Divergent roles for STAT4 in shaping differentiation of cytotoxic ILC1 and NK cells during gut inflammation

Abstract

Natural killer (NK) cells and type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1) require signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) to elicit rapid effector responses and protect against pathogens. By combining genetic and transcriptomic approaches, we uncovered divergent roles for STAT4 in regulating effector differentiation of these functionally related cell types. <i>Stat4</i> deletion in <i>Ncr1</i>-expressing cells led to impaired NK cell terminal differentiation as well as to an unexpected increased generation of cytotoxic ILC1 during intestinal inflammation. Mechanistically, <i>Stat4</i>-deficient ILC1 exhibited upregulation of gene modules regulated by STAT5 in vivo and an aberrant effector differentiation upon in vitro stimulation with IL-2, used as a prototypical STAT5 activator. Moreover, STAT4 expression in NCR⁺ innate lymphocytes restrained gut inflammation in the dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis model limiting pathogenic production of IL-13 from adaptive CD4⁺ T cells in the large intestine. Collectively, our data shed light on shared and distinctive mechanisms of STAT4-regulated transcriptional control in NK cells and ILC1 required for intestinal inflammatory responses.