The RORγt ligand-binding domain controls the pathogenicity of IL-17A+ T cells differently in autoimmune diseases of the skin and CNS.
The transcription factor RORγt orchestrates Th17 lineage differentiation, thymic T cell development, and the pathogenesis of several autoimmune disorders. Lipid ligands are required for appropriate regulation of RORγt activity, but it is unclear to what extent lipid recognition controls RORγt function in vivo. Here, we show that the mutation of RORγt alanine-304 in the ligand-binding domain (LBD) to isoleucine (A304I) abrogates lipid-dependent Th17 differentiation and selectively ameliorates γδT17 cell-mediated psoriatic skin inflammation. In contrast, there is no improvement in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in RORγtA304I mice. Consistent with this, the expression of genes characteristic of Th17 cells decreases in RORγtA304I mice, along with a compensatory increase of genes characteristic of Th1-like Th17 cells with pathogenic signatures. Thus, RORγt alanine-304 in the LBD is indispensable for generating γδT17 and conventional Th17 cells and for the suppression of the Th1-like Th17 pathogenic population, which decouples the pathogenicity of skin and CNS autoimmune diseases.