Effector and regulatory T-cell function is differentially regulated by RelB within antigen-presenting cells during GVHD

Antigen-presenti n g cells (APCs) are critical for the initiation of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), although the responsible APC subset and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Because dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent APCs and the NF-kB/Rel family member ReIB is associated with DC maturation and potent APC function, we examined their role in GVHD. Within 4 hours of total body irradiation, ReIB nuclear translocation was increased and restricted to CD11c(hi) DCs within the host APC compartment. Furthermore, the transient depletion of CD11C(hi) donor DCs that reconstitute in the second week after transplantation resulted in a transient decrease in GVHD severity. By using ReIB-/-bone marrow chimeras as transplant recipients or ReIB-/-donor bone marrow, we demonstrate that the induction and maintenance of GVHD is critically dependent on this transcription factor within both host and donor APCs. Critically, ReIB within APCs was required for the expansion of donor helper T cell type 1 (Th1) effectors and subsequent alloreactivity, but not the peripheral expansion or function of donor FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells. These data suggest that the targeted inhibition of nuclear ReIB translocation within APCs represents an attractive therapeutic strategy to dissociate effector and regulatory T-cell function in settings of Th1-mediated tissue injury.