Foxa1 and Foxa2 in thymic epithelial cells (TEC) regulate medullary TEC and regulatory T-cell maturation.

ABSTRACT: The Foxa1 and Foxa2 transcription factors are essential for mouse development. Here we show that they are expressed in thymic epithelial cells (TEC) where they regulate TEC development and function, with important consequences for T-cell development. TEC are essential for T-cell differentiation, lineage decisions and repertoire selection. Conditional deletion of Foxa1 and Foxa2 from murine TEC led to a smaller thymus with a greater proportion of TEC and a greater ratio of medullary to cortical TEC. Cell-surface MHCI expression was increased on cortical TEC in the conditional Foxa1Foxa2 knockout thymus, and MHCII expression was reduced on both cortical and medullary TEC populations. These changes in TEC differentiation and MHC expression led to a significant reduction in thymocyte numbers,

SUBMITTER: Lau CI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6119767 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature