title: Dynamic changes in chromatin conformation at the TNF transcription start site in T helper lymphocyte subsets.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is one of the key primary response genes in the immune system that can be activated by a variety of stimuli. Previous analysis of chromatin accessibility to DNaseI demonstrated open chromatin conformation of the TNF proximal promoter in T cells. Here, using chromatin probing with restriction enzyme EcoNI and micrococcal nuclease we show that in contrast to the proximal promoter, the TNF transcription start site remains in a closed chromatin configuration in primary T helper (Th) cells, but acquires an open state after activation or polarization under Th1 and Th17 conditions. We further demonstrate that transcription factor c-Jun plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of open chromatin conformation at the transcription start site of the TNF gene.
authors.affiliation: German Rheumatism Research Center, a Leibniz Institute, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Yury V
authors.initials: YV
authors.lastname: Shebzukhov
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: Kristina I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Brazhnik
authors.forename: Marina S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Drutskaya
authors.forename: Anna A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kuchmiy
authors.forename: Dmitry V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Kuprash
authors.forename: Sergei A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nedospasov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008836:Micrococcal Nuclease / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011487:Protein Conformation; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D024363:Transcription Initiation Site; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008836:Micrococcal Nuclease
keywords: Chromatin conformation; T lymphocyte; TNF; Th cells; Transcription start site