The protective roles of integrin α4β7 and Amphiregulin-expressing innate lymphoid cells in lupus nephritis

Type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) have emerged as key regulators of the immune response in renal inflammatory diseases such as lupus nephritis. However, the mechanisms underlying ILC2 adhesion and migration in the kidney remain poorly understood. Here, we revealed the critical role of integrin α4β7 in mediating renal ILC2 adhesion and function. We found that integrin α4β7 enables the retention of ILC2s in the kidney by binding to VCAM-1, E-cadherin, or fibronectin on structural cells. Moreover, integrin α4β7 knockdown reduced the production of the reparative cytokine amphiregulin (Areg) by ILC2s. In lupus nephritis, TLR7/9 signaling within the kidney microenvironment downregulates integrin α4β7 expression, leading to decreased Areg production and promoting the egress of ILC2s. Notably, IL-33 treatment upregulated integrin α4β7 and Areg expression in ILC2s, thereby enhancing survival and reducing inflammation in lupus nephritis. Together, these findings highlight the potential of targeting ILC2 adhesion as a therapeutic strategy for autoimmune kidney diseases.

Discovery of highly immunogenic spleen-resident FCGR3^(+)CD103^(+)cDC1s differentiated by IL-33-primed ST2^(+)basophils

Recombinant interleukin-33(IL-33)inhibits tumor growth,but the detailed immunological mechanism is still unknown.IL-33-mediated tumor suppression did not occur in Batf3^(−/−)mice,indicating that conventional type 1 dendritic cells(cDC1s)play a key role in IL-33-mediated antitumor immunity.A population of CD103^(+)cDC1s,which were barely detectable in the spleens of normal mice,increased significantly in the spleens of IL-33-treated mice.The newly emerged splenic CD103^(+)cDC1s were distinct from conventional splenic cDC1s based on their spleen residency,robust effector T-cell priming ability,and surface expression of FCGR3.DCs and DC precursors did not express Suppressor of Tumorigenicity 2(ST2).However,recombinant IL-33 induced spleen-resident FCGR3^(+)CD103^(+)cDC1s,which were found to be differentiated from DC precursors by bystander ST2+immune cells.Through immune cell fractionation and depletion assays,we found that IL-33-primed ST2^(+)basophils play a crucial role in the development of FCGR3^(+)CD103^(+)cDC1s by secreting IL-33-driven extrinsic factors.Recombinant GM-CSF also induced the population of CD103^(+)cDC1s,but the population neither expressed FCGR3 nor induced any discernable antitumor immunity.The population of FCGR3^(+)CD103^(+)cDC1s was also generated in vitro culture of Flt3L-mediated bone marrow-derived DCs(FL-BMDCs)when IL-33 was added in a pre-DC stage of culture.FL-BMDCs generated in the presence of IL-33(FL-33-DCs)offered more potent tumor immunotherapy than control Flt3L-BMDCs(FL-DCs).Human monocyte-derived DCs were also more immunogenic when exposed to IL-33-induced factors.Our findings suggest that recombinant IL-33 or an IL-33-mediated DC vaccine could be an attractive protocol for better tumor immunotherapy.