A20 in Myeloid Cells Protects Against Hypertension by Inhibiting Dendritic Cell-Mediated T-Cell Activation

The ubiquitin-editing protein A20 in dendritic cells (DCs) suppresses NF-κB (nuclear factor-κB) signaling and constrains DC-mediated T-cell stimulation, but the role of A20 in modulating the hypertensive response requires elucidation.

Here, we tested the hypothesis that A20 in CD11c-expressing myeloid cells mitigates Ang II (angiotensin II)-induced hypertension by limiting renal T-cell activation.

Mice with heterozygous deletion of A20 in CD11c-expressing myeloid cells (DC ACT[Cd11c-Cre⁺A20]) have spontaneous DC activation but have normal baseline blood pressures. In response to low-dose chronic Ang II infusion, DC ACT mice compared with WT (wild type) controls had an exaggerated hypertensive response and augmented proportions of CD62L^loCD44^hi effector memory T lymphocytes in the kidney lymph node. After 10 days of Ang II, DC ACT kidneys had increased numbers of memory effector CD8⁺, but not CD4⁺ T cells, compared with WTs. Moreover, the expressions of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) and IFN-γ (interferon-γ) were upregulated in the DC ACT renal CD8⁺ T cells but not CD4⁺ T cells. Saline challenge testing revealed enhanced renal fluid retention in the DC ACT mice. DC ACT kidneys showed augmented protein expression of γ-epithelial sodium channel and NHE3 (sodium-hydrogen antiporter 3). DC ACT mice also had greater reductions in renal blood flow following acute injections with Ang II and enhanced oxidant stress in the vasculature as evidenced by higher circulating levels of malondialdehyde compared with WT controls. To directly test whether enhanced T-cell activation in the DC ACT cohort was responsible for their exaggerated hypertensive response, we chronically infused Ang II into lymphocyte-deficient DC ACT Rag1 (recombination activating protein 1)-deficient (Rag1^-/-) mice and WT (Cd11c-Cre^-A20) Rag1^-/- controls. The difference in blood pressure elevation accruing from DC activation was abrogated on the Rag1^-/- strain.

Following stimulation of the renin-angiotensin system, A20 suppresses DC activation and thereby mitigates T-cell-dependent blood pressure elevation.