Project description:We previously found that NF-kB inducing kinase (NIK) overexpression in T cells via CD4 promoter driven transgene induction caused lethal autoimmunity in mice. Autoimmunity was associated with increased conventional T cell effector function and decreased regulatory T cell (Foxp3+CD4+) suppression. The goal in this study was to elucidate global transcriptional changes in Foxp3+CD4+ and Foxp3-CD4+ T cells intrinsically caused by chronic NIK overexpression in these cell types.
Project description:We previously found that NF-kB inducing kinase (NIK) overexpression in T cells via CD4 promoter driven transgene induction caused lethal autoimmunity in mice. Autoimmunity was associated with increased conventional T cell effector function and decreased regulatory T cell (Foxp3+CD4+) suppression. The goal in this study was to elucidate global transcriptional changes in Foxp3+CD4+ and Foxp3-CD4+ T cells intrinsically caused by chronic NIK overexpression in these cell types. Total RNA from FACS-sorted NIKtg and WT Foxp3RFP+CD4+ and Foxp3RFP-CD4+ harvested from NIKtg/CD4Cre/Foxp3RFP + WT/Thy1.1/Foxp3RFP mixed bone marrow chimeric mice, >8 weeks after bone marrow reconstitution.
Project description:Cellular binary fate decisions require the progeny to silence genes associated with the alternative fate. The major subsets of alpha:beta T cells have been extensively studied as a model system for fate decisions. While the transcription factor RUNX3 is required for the initiation of Cd4 silencing in CD8 T cell progenitors, it is not required to maintain the silencing of Cd4 and other helper T lineage genes. The other runt domain containing protein, RUNX1, silences Cd4 in an earlier T cell progenitor, but this silencing is reversed whereas the gene silencing after RUNX3 expression is not reverse. Therefore, we hypothesized that RUNX3 and not RUNX1 recruits other factors that maintains the silencing of helper T lineage genes in CD8 T cells. To this end, we performed a proteomics screen of RUNX1 and RUNX3 to determine candidate silencing factors.
Project description:Using 5 differents approaches, including RNA sequencing, we demonstrated that macrophages that specifically infiltrate renal tumors, express the immunosuppressive transcription factor Foxp3. Examination of the Foxp3 mRNA expression in 3 different cell subsets (including CD4 T cells (CD4), type-1 macrophages (M1) and type-2 macrophages (M2))
