Human naive CD8 T cells down-regulate expression of the WNT pathway transcription factors lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 and transcription factor 7 (T cell …

T Willinger, T Freeman, M Herbert… - The Journal of …, 2006 - journals.aai.org
T Willinger, T Freeman, M Herbert, H Hasegawa, AJ McMichael, MFC Callan
The Journal of Immunology, 2006journals.aai.org
The transcription factors lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 (LEF1) and transcription factor
7 (TCF7)(T cell factor-1 (TCF-1)) are downstream effectors of the WNT signaling pathway,
which is a critical regulator of T cell development in the thymus. In this study, we show that
LEF1 and TCF7 (TCF-1) are not only expressed in thymocytes, but also in mature T cells.
Our data demonstrate that Ag encounter in vivo and engagement of the TCR or IL-15
receptor in vitro leads to the down-regulation of LEF1 and TCF7 (TCF-1) expression in …
Abstract
The transcription factors lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 (LEF1) and transcription factor 7 (TCF7)(T cell factor-1 (TCF-1)) are downstream effectors of the WNT signaling pathway, which is a critical regulator of T cell development in the thymus. In this study, we show that LEF1 and TCF7 (TCF-1) are not only expressed in thymocytes, but also in mature T cells. Our data demonstrate that Ag encounter in vivo and engagement of the TCR or IL-15 receptor in vitro leads to the down-regulation of LEF1 and TCF7 (TCF-1) expression in human naive CD8 T cells. We further show that resting T cells preferentially express inhibitory LEF1 and TCF7 (TCF-1) isoforms and that T cell activation changes the isoform balance in favor of stimulatory TCF7 (TCF-1) isoforms. Altogether, our study suggests that proteins involved in the WNT signaling pathway not only regulate T cell development, but also peripheral T cell differentiation.
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