Cutting edge: Foxp1 controls naive CD8+ T cell quiescence by simultaneously repressing key pathways in cellular metabolism and cell cycle progression

H Wei, J Geng, B Shi, Z Liu, YH Wang… - The Journal of …, 2016 - journals.aai.org
H Wei, J Geng, B Shi, Z Liu, YH Wang, AC Stevens, SL Sprout, M Yao, H Wang, H Hu
The Journal of Immunology, 2016journals.aai.org
Previously we have shown that transcription factor Foxp1 plays an essential role in
maintaining naive T cell quiescence; in the absence of Foxp1, mature naive CD8+ T cells
proliferate in direct response to homeostatic cytokine IL-7. In this study, we report that the
deletion of Foxp1 in naive CD8+ T cells leads to enhanced activation of the
PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway and its downstream cell growth
and metabolism targets in response to IL-7. We found that Foxp1 directly regulates PI3K …
Abstract
Previously we have shown that transcription factor Foxp1 plays an essential role in maintaining naive T cell quiescence; in the absence of Foxp1, mature naive CD8+ T cells proliferate in direct response to homeostatic cytokine IL-7. In this study, we report that the deletion of Foxp1 in naive CD8+ T cells leads to enhanced activation of the PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway and its downstream cell growth and metabolism targets in response to IL-7. We found that Foxp1 directly regulates PI3K interacting protein 1, a negative regulator of PI3K. Additionally, we found that deletion of Foxp1 in naive CD8+ T cells results in increased expression levels of E2fs, the critical components for cell cycle progression and proliferation, in a manner that is not associated with increased phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein. Taken together, our studies suggest that Foxp1 enforces naive CD8+ T cell quiescence by simultaneously repressing key pathways in both cellular metabolism and cell cycle progression.
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