Notch3 and canonical NF-kappaB signaling pathways cooperatively regulate Foxp3 transcription

J Immunol. 2011 Jun 1;186(11):6199-206. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1002136. Epub 2011 Apr 20.

Abstract

Notch3 overexpression has been previously shown to positively regulate the generation and function of naturally occurring regulatory T cells and the expression of Foxp3, in cooperation with the pTα/pre-TCR pathway. In this study, we show that Notch3 triggers the trans activation of Foxp3 promoter depending on the T cell developmental stage. Moreover, we discovered a novel CSL/NF-κB overlapping binding site within the Foxp3 promoter, and we demonstrate that the activation of NF-κB, mainly represented by p65-dependent canonical pathway, plays a positive role in Notch3-dependent regulation of Foxp3 transcription. Accordingly, the deletion of protein kinase C, which mediates canonical NF-κB activation, markedly reduces regulatory T cell number and per cell Foxp3 expression in transgenic mice with a constitutive activation of Notch3 signaling. Collectively, our data indicate that the cooperation among Notch3, protein kinase C, and p65/NF-κB subunit modulates Foxp3 expression, adding new insights in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in regulatory T cell homeostasis and function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Immunoblotting
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Kinase C / genetics
  • Protein Kinase C / metabolism
  • Protein Kinase C-theta
  • Receptor, Notch3
  • Receptors, Notch / genetics
  • Receptors, Notch / metabolism*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism
  • Thymus Gland / cytology
  • Thymus Gland / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Transcription Factor RelA / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transcriptional Activation

Substances

  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse
  • Isoenzymes
  • NF-kappa B
  • Notch3 protein, mouse
  • Receptor, Notch3
  • Receptors, Notch
  • Transcription Factor RelA
  • Prkcq protein, mouse
  • Protein Kinase C
  • Protein Kinase C-theta