Cutting Edge: Alternative Signaling of Th17 Cell Development by Sphingosine 1-Phosphate

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) in blood and lymph controls T cell traffic and proliferation through type 1 S1P receptor (S1P(1)) signals, but suppression of IFN-gamma generation has been the only consistently observed effect on T cell cytokines. The fact that S1P enhances the development of Th17 cells from Ag-challenged transgenic S1P(1)-overexpressing CD4 T cells suggested that the S1P-S1P(1) axis may promote the expansion of Th17 cells in wild-type mice. In a model of Th17 cell development from CD4 T cells stimulated by anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 Abs and a mixture of TGF-beta1, IL-1, and IL-6, S1P enhanced their number and IL-17-generating activity the same as IL-23. As for IL-23 enhancement of Th17 cell development, that by S1P was prevented by IL-4 plus IFN-gamma and by IL-27. The prevention of S1P augmentation of Th17 cell development by the S1P receptor agonist and down-regulator FTY720 implies that FTY720 immunosuppression is attributable partially to inhibition of Th17-mediated inflammation.