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Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Mouse Naïve CD4+ T Cell Isolation and In vitro Differentiation into T Cell Subsets
Published on: April 16, 2015
Prediction of regulatory transcription factors in T helper cell differentiation and maintenance
Yue-Hien Lee1, Manuela Benary, Ria Baumgrass
1Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany. yuehien@gmail.com
Abstract:
Naive T-helper (Th) cells differentiate into distinct lineages including Th1, Th2, Th17 and regulatory T (Treg) cells. Each of these Th-lineages has specific functions in immune defense and T cell homeostasis. Th cell fate decisions and commitment are dependent on the kind and strength of T cell stimulation and the subsequent gene expression profiles. Our analysis targeted the identification of new regulatory transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) in the promoter regions of up- and down-regulated genes in Treg cell differentiation and lineage maintenance. For this approach we compared different gene groups from global gene expression studies with background models of randomly selected genes to identify significantly overrepresented TFBSs. Results of our analysis suggest that Ets and IRF family members contribute to the regulation of the initial induction of Treg cells. Furthermore, we identified the overrepresented TFBS-pairs Runx-NFAT and GATA3-Foxp3 in Treg specific genes and Foxp3 dependent genes, respectively. Interestingly, previous studies have observed functional interactions of both TFBS-pairs in T cells. This study provides a starting point for further investigations to elucidate the transcriptional network in Treg cells.
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