title: Transcriptional control of CD4 and CD8 coreceptor expression during T cell development.
abstract: The differentiation and function of peripheral helper and cytotoxic T cell lineages is coupled with the expression of CD4 and CD8 coreceptor molecules, respectively. This indicates that the control of coreceptor gene expression is closely linked with the regulation of CD4/CD8 lineage decision of DP thymocytes. Research performed during the last two decades revealed comprehensive mechanistic insight into the developmental stage- and subset/lineage-specific regulation of Cd4, Cd8a and Cd8b1 (Cd8) gene expression. These studies provided important insight into transcriptional control mechanisms during T cell development and into the regulation of cis-regulatory networks in general. Moreover, the identification of transcription factors involved in the regulation of CD4 and CD8 significantly advanced the knowledge of the transcription factor network regulating CD4/CD8 cell-fate choice of DP thymocytes. In this review, we provide an overview of the identification and characterization of CD4/CD8 cis-regulatory elements and present recent progress in our understanding of how these cis-regulatory elements control CD4/CD8 expression during T cell development and in peripheral T cells. In addition, we describe the transcription factors implicated in the regulation of coreceptor gene expression and discuss how these factors are integrated into the transcription factor network that regulates CD4/CD8 cell-fate choice of DP thymocytes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunobiology, Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse, 19, 1090, Vienna, Austria, wilfried.ellmeier@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ellmeier
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haust
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tschismarov
mesh_terms: D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D060168:Thymocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens