Non-coding autoimmune risk variant accelerates T peripheral helper cell development via ICOS

Fine-mapping and functional studies implicate rs117701653, a common non-coding variant in the CD28/CTLA4/ICOS locus, as a contributor to risk for rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes. Using DNA pulldown, mass spectrometry, genome editing and eQTL analysis, we establish that the disease-associated allele reduces affinity for the inhibitory chromosomal regulator SMCHD1 to drive expression of inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS), enhancing memory CD4+ T cell ICOS expression in individuals bearing the risk allele. Higher ICOS expression is paralleled by an increase in circulating T peripheral helper (Tph) cells, and in rheumatoid arthritis patients, of blood and joint fluid Tph cells and circulating plasmablasts, suggesting a causal link. Indeed, ICOS ligation accelerates T cell differentiation into CXCR5-PD-1high Tph cells producing IL-21 and CXCL13, as does carriage of the rs117701653 risk allele. Thus, mechanistic dissection of a causal non-coding variant in human autoimmunity discloses a new pathway through which ICOS regulates Tph abundance. To establish whether SNP rs117701653 is associated with transcription of a gene in the CD28/CTLA4/ICOS locus, we performed Row-input RNA-seq in resting total CD4+ T cells from 24 healthy subjects with 8 A/A, 8 A/C, and 8 C/C genotypes at rs117701653. ---------------------------- Authors state: We would like to submit the raw data to dbGAP as soon as possible. Therefore, we have not included the raw data in this GEO submission.