To determine site and mechanism of suppression, regulatory T cell (Treg) migration and function were investigated in an islet allograft model. Treg first migrated from blood to the inflammed allografts, this depended on CCR2, CCR4, CCR5, and P- and E-selectin ligands, and was essential for suppression of alloimmunity. In the allograft, Treg were activated, upregulated effector molecules, migrated to the draining lymph nodes (dLN) in a CCR2, CCR5, and CCR7 fashion, and this movement was essential for optimal suppression. Treg inhibited dendritic cell migration in a TGFβ and IL-10 dependent fashion; and suppressed antigen specific T effector cell migration, accumulation, and proliferation in dLNs and allografts. These results showed that sequential migration from blood to the target tissue and then to dLNs were required for nTreg to differentiate and execute fully their suppressive function, by inhibiting DC in the peripheral tissue, and T effector cell responses in dLN and allografts.

It is well recognized that ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) serves as a satiety center in the brain. However, the feeding circuit for the VMH regulation of food intake remains to be defined. Here, we combine fiber photometry, chemo/optogenetics, virus-assisted retrograde tracing, ChR2-assisted circuit mapping and behavioral assays to show that selective activation of VMH neurons expressing steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1) rapidly inhibits food intake, VMH SF1 neurons project dense fibers to the paraventricular thalamus (PVT), selective chemo/optogenetic stimulation of the PVT-projecting SF1 neurons or their projections to the PVT inhibits food intake, and chemical genetic inactivation of PVT neurons diminishes SF1 neural inhibition of feeding. We also find that activation of SF1 neurons or their projections to the PVT elicits a flavor aversive effect, and selective optogenetic stimulation of ChR2-expressing SF1 projections to the PVT elicits direct excitatory postsynaptic currents. Together, our data reveal a neural circuit from VMH to PVT that inhibits food intake.

No abstract