymic expansion and differentiation of γδ T cells. We found that miR-181a/b-1-deficiency had no effect on numbers of thymic γδ T cell or on their differentiation towards an IL-17- or IFN-γ-producing effector phenotype. Also, the composition of peripheral lymph node γδ T cells was not affected by miR-181a/b-1-deficiency. Dendritic epidermal γδ T cells were normally present in knock-out animals. However, we observed elevated frequencies and numbers of γδ NKT cells in the liver, possibly because γδ NKT cells can expand and replace missing αβ NKT cells in peripheral niches. In summary, we investigated the role of miR-181a/b-1 for selection, intrathymic development and homeostasis of γδ T cells. We conclude that miR-181a/b-1-dependent modulation of T cell selection is not critically required for innate development of γδ NKT cells or of any other γδ T cell subtypes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sandrock
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ziętara
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Łyszkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oberdörfer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Witzlau
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Immo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Prinz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055610:Antigens, CD1d / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D060966:Clonal Selection, Antigen-Mediated / Q000235:genetics; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000378:metabolism*; D037182:T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D055610:Antigens, CD1d; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; C529100:mirn181 microRNA, mouse