title: Revisiting the specificity of the MHC class II transactivator CIITA in vivo.
abstract: CIITA is a master regulatory factor for the expression of MHC class II (MHC-II) and accessory genes involved in Ag presentation. It has recently been suggested that CIITA also regulates numerous other genes having diverse functions within and outside the immune system. To determine whether these genes are indeed relevant targets of CIITA in vivo, we studied their expression in CIITA-transgenic and CIITA-deficient mice. In contrast to the decisive control of MHC-II and related genes by CIITA, nine putative non-MHC target genes (Eif3s2, Kpna6, Tap1, Yars, Col1a2, Ctse, Ptprr, Tnfsf6 and Plxna1) were found to be CIITA independent in all cell types examined. Two other target genes, encoding IL-4 and IFN-gamma, were indeed found to be up- and down-regulated, respectively, in CIITA-transgenic CD4(+) T cells. However, there was no correlation between MHC-II expression and this Th2 bias at the level of individual transgenic T cells, indicating an indirect control by CIITA. These results show that MHC-II-restricted Ag presentation, and its indirect influences on T cells, remains the only pathway under direct control by CIITA in vivo. They also imply that precisely regulated MHC-II expression is essential for maintaining a proper Th1-Th2 balance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva Medical School, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Luc A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Otten
authors.forename: Salomé
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leibundgut-Landmann
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huarte
authors.forename: Isabelle C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Kos-Braun
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lavanchy
authors.forename: Emmanuèle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barras
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borisch
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Steimle
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Acha-Orbea
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Reith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C083728:MHC class II transactivator protein; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma