Post-transcriptional regulation of early T cell development by T cell receptor signals.
During differentiation in the thymus, immature T cells progress through an ordered sequence of developmental stages that are best characterized by variable expression of the co-receptor molecules CD4 and CD8. Crosslinking of T cell receptor (TCR) molecules on precursor thymocytes was found to block their differentiation into CD4+CD8+ cells by eliminating messenger RNA's encoding two families of developmentally important molecules: the co-receptor molecules CD4 and CD8 and the recombination activating genes 1 and 2. TCR-induced post-transcriptional regulation in early thymocytes was specific for selective messenger RNA's, required protein synthesis, and was itself developmentally regulated. These data identify a post-transcriptional mechanism that is influenced by TCR signals and that regulates early thymocyte development.
Takahama
Y
Y
Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Singer
A
A
D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D016654:Genes, RAG-1 / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate