Immunological Effects of Transgenic Constitutive Expression of the Type 1 Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor by Mouse Lymphocytes

Abstract

The type 1 sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) G protein-coupled receptor (S1P₁) normally transduces S1P effects on lymph node (LN) egress and tissue migration of naive lymphocytes. We now show that persistent expression of S1P₁ by lymphocytes of S1P₁-transgenic (Tg) mice suppresses delayed-type hypersensitivity and results in production of significantly more IgE Ab and less IgG2 Ab than in wild-type (wt) mice. wt host LN homing of ⁵¹Cr-labeled T cells from S1P₁-Tg mice was only 30–40% of that for wt T cells. Adoptive-transfer of dye-labeled activated T cells from S1P₁-Tg mice into wt mice resulted in 2.2-fold more in blood and 60% less in LNs than for activated wt T cells after 1 day. Proliferative responses of stimulated T cells from S1P₁-Tg mice were only 10–34% of those for wt T cells. Disordered cellular and humoral immunity of S1P₁-Tg mice thus may be attributable to both altered T cell traffic and depressed T cell functions, suggesting that S1P₁-specific agonists may represent a novel therapeutic approach to autoimmunity and transplant rejection.