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Autoimmune regulator initiates the expression of promiscuous genes in thymic epithelial cells

Jibing Chen1, Wei Yang, Chunlei Yu

  • 1Department of Immunology, Norman Bethune Medical College of JiLin University, Chang Chun, China.

Immunological Investigations
|April 5, 2008
PubMed

The expression of peripheral antigens in the thymus, known as promiscuous gene expression, has been implicated in T cell tolerance and autoimmunity. Here we identified thymic epithelial cells (TECs) as the main cell type that expresses a diverse range of tissue-restricted antigens (TRAs). The TECs of a common autoimmune (non-obese diabetic [NOD]) mouse model express much lower levels of an autoimmune regulator (Aire) and TRAs than normal (Balb/c) TECs. Transfection of an Aire plasmid led to increased levels of TRA expression in cultured TECs from Balb/c and NOD mice; an increase that was enhanced by the presence of thymocytes. These data show that Aire initiates promiscuous gene expression in TECs, and that this function might be under thymocyte control.

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