Mouse and human Notch-1 regulate mucosal immune responses

Mucosal Immunol. 2014 Jul;7(4):995-1005. doi: 10.1038/mi.2013.118. Epub 2014 Jan 15.

Abstract

The Notch-1 signaling pathway is responsible for homeostatic tight junction expression in vitro, and promotes barrier function in vivo in the RAG1-adoptive transfer model of colitis. In this study, we sought to determine the role of colonic Notch-1 in the lymphoepithelial crosstalk in health and disease. We utilized in vivo and in vitro knockdown to target the expression of Notch-1. We identified that epithelial Notch-1 is required for appropriate activation of intestinal epithelial cells at steady state and upon inflammatory stimulus. Notch-1 expression modulates mucosal chemokine and cytokine secretion, and FoxP3 and effector T-cell responses. We showed that epithelial Notch-1 controls the immune function of the epithelium through crosstalk with the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways that, in turn, elicits T-cell responses. Overall, epithelial Notch-1 bridges innate and adaptive immunity in the gut. Our findings highlight an indispensable role for Notch-1-mediated signaling in the intricate epithelial-immune crosstalk, and validate that epithelial Notch-1 is necessary and sufficient to support protective epithelial proinflammatory responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Chemokines / genetics
  • Colitis / genetics
  • Colitis / immunology
  • Colitis / metabolism
  • Colon / immunology
  • Colon / metabolism
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Mucosal / physiology*
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mucous Membrane / immunology*
  • Mucous Membrane / metabolism*
  • Mucous Membrane / pathology
  • Receptor, Notch1 / metabolism*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • Tight Junction Proteins / genetics
  • Tight Junction Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Chemokines
  • Cytokines
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Receptor, Notch1
  • Tight Junction Proteins