Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
The Center for Molecular Biology and Medicine, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System and The Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
Mucosal Immunol. 2021 Jul;14(4):852-861. doi: 10.1038/s41385-021-00390-x. Epub 2021 Mar 5.
GPR15 is a chemoattractant receptor that facilitates colon homing of regulatory and effector CD4 T cells in health and colitis. The molecular mechanisms that control GPR15 expression are not fully known. Here we report the presence of two highly conserved aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) binding sequences in a 3' enhancer of GPR15, leading us to investigate AHR function in regulating GPR15 expression. Using luciferase reporter assays, we show that AHR activation increased GPR15 expression and requires both the AHR binding sites. Consistent with a transcriptional regulatory role, treatment with AHR agonists induce GPR15 expression on human CD4 T cells. Using AHR-deficient mice, we demonstrate that the lack of AHR signaling drastically reduces GPR15 expression on effector/memory and Foxp3 CD4 T cells. In mixed bone marrow chimeras of AHR-deficient and wildtype cells, GPR15 expression was similarly diminished on AHR-deficient CD4 effector/memory and regulatory T cells in the colon and small intestine. Furthermore, administration of AHR agonists upregulated GPR15 expression on CD4 effector/memory T cells and increased their homing capability, especially to the colon. Collectively, our studies reveal a novel function of the AHR in regulation of GPR15 expression and increased colon trafficking of CD4 T cells expressing GPR15.
GPR15 是一种趋化因子受体,它有助于调节性和效应性 CD4 T 细胞在健康和结肠炎中的结肠归巢。控制 GPR15 表达的分子机制尚不完全清楚。在这里,我们报告在 GPR15 的 3'增强子中存在两个高度保守的芳烃受体(AHR)结合序列,这导致我们研究 AHR 功能在调节 GPR15 表达中的作用。使用荧光素酶报告基因检测,我们表明 AHR 激活增加了 GPR15 的表达,并且需要两个 AHR 结合位点。与转录调节作用一致,用 AHR 激动剂处理会诱导人 CD4 T 细胞表达 GPR15。使用 AHR 缺陷型小鼠,我们证明缺乏 AHR 信号会大大降低效应器/记忆和 Foxp3 CD4 T 细胞上的 GPR15 表达。在 AHR 缺陷型和野生型细胞的混合骨髓嵌合体中,AHR 缺陷型 CD4 效应器/记忆和调节性 T 细胞在结肠和小肠中的 GPR15 表达也同样减少。此外,AHR 激动剂的给药上调了 CD4 效应器/记忆 T 细胞上的 GPR15 表达,并增加了它们的归巢能力,尤其是结肠。总之,我们的研究揭示了 AHR 在调节 GPR15 表达和增加表达 GPR15 的 CD4 T 细胞向结肠归巢中的新功能。
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