title: Global transcriptional profiling reveals distinct functions of thymic stromal subsets and age-related changes during thymic involution.
abstract: Age-associated thymic involution results in diminished T cell output and function in aged individuals. However, molecular mediators contributing to the decline in thymic function during early thymic involution remain largely unknown. Here, we present transcriptional profiling of purified thymic stromal subsets from mice 1, 3, and 6 months of age spanning early thymic involution. The data implicate unanticipated biological functions for a subset of thymic epithelial cells. The predominant transcriptional signature of early thymic involution is decreased expression of cell-cycle-associated genes and E2F3 transcriptional targets in thymic epithelial subsets. Also, expression of proinflammatory genes increases with age in thymic dendritic cells. Many genes previously implicated in late involution are already deregulated by 3-6 months of age. We provide these thymic stromal data sets, along with thymocyte data sets, in a readily searchable web-based platform, as a resource for investigations into thymocyte:stromal interactions and mechanisms of thymic involution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Sanghee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ki
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Daechan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Hilary J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Selden
authors.affiliation: Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seita
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Haewon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Jonghwan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Vishwanath R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Iyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: lehrlich@austin.utexas.edu.
authors.forename: Lauren I R
authors.initials: LIR
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*