Developing a model of autoimmune diseases with human tonsil organoids

Abstract Mouse models have contributed significantly to our knowledge of the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, differences in mouse and human immune systems limit the translation of the knowledge in mechanism and therapeutic outcomes from mouse to human. Therefore, a human model of autoimmune diseases is urgently needed. Recently, our lab has developed a functional tonsil organotypic system that can recapitulate key T cells responses and germinal center response to influenza vaccine in vitro. We now want to utilize this tonsil system to study autoimmunity. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been suggested to play a central role in maintaining self-tolerance. Reduced Treg cell frequencies and impaired suppressive function have been reported in a wide range of autoimmune diseases. In this study, we show that we can efficiently knock out FOXP3 in T cells from human tonsil organoids by using CRISPR technology. We also show that tonsil organoids with FOXP3 knocked-out T cells are able to induce humoral immune responses towards autoantigens stimulation and influenza vaccination. This system could be useful for studying underlying mechanisms in the functions of Tregs in the autoimmune condition in humans and provides insights into the therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases.