Transcriptional changes in intraepithelial CD4 lymphocytes
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ABSTRACT: We investigated transcriptional changes in CD4CD8aa and CD4 intraepthelial lymphocytes. TCRαβ thymocytes differentiate to either CD8αβ cytotoxic T lymphocytes or CD4 T helper cells. This functional dichotomy is controlled by key transcription factors, including the T helper master regulator, ThPOK, which suppresses the cytolytic-program in MHC class II restricted CD4 thymocytes. ThPOK continues to repress CD8-lineage genes in mature CD4 T cells, even as they differentiate to T helper effector subsets. Surprisingly, we show here that the T helper-fate is not fixed and that mature antigen-stimulated CD4 T cells can switch off Thpok expression and reactivate CD8-lineage genes. This unexpected plasticity results in the post-thymic termination of the T helper program and the functional differentiation of distinct MHC class II restricted CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE41257 | GEO | 2013/01/08
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA176359
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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