The innate immune sensor NLRC3 acts as a rheostat that fine-tunes T cell responses in infection and autoimmunity

T Uchimura, Y Oyama, M Deng, H Guo, JE Wilson… - Immunity, 2018 - cell.com
T Uchimura, Y Oyama, M Deng, H Guo, JE Wilson, E Rampanelli, KD Cook, I Misumi, X Tan
Immunity, 2018cell.com
Appropriate immune responses require a fine balance between immune activation and
attenuation. NLRC3, a non-inflammasome-forming member of the NLR innate immune
receptor family, attenuates inflammation in myeloid cells and proliferation in epithelial cells.
T lymphocytes express the highest amounts of Nlrc3 transcript where its physiologic
relevance is unknown. We show that NLRC3 attenuated interferon-γ and TNF expression by
CD4+ T cells and reduced T helper 1 (Th1) and Th17 cell proliferation. Nlrc3−/− mice …
Summary
Appropriate immune responses require a fine balance between immune activation and attenuation. NLRC3, a non-inflammasome-forming member of the NLR innate immune receptor family, attenuates inflammation in myeloid cells and proliferation in epithelial cells. T lymphocytes express the highest amounts of Nlrc3 transcript where its physiologic relevance is unknown. We show that NLRC3 attenuated interferon-γ and TNF expression by CD4+ T cells and reduced T helper 1 (Th1) and Th17 cell proliferation. Nlrc3−/− mice exhibited increased and prolonged CD4+ T cell responses to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection and worsened experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). These functions of NLRC3 were executed in a T-cell-intrinsic fashion: NLRC3 reduced K63-linked ubiquitination of TNF-receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) to limit NF-κB activation, lowered phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), and diminished glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. This study reveals an unappreciated role for NLRC3 in attenuating CD4+ T cell signaling and metabolism.
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