title: Cutting edge: the Ets1 transcription factor is required for the development of NK T cells in mice.
abstract: Ets1-deficient mice develop B and T cells but display a severe defect in the development of the NK cell lineage. In this report, we demonstrate that Ets1 is also required for the development of NK1.1+ T (NK T) cells. We observed significantly decreased numbers of NK T cells in the thymus, spleen, and liver of Ets1-deficient mice. These organs also contained markedly decreased levels of the canonical Valpha14-Jalpha281 TCRalpha transcript seen in NK T cells. Unlike wild-type NK T cells, Ets1-deficient thymocytes failed to produce detectable levels of IL-4 following anti-CD3 stimulation. The absence of NK T cells in the Ets1-deficient mice was not associated with defective expression of CD1, an MHC class I molecule required for NK T cell development. We conclude that Ets1 defines a novel transcriptional regulatory pathway that is required for the development of both the NK and NK T cell lineages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Walunas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Leiden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D019673:Genes, T-Cell Receptor alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D018949:Antigens, CD1; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; C494042:Ets1 protein, mouse; C527211:Klrb1c protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011506:Proteins; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015847:Interleukin-4