Abstract

RNA intererence is a one of the major mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation of protein expression in eukaryotes. This mechanism is using small non-coding RNAs (miRNAs) to destabilize specific mRNAs and to suppress protein synthesis. Many miRNAs genes are expressed in T cells during development in a thymus. However the function of RNAi in T cell development remains unclear. To investigate the role of RNAi during thymic development we generated conditional knockout of the enzyme Dicer in the mouse, which is critical for miRNA generation. We observed a dramatic reduction in the number of thymocytes in Dicer-deficient mice and we determined that the reason is a block of progression from DN to DP stage during thymocyte development. Importantly, we found an alteration in the balance between pro- and anti-apoptotic factors in RNAi deficient DP thymocytes. We also observed that RNAi-deficient thymocytes are rapidly undergoing apoptosis. Most importantly, we have also identified the precise gene whose expression is downregulated by microRNAs to permit survival of developing T cells in the thymus.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Investigator-Initiated Intramural Research Projects (ZIA)
Project #
1ZIABC011114-03
Application #
8157638
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$390,496
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
National Cancer Institute Division of Basic Sciences
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
Zip Code

  Publications

Pobezinsky, Leonid A; Etzensperger, Ruth; Jeurling, Susanna et al. (2015) Let-7 microRNAs target the lineage-specific transcription factor PLZF to regulate terminal NKT cell differentiation and effector function. Nat Immunol 16:517-24
Takada, Kensuke; Van Laethem, Francois; Xing, Yan et al. (2015) TCR affinity for thymoproteasome-dependent positively selecting peptides conditions antigen responsiveness in CD8(+) T cells. Nat Immunol 16:1069-76
Tai, Xuguang; Singer, Alfred (2014) Basis of Treg development in the thymus. Cell Cycle 13:501-2
Van Laethem, François; Tikhonova, Anastasia N; Pobezinsky, Leonid A et al. (2013) Lck availability during thymic selection determines the recognition specificity of the T cell repertoire. Cell 154:1326-41
Kimura, Motoko Y; Pobezinsky, Leonid A; Guinter, Terry I et al. (2013) IL-7 signaling must be intermittent, not continuous, during CD8? T cell homeostasis to promote cell survival instead of cell death. Nat Immunol 14:143-51
Tai, Xuguang; Erman, Batu; Alag, Amala et al. (2013) Foxp3 transcription factor is proapoptotic and lethal to developing regulatory T cells unless counterbalanced by cytokine survival signals. Immunity 38:1116-28
Tikhonova, Anastasia N; Van Laethem, François; Hanada, Ken-ichi et al. (2012) ?? T cell receptors that do not undergo major histocompatibility complex-specific thymic selection possess antibody-like recognition specificities. Immunity 36:79-91
Van Laethem, François; Tikhonova, Anastasia N; Singer, Alfred (2012) MHC restriction is imposed on a diverse T cell receptor repertoire by CD4 and CD8 co-receptors during thymic selection. Trends Immunol 33:437-41
Adoro, Stanley; McCaughtry, Thomas; Erman, Batu et al. (2012) Coreceptor gene imprinting governs thymocyte lineage fate. EMBO J 31:366-77
Gegonne, Anne; Tai, Xuguang; Zhang, Jinghui et al. (2012) The general transcription factor TAF7 is essential for embryonic development but not essential for the survival or differentiation of mature T cells. Mol Cell Biol 32:1984-97

Showing the most recent 10 out of 14 publications