Expression of AIRE in thymocytes and peripheral lymphocytes.
Autoimmune regulator (AIRE) is a transcription factor expressed in the thymic medullary epithelial cells (MECs). MECs have been suggested to contribute to tolerance induction by presenting tissue specific antigens to T cells that react to these antigens. AIRE expression in cells other than MECs has not been studied extensively. Here we report four-color flow cytometric and quantitative real-time PCR studies on the expression of AIRE in the lymphoid cells in the thymus and periphery. In the thymus AIRE was expressed in B cells and CD4+CD8+ double positive cells at a low level. In the peripheral blood AIRE was expressed in B cells but not in T cells, and also expressed in CD14+ dendritic cells (DCs)/macrophages and granulocytes at higher levels. AIRE mRNA was expressed higher in B cells than in T cells. Further study is warranted to define the functional role of the AIRE expressed in the lymphoid cells.
Suzuki
Eriko
E
Department of Surgery II, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Japan.
Kobayashi
Yoshihiro
Y
Kawano
Osamu
O
Endo
Katsuhiko
K
Haneda
Hiroshi
H
Yukiue
Haruhiro
H
Sasaki
Hidefumi
H
Yano
Motoki
M
Maeda
Masanobu
M
Fujii
Yoshitaka
Y
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000096927:AIRE Protein
D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000096927:AIRE Protein