<p>Double-negative T cells (DNTs; CD3<sup>+</sup>CD4<sup>−</sup>CD8<sup>−</sup>) have been implicated in immune regulation in autoimmune settings, but their relevance to reproductive tissue immune balance and inflammation-associated infertility remains unclear. Here, we define a population of TCRβ<sup>+</sup>NK1.1<sup>−</sup> DNTs enriched in the mouse ovary and uterus and profiled its phenotype, tissue behavior, and function in inflammatory models associated with impaired fertility. In parallel, we performed RNA-seq on spleen- and thymus-derived NK1.1<sup>−</sup> DNT and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell enriched population. Relative to CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells, peripheral NK1.1<sup>−</sup> DN T-cell-enriched populations displayed an activated, regulatory-like transcriptional profile with reduced <i>Cd8a</i>/<i>Cd8b1</i>, <i>Il7r</i>, and cytotoxic effector markers, alongside increased expression of <i>Pdcd1</i>, <i>Lag3</i>, <i>Tox</i>, and <i>Il10</i>. Ex vivo, FACS-sorted splenic DNTs produced low inflammatory cytokine output after CD3/CD28 stimulation and suppressed CD8<sup>+</sup> T-cell proliferation primarily through contact-dependent mechanisms. In vivo, ovarian DNTs decreased following CD8-targeting depletion, and ovarian and uterine DNTs showed limited exchange in parabiosis. In chronic interferon-γ-driven inflammation (ARE<sup>−/−</sup>) and zona pellucida 3-induced ovarian inflammation, reproductive tissues exhibited reduced DNT frequencies, a shift in the DNT: CD8<sup>+</sup>T ratio favoring CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells and increased activated CD8<sup>+</sup> phenotypes. Finally, adoptive transfer of ex vivo FACS-sorted wild-type DNTs into ARE<sup>−/−</sup> females increased pregnancy frequency, supporting DNT-associated immunoregulation as a feature of inflammation-associated infertility.</p>

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Double negative T cells decline in inflammatory reproductive dysfunction

  • Enitome E. Bafor,
  • Toni Martin,
  • Bruna Karoline Tatematsu,
  • Ian A. Bettencourt,
  • Adrienne E. Kimmel,
  • Dorothy K. Sojka,
  • Howard A. Young

摘要

Double-negative T cells (DNTs; CD3+CD4CD8) have been implicated in immune regulation in autoimmune settings, but their relevance to reproductive tissue immune balance and inflammation-associated infertility remains unclear. Here, we define a population of TCRβ+NK1.1 DNTs enriched in the mouse ovary and uterus and profiled its phenotype, tissue behavior, and function in inflammatory models associated with impaired fertility. In parallel, we performed RNA-seq on spleen- and thymus-derived NK1.1 DNT and CD8+ T cell enriched population. Relative to CD8+ T cells, peripheral NK1.1 DN T-cell-enriched populations displayed an activated, regulatory-like transcriptional profile with reduced Cd8a/Cd8b1, Il7r, and cytotoxic effector markers, alongside increased expression of Pdcd1, Lag3, Tox, and Il10. Ex vivo, FACS-sorted splenic DNTs produced low inflammatory cytokine output after CD3/CD28 stimulation and suppressed CD8+ T-cell proliferation primarily through contact-dependent mechanisms. In vivo, ovarian DNTs decreased following CD8-targeting depletion, and ovarian and uterine DNTs showed limited exchange in parabiosis. In chronic interferon-γ-driven inflammation (ARE−/−) and zona pellucida 3-induced ovarian inflammation, reproductive tissues exhibited reduced DNT frequencies, a shift in the DNT: CD8+T ratio favoring CD8+ T cells and increased activated CD8+ phenotypes. Finally, adoptive transfer of ex vivo FACS-sorted wild-type DNTs into ARE−/− females increased pregnancy frequency, supporting DNT-associated immunoregulation as a feature of inflammation-associated infertility.