biostudies-literatureUnknown204(8)Egawa TMembers of the Runx family of transcriptional regulators are required for the appropriate expression of CD4 and CD8 at discrete stages of T cell development. The roles of these factors in other aspects of T cell development are unknown. We used a strategy to conditionally inactivate the genes encoding Runx1 or Runx3 at different stages of thymocyte development, demonstrating that Runx1 regulates the transitions of developing thymocytes from the CD4(-)CD8(-) double-negative stage to the CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive (DP) stage and from the DP stage to the mature single-positive stage. Runx1 and Runx3 deficiencies caused marked reductions in mature thymocytes and T cells of the CD4(+) helper and CD8(+) cytotoxic T cell lineages, respectively. Runx1-deficient CD4(+) T cells had markedly reduced expression of the interleukin 7 receptor and exhibited shorter survival. In addition, inactivation of both Runx1 and Runx3 at the DP stages resulted in a severe block in development of CD8(+) mature thymocytes. These results indicate that Runx proteins have important roles at multiple stages of T cell development and in the homeostasis of mature T cells.The Journal of experimental medicine1945-57https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC2118679biostudies-literatureThe role of the Runx transcription factors in thymocyte differentiation and in homeostasis of naive T cells.PMC2118679Taniuchi IEgawa TLittman DRNaoe YTillman REfalseThe role of the Runx transcription factors in thymocyte differentiation and in homeostasis of naive T cells.Members of the Runx family of transcriptional regulators are required for the appropriate expression of CD4 and CD8 at discrete stages of T cell development. The roles of these factors in other aspects of T cell development are unknown. We used a strategy to conditionally inactivate the genes encoding Runx1 or Runx3 at different stages of thymocyte development, demonstrating that Runx1 regulates the transitions of developing thymocytes from the CD4(-)CD8(-) double-negative stage to the CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive (DP) stage and from the DP stage to the mature single-positive stage. Runx1 and Runx3 deficiencies caused marked reductions in mature thymocytes and T cells of the CD4(+) helper and CD8(+) cytotoxic T cell lineages, respectively. Runx1-deficient CD4(+) T cells had markedly reduced expression of the interleukin 7 receptor and exhibited shorter survival. In addition, inactivation of both Runx1 and Runx3 at the DP stages resulted in a severe block in development of CD8(+) mature thymocytes. These results indicate that Runx proteins have important roles at multiple stages of T cell development and in the homeostasis of mature T cells.2007-01-01T00:00:00Z2007 Aug2021-03-05T09:16:01Z2019-03-26T23:28:25ZS-EPMC21186791764640610.1084/jem.20070133