Inflammasome and Fas-Mediated IL-1{beta} Contributes to Th17/Th1 Cell Induction in Pathogenic Bacterial Infection In Vivo [INNATE IMMUNITY AND INFLAMMATION]

CD4⁺ Th cells play crucial roles in orchestrating immune responses against pathogenic microbes, after differentiating into effector subsets. Recent research has revealed the importance of IFN- and IL-17 double-producing CD4⁺ Th cells, termed Th17/Th1 cells, in the induction of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In addition, Th17/Th1 cells are involved in the regulation of infection caused by the intracellular bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans. However, the precise mechanism of Th17/Th1 induction during pathogen infection is unclear. In this study, we showed that the inflammasome and Fas-dependent IL-1β induces Th17/Th1 cells in mice, in response to infection with the pathogenic intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. In the spleens of infected wild-type mice, Th17/Th1 cells were induced, and expressed T-bet and Rort. In Pycard^–/– mice, which lack the adaptor molecule of the inflammasome (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain), Th17/Th1 induction was abolished. In addition, the Fas-mediated IL-1β production was required for Th17/Th1 induction during bacterial infection: Th17/Th1 induction was abolished in Fas^–/– mice, whereas supplementation with recombinant IL-1β restored Th17/Th1 induction via IL-1 receptor 1 (IL-1R1), and rescued the mortality of Fas^–/– mice infected with Listeria. IL-1R1, but not apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain or Fas on T cells, was required for Th17/Th1 induction, indicating that IL-1β stimulates IL-1R1 on T cells for Th17/Th1 induction. These results indicate that IL-1β, produced by the inflammasome and Fas-dependent mechanisms, contributes cooperatively to the Th17/Th1 induction during bacterial infection. This study provides a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying Th17/Th1 induction during pathogenic microbial infections in vivo.

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