title: Down-regulation of the orphan nuclear receptor ROR gamma t is essential for T lymphocyte maturation.
abstract: Thymocyte development is a tightly regulated process. CD4+CD8+ double-positive (DP) immature thymocytes exhibit distinct phenotypic features from mature T cells; they express only 10% of surface TCR that are found on mature T cells and do not proliferate and produce IL-2 in response to stimulation. In this report we show that transgenic expression of the orphan nuclear receptor ROR gamma t in mature T cells down-regulates their surface TCR expression. The ROR gamma t transgene inhibits IL-2 production by mature T cells, and this inhibition may be partially due to the inhibitory effect of ROR gamma t on c-Rel transcription. Furthermore, ectopic expression of ROR gamma t inhibits the proliferation of mature and immature T cells. These results, together with its predominant expression in DP thymocytes, suggest that ROR gamma t controls these distinct phenotypic features of DP thymocytes. Our data suggest that down-regulation of ROR gamma t expression in thymocytes is essential for their maturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Y W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beers
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Deftos
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Ojala
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Forbush
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bevan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D019076:Transgenes / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505658:Fasl protein, mouse; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone; C539901:Rorc protein, mouse; D019014:fas Receptor