Exploring the Functional Role of Helios in Mucosal Associated Invariant T Cells using siRNA.

Mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a fairly recently described population of innate-like T cells. In humans, MAIT cells represent an exceptionally abundant population in the blood, where they account for 1–10% of all T cells. However, compared to conventional T cells, which can display an almost unlimited T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, the specificities of MAIT cell TCRs are limited. This evolutionarily conserved subset displays a semi-invariant TCR which recognises riboflavin metabolites, produced by a wide range of bacteria and fungi, and presented on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-class I related (MR1) molecule. The function and significance of MAIT cells in health and disease have only started to be unravelled, and it is becoming increasingly clear that MAIT cells are also modulated in non-microbial diseases. Interestingly, MAIT cells have been shown to exhibit a relatively high expression of the transcription factor, Helios, compared to most other T cell subsets. The function of this translational activator and repressor, encoded by the gene IKZF2, in the MAIT cell population remains obscure. This study focused on the functional role Helios may play in regulating the activation of MAIT cells. Thus, by using siRNA to silence Helios expression, and flow cytometry to analyse any potential alterations in MAIT cell activation markers, we aimed to be able to characterise the kinetics and functional role of Helios in peripheral MAIT cells of healthy individuals. Here, we clearly established a striking upregulation of Helios in MAIT cells following 24 hours of stimulation. Moreover, we were able to achieve a >50% knockdown of Helios at the protein level, in this subset of T cells. Nevertheless, no significant difference in any of the activation markers we investigated was present between the MAIT cells with reduced Helios expression and their controls. This could, however, of occurred as a result of the toxicity that the transfection had on the functionally of the T cells. From these results, it is difficult to conclude any clear role for Helios in the activation of MAIT cells, and consequently, further research needs to be performed before any clear conclusions can be drawn