Targeted deletion of Traf2 allows immunosuppression-free islet allograft survival in mice
- Author(s)
- Villanueva, JE; Walters, SN; Saito, M; Malle, EK; Zammit, NW; Watson, KA; Brink, R; La Gruta, NL; Alexander, SI; Grey, ST;
- Details
- Publication Year 2017-04,Volume 60,Issue #4,Page 679-689
- Journal Title
- Diabetologia
- Publication Type
- Journal Article
- Abstract
- AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Administration of anti-CD40 ligand (CD40L) antibodies has been reported to allow long-term islet allograft survival in non-human primates without the need for exogenous immunosuppression. However, the use of anti-CD40L antibodies was associated with thromboembolic complications. Targeting downstream intracellular components shared between CD40 and other TNF family co-stimulatory molecules could bypass these complications. TNF receptor associated factor 2 (TRAF2) integrates multiple TNF receptor family signalling pathways that are critical for T cell activation and may be a central node of alloimmune responses. METHODS: T cell-specific Traf2-deficient mice (Traf2TKO) were generated to define the role of TRAF2 in CD4+ T cell effector responses that mediate islet allograft rejection in vivo. In vitro allograft responses were tested using mixed lymphocyte reactions and analysis of IFN-gamma and granzyme B effector molecule expression. T cell function was assessed using anti-CD3/CD28-mediated proliferation and T cell polarisation studies. RESULTS: Traf2TKO mice exhibited permanent survival of full MHC-mismatched pancreatic islet allografts without exogenous immunosuppression. Traf2TKO CD4+ T cells exhibited reduced proliferation, activation and acquisition of effector function following T cell receptor stimulation; however, both Traf2TKO CD4+ and CD8+ T cells exhibited impaired alloantigen-mediated proliferation and acquisition of effector function. In polarisation studies, Traf2TKO CD4+ T cells preferentially converted to a T helper (Th)2 phenotype, but exhibited impaired Th17 differentiation. Without TRAF2, thymocytes exhibited dysregulated TNF-mediated induction of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and canonical NFkappaB pathways. Critically, targeting TRAF2 in T cells did not impair the acute phase of CD8-dependent viral immunity. These data highlight a specific requirement for a TRAF2-NFkappaB and TRAF2-JNK signalling cascade in T cell activation and effector function in rejecting islet allografts. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: Targeting TRAF2 may be useful as a therapeutic approach for immunosuppression-free islet allograft survival that avoids the thromboembolic complications associated with the use of anti-CD40L antibodies.
- Publisher
- Springer
- Research Division(s)
- Immunology
- PubMed ID
- 28062921
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-016-4198-7
- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 2017-09-18 11:59:43
Last Modified: 2017-09-19 03:29:02