Interleukins 1beta and 6 but not transforming growth factor-beta are essential for the differentiation of interleukin 17-producing human T helper cells

Nat Immunol. 2007 Sep;8(9):942-9. doi: 10.1038/ni1496. Epub 2007 Aug 5.

Abstract

Interleukin 17 (IL-17)-producing CD4(+) helper T cells (T(H)-17 cells) have been linked to host defense and autoimmune diseases. In mice, the differentiation of T(H)-17 cells requires transforming growth factor-beta and IL-6 and the transcription factor RORgammat. We report here that for human naive CD4(+) T cells, RORgammat expression and T(H)-17 polarization were induced by IL-1beta and enhanced by IL-6 but were suppressed by transforming growth factor-beta and IL-12. Monocytes and conventional dendritic cells, but not monocyte-derived dendritic cells activated by microbial stimuli, efficiently induced T(H)-17 priming, and this function correlated with antigen-presenting cell production of IL-1beta and IL-6 but not IL-12. Our results identify cytokines, antigen-presenting cells and microbial products that promote the polarization of human T(H)-17 cells and emphasize an important difference in the requirements for the differentiation of T(H)-17 cells in humans and mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology*
  • Cell Lineage / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-12 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-17 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid / metabolism
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / cytology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / cytology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin-17
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Interleukin-6
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3
  • RORC protein, human
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone
  • Rorc protein, mouse
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Interleukin-12