PPAR-γ regulates the effector function of human T helper 9 cells by promoting glycolysis.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 37120582.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-023-38233-x and PMC identifier 10148883.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
T helper 9 (T<sub>H</sub>9) cells promote allergic tissue inflammation and express the type 2 cytokines, IL-9 and IL-13, as well as the transcription factor, PPAR-γ. However, the functional role of PPAR-γ in human T<sub>H</sub>9 cells remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that PPAR-γ drives activation-induced glycolysis, which, in turn, promotes the expression of IL-9, but not IL-13, in an mTORC1-dependent manner. In vitro and ex vivo experiments show that the PPAR-γ-mTORC1-IL-9 pathway is active in T<sub>H</sub>9 cells in human skin inflammation. Additionally, we find dynamic regulation of tissue glucose levels in acute allergic skin inflammation, suggesting that in situ glucose availability is linked to distinct immunological functions in vivo. Furthermore, paracrine IL-9 induces expression of the lactate transporter, MCT1, in T<sub>H</sub> cells and promotes their aerobic glycolysis and proliferative capacity. Altogether, our findings uncover a hitherto unknown relationship between PPAR-γ-dependent glucose metabolism and pathogenic effector functions in human T<sub>H</sub>9 cells.
Medical subject headings
- Interleukin-9
- PPAR gamma