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Gcn5 is required for PU.1-dependent IL-9 induction in Th9 cells
Ritobrata Goswami1, Mark H Kaplan
1Department of Pediatrics, Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|August 21, 2012
Summary
This study reveals how the transcription factor PU.1 controls IL-9 production in Th9 cells. PU.1 enhances IL-9 gene expression by altering histone acetylation through interactions with specific enzymes.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Naive CD4+ T cells differentiate into effector subsets like Th9 cells.
- Th9 cells are characterized by IL-9 secretion.
- The transcription factor PU.1 is crucial for Th9 cell development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanism by which PU.1 regulates IL-9 gene expression in Th9 cells.
- To investigate the role of histone modifications in PU.1-mediated IL-9 production.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of histone acetylation and deacetylation at the Il9 locus.
- Investigating the interaction of PU.1 with histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs).
- Assessing the impact of inhibiting HATs (Gcn5) and HDACs on IL-9 production.
Main Results:
- PU.1 directly increases histone acetylation at the Il9 locus via HATs.
- Absence of PU.1 leads to reduced HATs and increased HDACs at the Il9 locus.
- Inhibition of HDACs enhances PU.1-dependent IL-9 production.
- PU.1 forms a complex with Gcn5, and its inhibition reduces IL-9 production specifically, not affecting IL-10 or IL-21.
Conclusions:
- PU.1-dependent epigenetic modifications, specifically histone acetylation, are critical for Il9 gene expression in Th9 cells.
- This study defines a novel mechanism involving PU.1, HATs, and HDACs in regulating Th9 cell effector function.
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