Retracted: Natural And Inducible T(H)17 Cells Are Regulated Differently By Akt And Mtor Pathways (Retracted Article. See Vol. 15, Pg. 996, 2014)

Natural T helper 17 (nT(H)17) cells are a population of interleukin 17 (IL-17)-producing cells that acquire effector function in the thymus during development. Here we demonstrate that the serine/threonine kinase Akt has a critical role in regulating nT(H)17 cell development. Although Akt and the downstream mTORC1-ARNT-HIF alpha axis were required for generation of inducible T(H)17 (iT(H)17) cells, nT(H)17 cells developed independently of mTORC1. In contrast, mTORC2 and inhibition of Foxo proteins were critical for development of nT(H)17 cells. Moreover, distinct isoforms of Akt controlled the generation of T(H)17 cell subsets, as deletion of Akt2, but not of Akt1, led to defective generation of iT(H)17 cells. These findings define mechanisms regulating nT(H)17 cell development and reveal previously unknown roles of Akt and mTOR in shaping subsets of T cells.