SUMMARY A unique population of Foxp3+CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells, with a distinct transcriptome and antigen-receptor repertoire, resides in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) of lean individuals. These cells regulate local inflammation and both local and systemic metabolic indices. Here we focus on expansion of the VAT Treg compartment in aging lean mice – assessing these cells’ phenotypic conversion from conventional CD4+ T cells, influx from lymphoid organs, and local population dynamics. Our findings establish that the VAT Treg compartment is seeded from thymocytes generated during the first weeks of life, and expands beyond 10 weeks of age due to indolent proliferation, of certain clones in particular, coupled with enhanced survival. Accumulation of VAT Tregs depends on antigen(s) presented by MHC class-II molecules and soluble mediators, notably interleukin(IL)-33. Addressing such factors therapeutically promises novel approaches for harnessing Tregs to stem the growing epidemic of obesity and consequent metabolic abnormalities.

Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a critical role in preventing autoimmune disease by limiting the effector activity of conventional T cells that have escaped thymic negative selection or cell-autonomous peripheral inactivation1–3. However, despite the substantial information available about the molecular players mediating Treg functional interference with auto-aggressive effector responses4,5, the relevant cellular events in intact tissues remain largely unexplored and the issues of whether Tregs prevent activation of self-specific T cells or function primarily to limit damage from such cells have not been addressed6. Here we have employed multiplex, high-resolution, quantitative imaging to reveal that within most secondary lymphoid tissues, Tregs expressing phosphorylated STAT5 (pSTAT5) and high amounts of the suppressive molecules CD73 and CTLA-4 exist in discrete clusters with rare IL-2 producing effector T cells activated by self-antigens. This local IL-2 production induces the STAT5 phosphorylation in the Tregs and is part of a feedback circuit that augments the suppressive properties of the Tregs to limit further autoimmune responses. Inducible ablation of TCR expression by Tregs reduces their regulatory capacity and disrupts their localization in such clusters, resulting in uncontrolled effector T cell responses. Our data thus reveal that autoreactive T cells reach a state of activation and cytokine gene induction on a regular basis, with physically co-clustering, TCR-stimulated Tregs responding to this activation in a feedback manner to suppress incipient autoimmunity and maintain immune homeostasis.

Summary Polarization of effector CD4+ T cells can be influenced by both antigen-specific signals and by pathogen- or adjuvant-induced cytokines, with current models attributing a dominant role to the latter. Here we have examined the relationship between these factors in shaping cell-mediated immunity using intravital imaging of CD4+ T cell interactions with dendritic cells (DCs) exposed to polarizing adjuvants. These studies revealed a close correspondence between strength of T cell receptor (TCR)-dependent signaling and T helper-1 (Th1) vs. Th2 cell fate, with antigen concentration dominating over adjuvant in controlling T cell polarity. Consistent with this finding, at a fixed antigen concentration, adjuvants inducing Th1 cells operated by affecting DC costimulation that amplified TCR signaling. TCR signal strength controlled downstream cytokine receptor expression, linking the two components in a hierarchical fashion. These data reveal how quantitative integration of antigen display and costimulation regulates downstream checkpoints responsible for cytokine-mediated control of effector differentiation.

The expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4) is viewed as the hallmark of a Th2 lymphocyte, whereas the subsequent action of IL-4 and IL-13, mediated through the STAT6 signaling pathway, is seen as a prerequisite for the full development of Th2 immune responses to parasites and allergens. G4 mice, whose IL-4 gene locus contains the fluorescent reporter eGFP, were used to quantify the number of Th2 cells that develop during Nippostrongylus brasiliensis-or allergen-induced immune responses under conditions where IL-4 or STAT6 was absent. Here, we show that deletion of IL-4 or STAT6 had little impact on the number or timing of appearance of IL-4-producing Th2 cells. These data indicate that in vivo differentiation of naïve CD4 T cells to Th2 status often occurs independently of IL-4 and STAT6 and that recently described pathways of Th2 cell differentiation may explain how allergens and parasites selectively induce Th2-mediated immunity.allergen ͉ cytokine ͉ asthma ͉ Nippostrongylus