Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Mouse Naïve CD4+ T Cell Isolation and In vitro Differentiation into T Cell Subsets
Published on: April 16, 2015
Apoptotic programs are determined during lineage commitment of CD4+ T effectors: selective regulation of T
Divya Purushothaman1, Nimi Marcel, Megha Garg
1National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore 560065, Karnataka, India. apurva.sarin@gmail.com
Abstract:
Lineage-committed T effectors generated in response to Ag during the inflammatory phase are destined to die during termination of the immune response. We present evidence to suggest that molecular signatures of lineage commitment are reflected in apoptotic cascades activated in CD4(+) T effectors. Exemplifying this, ablation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) protected effector-memory T (TEM) cells, but not T(Naive) or central-memory T cells, activated in vitro, from apoptosis triggered by cytokine deprivation. Furthermore, attrition of T effectors generated in the secondary, but not the primary, response to Ag was substantially reduced in mice, which received iNOS inhibitors. Distinct patterns of iNOS expression were revealed in wild-type TEM effectors undergoing apoptosis, and ablation of iNOS protein in primary and TEM wild-type effectors confirmed observations made in iNOS(-/-) cells. Describing molecular correlates of this dependence, mitochondrial damage, activation of the protein Bax, and release from mitochondria of the apoptosis-inducing factor were selectively abrogated in iNOS(-/-) TEM effectors. Suggesting that iNOS dependence was linked to the functional identity of T cell subsets, both iNOS induction and apoptosis were compromised in IFN-γ(-/-) TEM effectors, which mirrored the response patterns of iNOS(-)(/)(-) TEM. Collectively, these observations suggest that programs regulating deletion and differentiation are closely integrated and likely encoded during lineage commitment of T effectors.
More Related Videos
09:18Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death
Published on: December 27, 2016
08:51Applying an Inducible Expression System to Study Interference of Bacterial Virulence Factors with Intracellular Signaling
Published on: June 25, 2015
Related Concept Videos
The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
Apoptosis
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy