Journal
IMMUNOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY
Volume 94, Issue 2, Pages 213-219Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1038/icb.2015.72
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Funding
- National Eye Institute [R01EY007088, R01EY009349]
- Mass Lions Eye Research fund
- New England Corneal Transplant Fund
- Research to Prevent Blindness
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Galectins (Gals) have emerged as potent immunoregulatory molecules that control chronic inflammation through distinct mechanisms. Gal-8, a tandem-repeat type Gal with unique preference for alpha 2,3-sialylated glycans, is ubiquitously expressed, but little is known about its role in T-cell differentiation. Here we report that Gal-8 promotes the polyclonal differentiation of primary mouse regulatory T (Treg) cells in vitro. We further show that Gal-8 also facilitates antigen-specific differentiation of Treg cells, and that Treg cells polarized in the presence of Gal-8 express cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 and interleukin (IL)-10 at a higher frequency than control Treg cells, and efficiently inhibit proliferation of activated T-cells in vitro. Investigation of the mechanism by which Gal-8 promotes Treg conversion revealed that Gal-8 activates transforming growth factor-beta signaling and promotes sustained IL-2R signaling. Taken together, these data suggest that Gal-8 promotes the differentiation of highly suppressive Treg cells, which has implications for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
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