T Follicular Helper Cell-Dependent Clearance of a Persistent Virus Infection Requires T Cell Expression of the Histone Demethylase UTX.

ABSTRACT: Epigenetic changes, including histone methylation, control T cell differentiation and memory formation, though the enzymes that mediate these processes are not clear. We show that UTX, a histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylase, supports T follicular helper (Tfh) cell responses that are essential for B cell antibody generation and the resolution of chronic viral infections. Mice with a T cell-specific UTX deletion had fewer Tfh cells, reduced germinal center responses, lacked virus-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), and were unable to resolve chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infections. UTX-deficient T cells showed decreased expression of interleukin-6 receptor-α and other Tfh cell-related genes that were associated with increased H3K27 methylation. Additionally, Turner Syndrome su

SUBMITTER: Cook KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4731234 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature