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    Nat Immunol. 2011 Jun;12(6):560-7. Epub 2011 Apr 24.

    RORγt drives production of the cytokine GM-CSF in helper T cells, which is essential for the effector phase of autoimmune neuroinflammation.

    Source

    Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

    Abstract

    Although the role of the T(H)1 and T(H)17 subsets of helper T cells as disease mediators in autoimmune neuroinflammation remains a subject of some debate, none of their signature cytokines are essential for disease development. Here we report that interleukin 23 (IL-23) and the transcription factor RORγt drove expression of the cytokine GM-CSF in helper T cells, whereas IL-12, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and IL-27 acted as negative regulators. Autoreactive helper T cells specifically lacking GM-CSF failed to initiate neuroinflammation despite expression of IL-17A or IFN-γ, whereas GM-CSF secretion by Ifng(-/-)Il17a(-/-) helper T cells was sufficient to induce experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). During the disease effector phase, GM-CSF sustained neuroinflammation via myeloid cells that infiltrated the central nervous system. Thus, in contrast to all other known helper T cell-derived cytokines, GM-CSF serves a nonredundant function in the initiation of autoimmune inflammation regardless of helper T cell polarization.

    PMID:
    21516112
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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