# Role of E3 Ubiquitin ligase RNF133 in T cell function and tolerance

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · 2020 · $400,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
CD4+ T cells are the master regulators of adaptive immune responses, and a breakdown of self-tolerance in
CD4+ cells leads to many autoimmune diseases. Understanding of the mechanisms underlying T cell tolerance
will provide new significant insight in advancing our knowledge on the signaling and genetic controls of T
helper (TH) cell tolerance programs that may have therapeutic implications for inflammatory diseases.
 Recently, we have acknowledged the essential role of GRAIL in immunological tolerance. Despite the
critical role of GRAIL in T cell tolerance, GRAIL knockout (KO) mice do not spontaneously develop
autoimmunity at early age, suggesting that closely-related protein(s) to GRAIL could contribute to control of
the early onset of inflammation. Interestingly, among the five GRAIL homologs, RNF133 shows the highest
expression in tolerant T cells, suggesting that RNF133 along with GRAIL could contribute to establishment of T
cell tolerance; however its role in T cells has not been studied. RNF133 KO CD4+ T cells activated in vitro and
in vivo under tolerogenic conditions exhibited enhanced level of proliferation and cytokine (interleukin (IL)-17
and IL-21) production compared to wild-type (WT) T cells, indicating the potential role of RNF133 in controlling
TH (TH17 and T follicular (Tfh)) cell responses. In fact, RNF133 KO mice have elevated levels of IgG and IgG1
in the sera and percentage of TH17 and Tfh cells in the peripheral lymphoid tissues as early as 12 weeks of
age followed by rise of autoimmune symptoms at 5-6 months of age. Moreover, RNF133 expression in
regulatory T cells (Tregs) is essential to maintain their suppressive function, as well as stability and prevents
them from acquiring pathogenic TH17 phenotype, suggesting that RNF133 functions to control pathogenic TH
cell responses. Based on this, we hypothesize that RNF133 may be an important checkpoint molecule in
maintaining immunological tolerance and in preventing the onset and development of inflammation.
 In Aim 1, we propose to determine the molecular mechanisms responsible for regulation and function of
RNF133 in T cell tolerance by utilizing conditional gene knockdown approaches and in vivo T cell tolerance
models. In Aim 2, we will determine the role of RNF133 in Tfh cell tolerance and underlying mechanisms as
well. In addition, we will assess the mechanisms whereby RNF133 controls antibody-mediated autoimmunity.
In Aim 3, we will determine the mechanism(s) by which RNF133 regulates Tregs and TH17 cell
programming and stability. The physiological significance of this finding will be assessed in an experimental
allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) model. We will employ yeast two-hybrid screening and reverse phase protein
array assay to identify the exact target(s) of RNF133, which determines its function in TH programming.
 The proposed research will provide new significant insight into characterization of mechanisms
underlying T cell tolerance tha...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9838805
- **Project number:** 5R01HL141966-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Roza Insafetdinovna Nurieva
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $400,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-01 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9838805

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9838805, Role of E3 Ubiquitin ligase RNF133 in T cell function and tolerance (5R01HL141966-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9838805. Licensed CC0.

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