DOCK8 controls survival of group 3 innate lymphoid cells in the gut through Cdc42 activation

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a family of developmentally related leukocytes that rapidly secrete polarized sets of cytokines to combat infection and promote tissue repair at mucosal barriers. Among them, group 3 ILCs (ILC3s) play an important role in maintenance of the gut homeostasis by producing IL-22, and their development and function critically depend on the transcription factor ROR gamma t. Although recent evidence indicates that ROR gamma t(+) ILC3s are reduced in the gut in the absence of the Cdc42 activator DOCK8 (dedicator of cytokinesis 8), the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We found that genetic deletion of Dock8 in ROR gamma t(+)-lineage cells markedly reduced ILC3s in the lamina propria of the small intestine. By analyzing BrdU incorporation, it was revealed that DOCK8 deficiency did not affect the cell proliferation. Furthermore, when lineage marker-negative (Lin(-)) alpha 4 beta 7(+) CD127(+) ROR gamma t(-) fetal liver cells were cultured with OP9 stromal cells in the presence of stem cell factor (SCF) and IL-7 in vitro, ROR gamma t(+) ILC3s normally developed irrespective of DOCK8 expression. However, DOCK8-deficient ILC3s exhibited a severe defect in survival of ILC3s under the condition with or without IL-7. Similar defects were observed when we analyzed Dock8(VAGR) mice having mutations in the catalytic center of DOCK8, thereby failing to activate Cdc42. Thus, DOCK8 acts in cell-autonomous manner to control survival of ILC3s in the gut through Cdc42 activation.

Automated summary

Research has shown that deficiency of DOCK8 significantly reduces the number of ILC3s in the lamina propria of the small intestine, without affecting cell proliferation, but rather causing a defect in cell survival. DOCK8 acts in a cell-autonomous manner to control the survival of ILC3s in the gut through the activation of Cdc42.