title: Comprehensive analysis of FOXP3 mRNA expression in leukemia and transformed cell lines.
abstract: Studies of FOXP3 expression have thus far focused on T cells, including both normal and malignant T cells. In particular, adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) cells have been studied intensively because their phenotype resembles that of normal CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells. However, a comprehensive study of FOXP3 expression covering all hematopoietic cell lineages has not yet been performed. In this study, FOXP3 mRNA expression was examined by quantitative PCR using a large collection of human hematopoietic cell lines derived from leukemia/lymphoma or virus-transformation, including cells lines with T, B, plasmacytoid, myeloid, monocytic, megakaryocytic, erythroid, and NK lineages. Unexpectedly, we found FOXP3 mRNA expression in a number of cell lines belonging to all of the cell lineages investigated. In sharp contrast, FOXP3 protein expression was found in only three cell lines, all of which were HTLV-I-infected. Several non-T cell lines expressed higher levels of mRNA but were still negative for protein expression. The broad mRNA expression contrasts with the restricted protein expression of FOXP3 in human hematopoietic cell lines, suggesting that post-transcriptional control mechanisms may control FOXP3 protein expression.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology Institute, Research Center, Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratories Inc., 675-1 Fujisaki, Okayama 702-8006, Japan. m_yamamoto@hayashibara.co.jp
authors.forename: Mayuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kazue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuji-Takayama
authors.forename: Motoyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harashima
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Motoda
authors.forename: Fumiyuki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kibata
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger