Article abstract
Nature Immunology 9, 1341 - 1346 (2008)
Published online: 19 October 2008 | doi:10.1038/ni.1659
Transforming growth factor-
'reprograms' the differentiation of T helper 2 cells and promotes an interleukin 9–producing subset
Marc Veldhoen1, Catherine Uyttenhove2, Jacques van Snick2, Helena Helmby3, Astrid Westendorf4, Jan Buer4, Bruno Martin1, Christoph Wilhelm1 & Brigitta Stockinger1
Abstract
Since the discovery of T helper type 1 and type 2 effector T cell subsets 20 years ago, inducible regulatory T cells and interleukin 17 (IL-17)-producing T helper cells have been added to the 'portfolio' of helper T cells. It is unclear how many more effector T cell subsets there may be and to what degree their characteristics are fixed or flexible. Here we show that transforming growth factor-
, a cytokine at the center of the differentiation of IL-17-producing T helper cells and inducible regulatory T cells, 'reprograms' T helper type 2 cells to lose their characteristic profile and switch to IL-9 secretion or, in combination with IL-4, drives the differentiation of 'TH-9' cells directly. Thus, transforming growth factor- constitutes a regulatory 'switch' that in combination with other cytokines can 'reprogram' effector T cell differentiation along different pathways.
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Medical Research Council National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, UK.
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels Branch, Cellular Genetics Unit and Experimental Medicine Unit, Christian de Duve Institute of Cellular Pathology, Université de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, D-45122 Essen, Germany.
Correspondence to: Brigitta Stockinger1 e-mail: bstocki@nimr.mrc.ac.uk
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Differentiation of human T H -17 cells does require TGF-β!Nature Immunology News and Views (01 Jun 2008)
Alternative lifestyles of T cellsNature Immunology News and Views (01 Dec 2008)
See all 6 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Memory and flexibility of cytokine gene expression as separable properties of human T H 1 and T H 2 lymphocytesNature Immunology Article (01 Jan 2003)
IL-4 inhibits TGF-β-induced Foxp3 + T cells and, together with TGF-β, generates IL-9 + IL-10 + Foxp3 − effector T cellsNature Immunology Article (01 Dec 2008)
See all 44 matches for Research
