RGS16 attenuates pulmonary Th2/Th17 inflammatory responses

J Immunol. 2012 Jun 15;188(12):6347-56. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1103781. Epub 2012 May 16.

Abstract

The regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) protein superfamily negatively controls G protein-coupled receptor signal transduction pathways. RGS16 is enriched in activated/effector T lymphocytes. In this paper, we show that RGS16 constrains pulmonary inflammation by regulating chemokine-induced T cell trafficking in response to challenge with Schistosoma mansoni. Naive Rgs16(-/-) mice were "primed" for inflammation by accumulation of CCR10(+) T cells in the lung. Upon pathogen exposure, these mice developed more robust granulomatous lung fibrosis than wild-type counterparts. Distinct Th2 or putative Th17 subsets expressing CCR4 or CCR10 accumulated more rapidly in Rgs16(-/-) lungs following challenge and produced proinflammatory cytokines IL-13 and IL-17B. CCR4(+)Rgs16(-/-) Th2 cells migrated excessively to CCL17 and localized aberrantly in challenged lungs. T lymphocytes were partially excluded from lung granulomas in Rgs16(-/-) mice, instead forming peribronchial/perivascular aggregates. Thus, RGS16-mediated confinement of T cells to Schistosome granulomas mitigates widespread cytokine-mediated pulmonary inflammation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / immunology
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Pneumonia / immunology*
  • Pneumonia / metabolism
  • Pneumonia / microbiology
  • RGS Proteins / immunology*
  • RGS Proteins / metabolism
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni / immunology*
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni / metabolism
  • Th17 Cells / immunology*
  • Th17 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • RGS Proteins
  • RGS16 protein