Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Mouse Naïve CD4+ T Cell Isolation and In vitro Differentiation into T Cell Subsets
07:12

Mouse Naïve CD4+ T Cell Isolation and In vitro Differentiation into T Cell Subsets

Published on: April 16, 2015

T cell factor 1 initiates the T helper type 2 fate by inducing the transcription factor GATA-3 and repressing

Qing Yu1, Archna Sharma, Sun Young Oh

  • 1Lymphocyte Development Unit, Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Nature Immunology
|August 4, 2009
PubMed

The differentiation of activated CD4(+) T cells into the T helper type 1 (T(H)1) or T(H)2 fate is regulated by cytokines and the transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3. Whereas interleukin 12 (IL-12) produced by antigen-presenting cells initiates the T(H)1 fate, signals that initiate the T(H)2 fate are not completely characterized. Here we show that early GATA-3 expression, required for T(H)2 differentiation, was induced by T cell factor 1 (TCF-1) and its cofactor beta-catenin, mainly from the proximal Gata3 promoter upstream of exon 1b. This activity was induced after T cell antigen receptor (TCR) stimulation and was independent of IL-4 receptor signaling through the transcription factor STAT6. Furthermore, TCF-1 blocked T(H)1 fate by negatively regulating interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) expression independently of beta-catenin. Thus, TCF-1 initiates T(H)2 differentiation of activated CD4(+) T cells by promoting GATA-3 expression and suppressing IFN-gamma expression.

More Related Videos

Evaluation of T Follicular Helper Cells and Germinal Center Response During Influenza A Virus Infection in Mice07:07

Evaluation of T Follicular Helper Cells and Germinal Center Response During Influenza A Virus Infection in Mice

Published on: June 27, 2020

Related Concept Videos

TGF - β Signaling Pathway01:16

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors are of three kinds RI, RII, and RIII. The RI...
T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
General Transcription Factors01:30

General Transcription Factors

Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Transcription Factors02:16

Transcription Factors

Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
Master Transcription Regulators02:23

Master Transcription Regulators

Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a  complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...