Project description:Homozygous disruption of c-Maf led to embryonic lethality and impaired erythroblastic island formation. c-Maf is expressed in the fetal liver macrophages. It suggests that macrophages are responsible for the lethality of c-Maf knock-out embryos. To search downstream genes of c-Maf, we surveyed genes associated with macrophage function by microarray analysis. keywords: c-Maf, macrophage, erythroblastic islands, WT (c-Maf WT) and c-Maf KO (c-Maf KO) fetal liver macrophages were sorted by a FACSAria cell sorter. Total RNAs from those macrophages were prepared using RNeasy Kit. Genes down-regulated in c-Maf KO macrophages were searched by GeneSpring software.
Project description:Homozygous disruption of c-Maf led to embryonic lethality and impaired erythroblastic island formation. c-Maf is expressed in the fetal liver macrophages. It suggests that macrophages are responsible for the lethality of c-Maf knock-out embryos. To search downstream genes of c-Maf, we surveyed genes associated with macrophage function by microarray analysis. keywords: c-Maf, macrophage, erythroblastic islands,
Project description:To investigate c-Maf-controlled gene expression, M2-like bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) were transfected with c-Maf or control siRNA. Knockdown of c-Maf significantly decreased c-Maf protein and mRNA expression levels. In addition, IL-10 and arginase mRNA levels were significantly decreased while IL-12 was increased. In contrast, ectopic expression of c-Maf in the M1-like BMM significantly upregulated IL-10 and arginase mRNA expression levels while downregulated IL-12 expression level, suggesting an M2-like phenotype. These data indicate that c-Maf may be a critical controller in regulating M2-related gene expression. To further determine which part of the M2 macrophage transcriptomic profile is controlled by c-Maf, we performed microarray analysis using polarized M2-like BMM from WT or c-Maf KO fetal liver chimeric mice. Notably, many M2 genes were differentially regulated by c-Maf. Further real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis confirmed that the mRNA expression levels of IL-12, IL-1β, IL-6, arginase, IL-10, VEGF, TGF-β, IRF-4, and CCR2 were significantly altered in c-Maf-deficient M2 BMM. Since M2-like macrophages have a potent immunosuppressive function on T cell activation, we next determined whether deficiency of c-Maf in M2 BMM would reverse such effect. M2 BMM from WT mice exhibited potent immunosuppressive activity as IFN-γ production from antigen (Ag)-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells was significantly diminished. In contrast, c-Maf deficiency in M2 BMM significantly increased IFN-γ production by CD4 and CD8 T cells compared to WT M2 BMM. These data suggest that c-Maf not only controls many M2-related gene expression but also is critical in regulating M2-like macrophage-mediated T cell immunosuppression.
Project description:To understand the mechanisms through which JunB regulates Tregs-mediated immune regulation, we examined the global gene expression profiles in the JunB WT and KO Tregs by performing RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis.