title: The BTB-zinc finger transcriptional regulator PLZF controls the development of invariant natural killer T cell effector functions.
abstract: Invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT cells) have an innate immunity-like rapidity of response and the ability to modulate the effector functions of other cells. We show here that iNKT cells specifically expressed the BTB-zinc finger transcriptional regulator PLZF. In the absence of PLZF, iNKT cells developed, but they lacked many features of innate T cells. PLZF-deficient iNKT cells accumulated in lymph nodes rather than in the liver, did not express NK markers and did not have the characteristic activated phenotype. PLZF-deficient iNKT cells failed to secrete large amounts of interleukin 4 and interferon-gamma after activation; however, some cells produced either interleukin 4 or interferon-gamma but not both. PLZF, therefore, is an iNKT cell-specific transcription factor that is necessary for full functionality.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Damian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kovalovsky
authors.forename: Olisambu U
authors.initials: OU
authors.lastname: Uche
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eladad
authors.forename: Robin M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hobbs
authors.forename: Woelsung
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alonzo
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eidson
authors.forename: Hye-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Pier Paolo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Pandolfi
authors.forename: Derek B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Sant'Angelo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D000075722:Promyelocytic Leukemia Zinc Finger Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D000075722:Promyelocytic Leukemia Zinc Finger Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092037:ZBTB16 protein, human; D015847:Interleukin-4