Synovial regulatory T cells expressing ST2 deteriorate joint inflammation through the suppression of immunoregulatory eosinophils

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic polyarthritis. It is well-established that helper T cells play crucial roles in the development and deterioration of RA. Recent studies also revealed the significant roles of regulatory T (Treg) cells in this context. Although Treg cells distributed in peripheral tissues exhibit various functions, the characteristics of synovial Treg cells remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that synovial Treg cells exacerbate synovial inflammation by reducing the number of immunoregulatory eosinophils through competitive consumption of IL-33. Synovial Treg cells expressed ST2 in a murine arthritis model, and surprisingly, Treg-specific ST2 knockout (ST2^ΔTreg) mice exhibited attenuated arthritis. In ST2^ΔTreg mice, an increase in immunoregulatory synovial eosinophils was observed. Additionally, immunoregulatory eosinophils were found to express ST2, and ST2-expressing Treg cells controlled the abundance of immunoregulatory eosinophils, possibly by consuming IL-33. Our results highlight that a subset of synovial Treg cells possesses the machinery to worsen arthritis by suppressing eosinophils. In the future landscape where Treg cell-based therapies are employed for autoimmune diseases, it is important to comprehend the characteristics of disease-related Treg cells. Understanding these aspects is crucial for ensuring safer treatment modalities that do not inadvertently worsen the diseases.

Keywords: Collagen-induced arthritis; Eosinophils; Regulatory T cells; Rheumatoid arthritis; ST2.