title: Ikaros to the rescue of TCR-α chain gene rearrangement.
abstract: Ikaros is a transcriptional regulator critical for B- and T-cell development. Recently, it has been shown to play a central role in facilitating rearrangement of antigen-receptor genes in B cells. Whether or not it had a similar function in this process in T cells, however, was a mystery. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, a role for Ikaros in T-cell receptor (TCR) rearrangement and expression of TCR-α chain genes is revealed in the study by Collins et al. [Eur. J. Immunol. 2013. 43: 521-532]. Ikaros functions in this capacity as an "accessibility factor," facilitating increased TCR-α chain gene transcription and accessibility of the locus to promote rearrangement. Interestingly, this study has also revealed differences in the mechanisms by which Ikaros promotes antigen-receptor rearrangement in B versus T cells, thereby suggesting that Ikaros may have lineage-specific functions in coordinating antigen-receptor rearrangement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA. swinandy@bu.edu
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Winandy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015332:Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006801:Humans; D051740:Ikaros Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D051740:Ikaros Transcription Factor