E Protein Transcription Factors Are Required for the Development of CD4(+) Lineage T Cells

Overview

Journal Immunity

Publisher Cell Press

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 2012 Mar 20

PMID 22425249

Citations 59

Authors

Mary Elizabeth Jones-Mason

Xudong Zhao

Dietmar Kappes

Anna Lasorella

Antonio Iavarone

Yuan Zhuang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The double-positive (DP) to single-positive (SP) transition during T cell development is initiated by downregulation of the E protein transcription factors HEB and E2A. Here, we have demonstrated that in addition to regulating the onset of this transition, HEB and E2A also play a separate role in CD4(+) lineage choice. Deletion of HEB and E2A in DP thymocytes specifically blocked the development of CD4(+) lineage T cells. Furthermore, deletion of the E protein inhibitors Id2 and Id3 allowed CD4(+) T cell development but blocked CD8(+) lineage development. Analysis of the CD4(+) lineage transcriptional regulators ThPOK and Gata3 placed HEB and E2A upstream of CD4(+) lineage specification. These studies identify an important role for E proteins in the activation of CD4(+) lineage differentiation as thymocytes undergo the DP to SP transition.

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