[HTML][HTML] iNKT cells require TSC1 for terminal maturation and effector lineage fate decisions

J Wu, J Yang, K Yang, H Wang… - The Journal of …, 2014 - Am Soc Clin Investig
J Wu, J Yang, K Yang, H Wang, B Gorentla, J Shin, Y Qiu, LG Que, WM Foster, Z Xia, H Chi…
The Journal of clinical investigation, 2014Am Soc Clin Investig
Terminal maturation of invariant NKT (iNKT) cells from stage 2 (CD44+ NK1. 1–) to stage 3
(CD44+ NK1. 1+) is accompanied by a functional acquisition of a predominant IFN-γ–
producing (iNKT-1) phenotype; however, some cells develop into IL-17–producing iNKT
(iNKT-17) cells. iNKT-17 cells are rare and restricted to a CD44+ NK1. 1–lineage. It is
unclear how iNKT terminal maturation is regulated and what factors mediate the
predominance of iNKT-1 compared with iNKT-17. The tumor suppressor tuberous sclerosis …
Terminal maturation of invariant NKT (iNKT) cells from stage 2 (CD44+NK1.1) to stage 3 (CD44+NK1.1+) is accompanied by a functional acquisition of a predominant IFN-γ–producing (iNKT-1) phenotype; however, some cells develop into IL-17–producing iNKT (iNKT-17) cells. iNKT-17 cells are rare and restricted to a CD44+NK1.1 lineage. It is unclear how iNKT terminal maturation is regulated and what factors mediate the predominance of iNKT-1 compared with iNKT-17. The tumor suppressor tuberous sclerosis 1 (TSC1) is an important negative regulator of mTOR signaling, which regulates T cell differentiation, function, and trafficking. Here, we determined that mice lacking TSC1 exhibit a developmental block of iNKT differentiation at stage 2 and skew from a predominantly iNKT-1 population toward a predominantly iNKT-17 population, leading to enhanced airway hypersensitivity. Evaluation of purified iNKT cells revealed that TSC1 promotes T-bet, which regulates iNKT maturation, but downregulates ICOS expression in iNKT cells by inhibiting mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1). Furthermore, mice lacking T-bet exhibited both a terminal maturation defect of iNKT cells and a predominance of iNKT-17 cells, and increased ICOS expression was required for the predominance of iNKT-17 cells in the population of TSC1-deficient iNKT cells. Our data indicate that TSC1-dependent control of mTORC1 is crucial for terminal iNKT maturation and effector lineage decisions, resulting in the predominance of iNKT-1 cells.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation