Signal transducer and activation of transcription 6 (STAT6) regulates T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th17 nephritogenic immunity in experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis

• Published in: Clinical and experimental immunology Vol. 166; no. 2; pp. 227 - 234
• Main Authors: Summers, S. A., Phoon, R. K. S., Odobasic, D., Dewage, L., Kitching, A. R., Holdsworth, S. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2011; Blackwell; Oxford University Press; Blackwell Science Inc
• Subjects: Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Animals; Basement membranes; Biological and medical sciences; Cytokines - immunology; Cytokines - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Globulins; Glomerulonephritis; Glomerulonephritis - chemically induced; Glomerulonephritis - immunology; Helper cells; Immune response; Immune system; Injuries; Interleukin 10; Interleukin 5; Kidney; Kidney - immunology; Kidney - pathology; Lymphocytes T; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Nephropathies. Renovascular diseases. Renal failure; Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 - metabolism; renal immunology/disease; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; Rodents; Stat6 protein; STAT6 Transcription Factor - biosynthesis; STAT6 Transcription Factor - metabolism; T cells; T-Box Domain Proteins - metabolism; Th1 Cells - immunology; Th17 Cells - immunology; Transcription factors; Translational Studies; Glomerulonephritis; Kidney disease; Urinary system disease; Transcription; Th1 lymphocyte; renal immunology/disease; Activation; Biochemistry; Experimental study; T cells; Immunity; Signal transduction; Regulation(control); Immunology; Transcription factor STAT6; T-Lymphocyte; Th17 lymphocyte
• ISSN: 0009-9104; 1365-2249
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2011.04437.x

Summary Experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis is driven by systemic cellular immune responses. A pathogenic role for T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells is well established. T‐bet, a key transcription factor required for Th1 lineage commitment, and retinoic acid‐related orphan receptor‐γt (Rorγt), a key Th17 transcription factor, are required for full expression of disease. Similarly, several Th1‐ and Th17‐associated cytokines have been implicated in disease augmentation. The role of Th2 cells in the disease is less clear, although Th2‐associated cytokines, interleukin (IL)‐4 and IL‐10, are protective. We sought to determine the role of signal transducer and activation of transcription 6 (STAT6), a key regulator of Th2 responses, in experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis. Compared to wild‐type mice, histological and functional renal injury was enhanced significantly in STAT6–/– mice 21 days after administration of sheep anti‐mouse glomerular basement membrane globulin. Consistent with the enhanced renal injury, both Th1 and Th17 nephritogenic immune responses were increased in STAT6–/– mice. Conversely, production of IL‐5, a key Th2‐associated cytokine, was decreased significantly in STAT6–/– mice. Early in the disease process systemic mRNA expression of T‐bet and Rorγ was increased in STAT6–/– mice. We conclude that STAT6 is required for attenuation of Th1 and Th17 nephritogenic immune responses and protection from crescentic glomerulonephritis.