Differential glycosylation of TH1, TH2 and TH-17 effector cells selectively regulates susceptibility to cell death

Nat Immunol. 2007 Aug;8(8):825-34. doi: 10.1038/ni1482. Epub 2007 Jun 24.

Abstract

Regulated glycosylation controls T cell processes, including activation, differentiation and homing by creating or masking ligands for endogenous lectins. Here we show that stimuli promoting T helper type 1 (TH1), TH2 or interleukin 17-producing T helper (TH-17) differentiation can differentially regulate the glycosylation pattern of T helper cells and modulate their susceptibility to galectin-1, a glycan-binding protein with anti-inflammatory activity. Although TH1- and TH-17-differentiated cells expressed the repertoire of cell surface glycans critical for galectin-1-induced cell death, TH2 cells were protected from galectin-1 through differential sialylation of cell surface glycoproteins. Consistent with those findings, galectin-1-deficient mice developed greater TH1 and TH-17 responses and enhanced susceptibility to autoimmune neuroinflammation. Our findings identify a molecular link among differential glycosylation of T helper cells, susceptibility to cell death and termination of the inflammatory response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / immunology*
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / metabolism
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Galectin 1 / genetics
  • Galectin 1 / immunology*
  • Galectin 1 / metabolism
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Inflammation / immunology*
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Polysaccharides / immunology
  • Polysaccharides / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / cytology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / pathology
  • Th1 Cells / cytology
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / pathology
  • Th2 Cells / cytology
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / pathology

Substances

  • Galectin 1
  • Interleukin-17
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Polysaccharides