SLAT/Def6 plays a critical role in the development of Th17 cell-mediated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

ABSTRACT: SWAP-70-like adapter of T cells (SLAT; also known as Def6) is a novel guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rho GTPases that has been previously shown to play a role in CD4+ T cell activation and Th1/Th2 differentiation. However, the role of SLAT/Def6 in autoimmunity and its associated Th1- and Th17-specific responses has not yet been clearly elucidated. We used a prototypical and pathologically relevant Th1/Th17-mediated autoimmune model, that is, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, to assess the role of SLAT/Def6 in autoantigen-specific T cell response. We found that T cell-expressed SLAT/Def6 was critical for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis development and pathogenesis, as evidenced by the resistance of Def6-deficient (Def6(-/-)) mice to clinical signs of the disease a

SUBMITTER: Canonigo-Balancio AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2821872 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature