Toll-like receptor 2 induced cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 regulates Aspergillus-induced regulatory T-cells with pro-inflammatory characteristics

Sci Rep. 2017 Sep 13;7(1):11500. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-11738-4.

Abstract

Patients with cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, severe asthma, pre-existing pulmonary lesions, and severely immunocompromised patients are susceptible to develop infections with the opportunistic pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, called aspergillosis. Infections in these patients are associated with persistent pro-inflammatory T-helper (TH)2 and TH17 responses. Regulatory T-cells, natural suppressor cells of the immune system, control pro-inflammatory T-cell responses, but can also contribute to disease by shifting to a pro-inflammatory TH17-like phenotype. Such a shift could play an important role in the detrimental immunopathology that is seen in aspergillosis. Our study demonstrates that Aspergillus fumigatus induces regulatory T-cells with a TH17-like phenotype. We also demonstrate that these regulatory T-cells with a pro-inflammatory TH17-like phenotype can be reprogrammed to their "classical" anti-inflammatory phenotype by activating Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), which regulates the induction of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4). Similarly, soluble CTLA4 could reverse the pro-inflammatory phenotype of Aspergillus-induced regulatory T-cells. In conclusion, our results suggest a role for regulatory T-cells with a pro-inflammatory TH17-like phenotype in Aspergillus-associated immunopathology, and identifies key players, i.e. TLR2 and CTLA4, involved in this mechanism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aspergillosis / immunology*
  • Aspergillosis / metabolism*
  • Aspergillosis / microbiology
  • Aspergillus / immunology*
  • Aspergillus fumigatus / immunology
  • CTLA-4 Antigen / metabolism*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Ligands
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Phenotype
  • Receptors, Pattern Recognition / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Pattern Recognition / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism*
  • Th17 Cells / immunology
  • Th17 Cells / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2 / metabolism*

Substances

  • CTLA-4 Antigen
  • CTLA4 protein, human
  • Cytokines
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Ligands
  • Receptors, Pattern Recognition
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2