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Galectin‐8 promotes regulatory T‐cell differentiation by modulating IL‐2 and TGFβ signaling
Author(s) -
Sampson James F,
Suryawanshi Amol,
Chen WeiSheng,
Rabinovich Gabriel A,
Panjwani Noorjahan
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1038/icb.2015.72
Subject(s) - galectin , microbiology and biotechnology , cellular differentiation , biology , cytotoxic t cell , transforming growth factor , immunology , in vitro , chemistry , gene , biochemistry
Galectins (Gals) have emerged as potent immunoregulatory molecules that control chronic inflammation through distinct mechanisms. Gal‐8, a tandem‐repeat type Gal with unique preference for α2,3‐sialylated glycans, is ubiquitously expressed, but little is known about its role in T‐cell differentiation. Here we report that Gal‐8 promotes the polyclonal differentiation of primary mouse regulatory T (Treg) cells in vitro . We further show that Gal‐8 also facilitates antigen‐specific differentiation of Treg cells, and that Treg cells polarized in the presence of Gal‐8 express cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte antigen‐4 and interleukin (IL)‐10 at a higher frequency than control Treg cells, and efficiently inhibit proliferation of activated T‐cells in vitro . Investigation of the mechanism by which Gal‐8 promotes Treg conversion revealed that Gal‐8 activates transforming growth factor‐β signaling and promotes sustained IL‐2R signaling. Taken together, these data suggest that Gal‐8 promotes the differentiation of highly suppressive Treg cells, which has implications for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.