Integration of distinct intracellular signaling pathways at distal regulatory elements directs T-bet expression in human CD4+ T cells.
T-bet is a key regulator controlling Th1 cell development. This factor is not expressed in naive CD4(+) T cells, and the mechanisms controlling expression of T-bet are incompletely understood. In this study, we defined regulatory elements at the human T-bet locus and determined how signals originating at the TCR and at cytokine receptors are integrated to induce chromatin modifications and expression of this gene during human Th1 cell differentiation. We found that T cell activation induced two strong DNase I-hypersensitive sites (HS) and rapid histone acetylation at these elements in CD4(+) T cells. Histone acetylation and T-bet expression were strongly inhibited by cyclosporine A, and we detected binding of NF-AT to a HS in vivo. IL-12 and IFN-gamma signaling alone were not sufficient to induce T-bet expression in naive CD4(+) T cells, but enhanced T-bet expression in TCR/CD28-stimulated cells. We detected a third HS 12 kb upstream of the mRNA start site only in developing Th1 cells, which was bound by IL-12-induced STAT4. Our data suggest that T-bet locus remodeling and gene expression are initiated by TCR-induced NF-AT recruitment and amplified by IL-12-mediated STAT4 binding to distinct distal regulatory elements during human Th1 cell differentiation.
Placek
Katarzyna
K
Institut Pasteur, Immunoregulation Unit and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité de Recherche Associée 1961, Department of Immunology, Paris, France.
Gasparian
Sona
S
Coffre
Maryaline
M
Maiella
Sylvie
S
Sechet
Emmanuel
E
Bianchi
Elisabetta
E
Rogge
Lars
L
D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000502:physiology; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
D018106:CD28 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; C494003:NFATC1 protein, human; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I