Non-coding sequence variation reveals fragility within interleukin 2 feedback circuitry and shapes autoimmune disease risk

Abstract

Genetic variants associated with human autoimmune diseases commonly map to non-coding control regions, particularly enhancers that function selectively in immune cells and fine-tune gene expression within a relatively narrow range of values. How such modest, cell-type-selective changes can meaningfully shape organismal disease risk remains unclear. To explore this issue, we experimentally manipulated species-conserved enhancers within the disease-associatedIL2RAlocus and studied accompanying changes in the progression of autoimmunity. Perturbing distinct enhancers with restricted activity in conventional T cells (Tconvs) or regulatory T cells (Tregs)—two functionally antagonistic T cell subsets—caused only modest, cell-type-selective decreases inIL2raexpression parameters. However, these same perturbations had striking and opposing effectsin vivo, completely preventing or severely accelerating disease in a murine model of type 1 diabetes. Quantitative tissue imaging and computational modelling revealed that each enhancer manipulation impinged on distinct IL-2-dependent feedback circuits. These imbalances altered the intracellular signaling and intercellular communication dynamics of activated Tregs and Tconvs, producing opposing spatial domains that amplified or constrained ongoing autoimmune responses. These findings demonstrate how subtle changes in gene regulation stemming from non-coding variation can propagate across biological scales due to non-linearities in intra- and intercellular feedback circuitry, dramatically shaping disease risk at the organismal level.