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Published on: October 28, 2019
Leptin modulates autophagy in human CD4+CD25- conventional T cells
Silvana Cassano1, Valentina Pucino2, Claudia La Rocca3
1Laboratorio di Immunologia, Istituto di Endocrinologia e Oncologia Sperimentale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IEOS-CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy.
Objective:
In this report we show that the adipocytokine leptin directly modulates autophagy in human CD4(+)CD25(-) conventional (Tconv) T cells.
Results:
In vitro treatment with recombinant human leptin determined an inhibition of autophagy during T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation, and this phenomenon was dose- and time-dependent. The events were secondary to the activation of the mammalian-target of rapamycin (mTOR)-pathway induced by leptin, as testified by its reversion induced by mTOR inhibition with rapamycin. At molecular level these phenomena associated with Bcl-2 up-regulation and its interaction with Beclin-1, whose complex exerts a negative effect on autophagy.
Materials/Methods:
The impact of leptin on autophagy of Tconv cells was determined at biochemical level by western blotting and by flow cytometry; the interaction between BCL-2 and Beclin-1 by co-immunoprecipitation assays.
Conclusions:
Our results, suggest that in unconditioned, freshly-isolated human Tconv cells, autophagy and proliferation are controlled by leptin during TCR-engagement, and that both phenomena occur alternatively indicating a balance between these processes during immune activation.
