title: Assessment of costimulation and coinhibition in a triple parameter T cell reporter line: Simultaneous measurement of NF-κB, NFAT and AP-1.
abstract: Engagement of the T cell receptor complex reprograms T cells for proliferation, cytokine production and differentiation towards effector cells. This process depends on activating costimulatory signals and is counteracted by coinhibitory molecules. Three transcription factors, namely NF-κB, NFAT and AP-1, have a major role in inducing the transcriptional program that is required for T cell activation and differentiation. Here we describe the generation of a triple parameter reporter based on the human Jurkat T cell line, where response elements for NF-κB, NFAT and AP-1 drive the expression of the fluorescent proteins CFP, eGFP and mCherry, respectively. The emission spectra of these proteins allow simultaneous assessment of NF-κB, NFAT and AP-1 activity in response to stimulation. Ligation of the TCR complex induced moderate reporter activity, which was strongly enhanced upon coengagement of the costimulatory receptors CD2 or CD28. Moreover, we have generated and tested triple parameter reporter cells that harbor costimulatory and inhibitory receptors not endogenously expressed in the Jurkat cells. In these experiments we could show that engagement of the costimulatory molecule 4-1BB enhances NF-κB and AP-1 activity, whereas coinhibition via PD-1 or BTLA strongly reduced the activation of NF-κB and NFAT. Engagement of BTLA significantly inhibited AP-1, whereas PD-1 had little effect on the activation of this transcription factor. Our triple parameter reporter T cell line is an excellent tool to assess the effect of costimulatory and coinhibitory receptors on NF-κB, NFAT and AP-1 activity and has a wide range of applications beyond the evaluation of costimulatory pathways.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jutz
authors.affiliation: Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leitner
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmetterer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Iago
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Doel-Perez
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Majdic
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grabmeier-Pfistershammer
authors.affiliation: Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Paster
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Johannes B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Huppa
authors.affiliation: Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: peter.steinberger@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steinberger
mesh_terms: D018801:CD2 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
chemical_list: D018801:CD2 Antigens; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
keywords: AP-1; Costimulation; NF-κB; NFAT; Reporter-assay; T-cell activation