title: Fezf2 Orchestrates a Thymic Program of Self-Antigen Expression for Immune Tolerance.
abstract: Self-tolerance to immune reactions is established via promiscuous expression of tissue-restricted antigens (TRAs) in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), leading to the elimination of T cells that respond to self-antigens. The transcriptional regulator Aire has been thought to be sufficient for the induction of TRAs, despite some indications that other factors may promote TRA expression in the thymus. Here, we show that the transcription factor Fezf2 directly regulates various TRA genes in mTECs independently of Aire. Mice lacking Fezf2 in mTECs displayed severe autoimmune symptoms, including the production of autoantibodies and inflammatory cell infiltration targeted to peripheral organs. These responses differed from those detected in Aire-deficient mice. Furthermore, Fezf2 expression and Aire expression are regulated by distinct signaling pathways and promote the expression of different classes of proteins. Thus, two independent factors, Fezf2 and Aire, permit the expression of TRAs in the thymus to ensure immune tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Takayanagi Osteonetwork Project, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takaba
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morishita
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomofuji
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Takayanagi Osteonetwork Project, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Lynett
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Danks
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nitta
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Systems Biology and Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Takayanagi Osteonetwork Project, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. Electronic address: takayana@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takayanagi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D060168:Thymocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D000096927:AIRE Protein
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000096927:AIRE Protein; C412364:Zfp312 protein, mouse