Role of Cytokine Combinations on CD4+ T Cell Differentiation, Partial Polarization, and Plasticity: Continuous Network Modeling Approach.

ABSTRACT: Purpose: We put forward a theoretical and dynamical approach for the semi-quantitative analysis of CD4+ T cell differentiation, the process by which cells with different functions are derived from activated CD4+ T naïve lymphocytes in the presence of particular cytokine microenvironments. We explore the system-level mechanisms that underlie CD4+ T plasticity-the conversion of polarized cells to phenotypes different from those originally induced. Methods: In this paper, we extend a previous study based on a Boolean network to a continuous framework. The network includes transcription factors, signaling pathways, as well as autocrine and exogenous cytokines, with interaction rules derived using fuzzy logic. Results: This approach allows us to assess the effect of relative differences in the

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Sanchez ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6089340 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature