Lupus susceptibility gene Esrrg regulates TREG development and suppressive function through mitochondrial metabolism

To investigate insight into how Esrrg regulates the TREG transcriptional program, we performed high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of CD4+Foxp3-YFP+ from splenic cells of WT and KO female mice (2-3 months old). We show that the Esrrg-deficient Treg cells presented increased transcript related to oxidative phosphoration, cell cycle, proteasome, and antigen-presenting, suggesting Esrrg plays an essential role in mitochondral metabolism and it is associated with antigen-presenting and processing. Finally, Esrrg-deficient Treg displayed decreased Erbb and ribosome pathway, which may also related to TREG function. Our data suggest an critical role of lupus susceptibility gene Esrrg in regulating Treg cell function through mitochondrial metabolism. CD4+Foxp3-YFP+ TREG cells from B6N.Foxp3YFP-Cre (WT, n = 5) or EsrrgNf/f.Foxp3YFP-Cre mice (KO, n = 4) at the matched ages of 2-3 months old were sorted for RNA-seq analysis.