Undersized telomeres in regulatory T cells link to the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis
Jinmei Xue,
Zhizhen Liu,
Yun Liao,
Xiwen Zhang,
Yu Liu,
Lihua Mo,
Rui Dong,
Qiang Li,
Xizhuo Sun,
Jun Xie,
Pingchang Yang
Affiliations
Jinmei Xue
Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Second Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
Zhizhen Liu
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defect and Cell Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention, Ministry of Education of China, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
Yun Liao
Shenzhen Clinical School of Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China; Institute of Allergy & Immunology of Shenzhen University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases Allergy Division at Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Xiwen Zhang
Shenzhen Clinical School of Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China; Institute of Allergy & Immunology of Shenzhen University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases Allergy Division at Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Yu Liu
Department of General Practice Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Lihua Mo
Institute of Allergy & Immunology of Shenzhen University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases Allergy Division at Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Department of General Practice Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Rui Dong
Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Second Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
Qiang Li
Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Second Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
Xizhuo Sun
Department of General Practice Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Jun Xie
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defect and Cell Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention, Ministry of Education of China, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China; Corresponding author
Pingchang Yang
Institute of Allergy & Immunology of Shenzhen University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases Allergy Division at Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Corresponding author
Summary: Telomeres are an important biomarker in the cell destiny. The relationship between telomeres and regulatory T cells (Tregs) has not yet been investigated. The objective of this study is to evaluate the link between Tregs' telomere length and allergic rhinitis (AR)’s pathogenesis. Here, we report that low telomerase activity and high endoplasmic reticulum stress status were observed in Tregs from AR patients, as shown in the results. Immune regulatory molecules levels were correlated with the length of Tregs' telomeres. The immune-suppressive functions of Tregs were associated with the telomere length/Telomerase reverse transcriptase/Telomerase protein component 1 status in Tregs. The levels of telomere length/telomerase in airway Tregs were reduced by sensitization. Endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling pathway of proline-rich receptor-like protein kinase-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A (eIF2a) was associated with the regulation of telomerase. Inhibiting eIF2a had an effect on upregulating telomerase activity in Tregs and mitigating experimental AR.
