IL-21 Receptor Is Required for the Systemic Accumulation of Activated B and T Lymphocytes in MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr/J Mice

MRL/MpJ-Fas(lpr/lpr) (MRLlpr) mice develop lupus-like disease manifestations in an IL-21-dependent manner. IL-21 is a pleiotropic cytokine that can influence the activation, differentiation, and expansion of B and T cell effector subsets. Notably, autoreactive CD4(+) T and B cells spontaneously accumulate in MRLlpr mice and mediate disease pathogenesis. We sought to identify the particular lymphocyte effector subsets regulated by IL-21 in the context of systemic autoimmunity and, thus, generated MRLlpr mice deficient in IL-21R (MRLlpr.IL-21R(-/-)). Lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly, which are characteristic traits of the MRLlpr model were significantly reduced in the absence of IL-21R, suggesting that immune activation was likewise decreased. Indeed, spontaneous germinal center formation and plasma cell accumulation were absent in IL-21R-deficient MRLlpr mice. Correspondingly, we observed a significant reduction in autoantibody titers. Activated CD4(+) CD44(+) CD62L(lo) T cells also failed to accumulate, and CD4(+) Th cell differentiation was impaired, as evidenced by a significant reduction in CD4(+) T cells that produced the pronephritogenic cytokine IFN-gamma. T extrafollicular helper cells are a recently described subset of activated CD4(+) T cells that function as the primary inducers of autoantibody production in MRLlpr mice. Importantly, we demonstrated that T extrafollicular helper cells are dependent on IL-21R for their generation. Together, our data highlighted the novel observation that IL-21 is a critical regulator of multiple pathogenic B and T cell effector subsets in MRLlpr mice. The Journal of Immunology, 2012, 188: 1656-1667.