NIP45 controls the magnitude of the type 2 T helper cell response.

Abstract

Nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) transcription factors are key regulators of gene transcription within immune cells. The NFAT-interacting protein, (NIP45), augments NFAT-driven IL-4 expression by a mechanism that relies on arginine methylation. To establish the function of NIP45 in vivo, we generated mice with a targeted deletion of the gene encoding this cofactor. NIP45-deficient T helper cells displayed profound defects in the expression of NFAT-regulated cytokine genes, including IL-4. Whereas NIP45 deficiency does not interfere with T helper cell NFAT activation or lineage-specific transcription-factor expression, NIP45 acts as an enhancer for the assembly of protein arginine methyltransferase 1 and the protein arginine methyltransferase 1-linked histone 4 arginine 3 methylation with the IL-4 promoter. Our study reveals an essential role for NIP45 in promoting robust cytokine expression in vivo, which is required for the efficient handling of parasites. We propose that NIP45 acts as a molecular rheostat serving to amplify the type-2 immune response.