title: Proviral integration site for Moloney murine leukemia virus (PIM) kinases promote human T helper 1 cell differentiation.
abstract: The differentiation of human primary T helper 1 (Th1) cells from naïve precursor cells is regulated by a complex, interrelated signaling network. The identification of factors regulating the early steps of Th1 cell polarization can provide important insight in the development of therapeutics for many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The serine/threonine-specific proviral integration site for Moloney murine leukemia virus (PIM) kinases PIM1 and PIM2 have been implicated in the cytokine-dependent proliferation and survival of lymphocytes. We have established that the third member of this family, PIM3, is also expressed in human primary Th cells and identified a new function for the entire PIM kinase family in T lymphocytes. Although PIM kinases are expressed more in Th1 than Th2 cells, we demonstrate here that these kinases positively influence Th1 cell differentiation. Our RNA interference results from human primary Th cells also suggest that PIM kinases promote the production of IFNγ, the hallmark cytokine produced by Th1 cells. Consistent with this, they also seem to be important for the up-regulation of the critical Th1-driving factor, T box expressed in T cells (T-BET), and the IL-12/STAT4 signaling pathway during the early Th1 differentiation process. In summary, we have identified PIM kinases as new regulators of human primary Th1 cell differentiation, thus providing new insights into the mechanisms controlling the selective development of human Th cell subsets.
authors.affiliation: Turku Centre for Biotechnology, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi, 20520 Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tahvanainen
authors.forename: Minna K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kyläniemi
authors.forename: Kartiek
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanduri
authors.forename: Bhawna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lähteenmäki
authors.forename: Teemu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kallonen
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajavuori
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rasool
authors.forename: Päivi J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.forename: Kanury V S
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lähdesmäki
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lahesmaa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus / Q000502:physiology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011533:Proviruses / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D016662:Virus Integration / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor; C494090:STAT4 protein, human; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; C494101:STAT6 protein, human; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases