Resistance of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells to Nur77-induced apoptosis promotes allograft survival.

ABSTRACT: The NR4A nuclear receptor family member Nur77 (NR4A1) promotes thymocyte apoptosis during negative selection of autoreactive thymocytes, but may also function in mature extrathymic T cells. We studied the effects of over-expression of Nur77 on the apoptosis of murine peripheral T cells, including thymic-derived Foxp3+ regulatory (Treg) cells. Overexpression of Nur77 in the T cell lineage decreased numbers of peripheral CD4 and CD8 T cells by approximately 80% compared to wild-type (WT) mice. However, the proportions of Treg cells were markedly increased in the thymus (61% of CD4+Foxp3+ singly positive thymocytes vs. 8% in WT) and secondary lymphoid organs (40-50% of CD4+Foxp3+ T cells vs. 7-8% in WT) of Nur77 transgenic (Nur77Tg) mice, and immunoprecipitation studies showed Nur77 was assoc

SUBMITTER: Tao R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2386419 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature