Aryl hydrocarbon receptor controls regulatory CD4+ T cell function

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Reference

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor controls regulatory CD4+ T cell function

POT, Caroline

Abstract

The ligand activated transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) has been studied for many decades in toxicology as the ligand for the environmental contaminant dioxin. However, AhR has recently emerged as a critical physiological regulator of immune responses affecting both innate and adaptive systems, and several AhR ligands with different pharmacological profiles have recently been studied. The current review discusses new insights into the role of AhR signalling and AhR ligands on the regulation of the immune system, with a focus on regulatory T cells which maintain immune tolerance. Notably, AhR is expressed and modulates the development of two induced regulatory CD4+ T cell subsets, the forkhead box P3-positive (Foxp3+) regulatory T cells (iTreg) and the IL-10-secreting type 1 regulatory T (T(R)1) cells, through different signalling pathways. We will finally discuss how AhR ligands could be exploited to alleviate human autoimmune diseases. Clearly, drugs targeted against AhR should promote the development of new strategies to fight against autoimmune diseases.

POT, Caroline. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor controls regulatory CD4+ T cell function. Swiss Medical Weekly , 2012, vol. 142, p. w13592

DOI : 10.4414/smw.2012.13592 PMID : 22653785

Available at:

http://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:31267

Disclaimer: layout of this document may differ from the published version.

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Review article: Medical intelligence| Published 31 May 2012, doi:10.4414/smw.2012.13592 Cite this as:Swiss Med Wkly. 2012;142:w13592

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor controls regulatory CD4 ⁺ T cell function

Caroline Pot

Summary

Key words:regulatory type 1 T cells; Foxp3⁺regulatory T cells; aryl hydrocarbon receptor; aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands

Introduction

AhR ligands modulate immune response

p

In vivo

AhR and regulatory T cells in vivo

Table 1:

nTregs iTregs T_R1 T_H3

in vivo

ex vivo

in vivo in vitro

AhR and Foxp3⁺Tregs

in vivo

in vitro in vivo

Table 2:

AhR Ligands Structure Origin

Exogeneous ligands Environmental pollutants

p

Dietary

Endogenous

Review article: Medical intelligence

Figure 1

Foxp3

Foxp3

Figure 2

il21 il10

Gzmb

in vitro

Foxp3

Foxp3

Il17

Ido

In vivo

in vitro

foxp3

AhR and T_R1 cells

AhR and IL-22 Review article: Medical intelligence

Concluding remarks

in vivo

Acknowledgment

Funding / potential competing interests:

Correspondence:Caroline Pot, MD, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Neurology, Geneva University Hospital, Rue Gabriel Perret Gentil 4, CH 1211-Geneva 14, Switzerland,caroline.pot[at]unige.ch

References

Review article: Medical intelligence

Figures (large format)

Figure 1

Foxp3 Foxp3 Review article: Medical intelligence

Figure 2

il21 il10

Gzmb