title: Twisted gastrulation (Tsg) is regulated by Tob and enhances TGF-beta signaling in activated T lymphocytes.
abstract: Quiescent T cells express Tob, an APRO gene family member, which functions as a transcriptional regulator. Subtractive hybridization identified Twisted gastrulation (Tsg) as one of the genes suppressed by Tob. Tsg is a secreted protein that interacts with Drosophila decapentaplegic (Dpp) and its vertebrate orthologs BMP2/4 and regulates morphogenetic effects in embryos. Here, we report the expression and function of Tsg in human T cells. Tsg mRNA was almost undetectable in unstimulated T cells and was up-regulated after activation by TCR/CD3 and either CD28, IL-2, or PMA. Tsg protein had no effect on responses of primary T cells to TCR/CD3 stimulation but had a potent inhibitory effect on proliferation and cytokine production of primed alloreactive CD4+ cells. Surprisingly, Tsg did not affect phosphorylation of the BMP-specific Smad1 but induced phosphorylation of the TGF-beta-specific Smad2 and mediated DNA binding on Smad3/4 consensus-binding sites, suggesting that it acted downstream of TGF-beta. In vitro association assays revealed a direct interaction of Tsg and TGF-beta proteins. Thus, Tsg functions as an agonist synergizing with TGF-beta to inhibit T-cell activation. Modulation of Tsg signaling may represent a novel target for molecular intervention toward control of aberrant T-cell responses during ongoing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tzachanis
authors.forename: Lequn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Esther M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Lafuente
authors.forename: Alla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berezovskaya
authors.forename: Gordon J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Vassiliki A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Boussiotis
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D017931:DNA Primers; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C098669:TOB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins