Oxysterols direct immune cell migration through EBI2

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-induced gene 2 (EBI2, aka GPR183) is a G protein-coupled receptor that is required for humoral immune responses and polymorphisms in the receptor have been associated with inflammatory autoimmune diseases 1 - 3 . The natural ligand for EBI2 has been unknown. Here we describe identification of 7α, 25-dihydroxycholesterol (5-cholesten-3β, 7α, 25-triol; 7α, 25-OHC) as a potent and selective agonist of EBI2. Functional activation of EBI2 by 7α, 25-OHC and closely related oxysterols was verified by monitoring second messenger readouts and saturable, high affinity radioligand binding. Furthermore we find that 7α, 25-OHC and closely related oxysterols act as chemoattractants for immune cells expressing EBI2 by directing cell migration in vitro and in vivo . A key enzyme required for the generation of 7α, 25-OHC is cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (Ch25h) 4 . Similar to EBI2 receptor knockout mice, mice deficient in Ch25h fail to position activated B cells within the spleen to the outer follicle and mount a reduced plasma cell response after an immune challenge. This demonstrates that Ch25h generates EBI2 bioactivity in vivo and suggests that the EBI2 − oxysterol signaling pathway plays an important role in the adaptive immune response.