Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Adenoviral Transduction of Naive CD4 T Cells to Study Treg Differentiation
Published on: August 13, 2013
TDRD3, a Tudor domain-containing protein, regulates Klf2-dependent Treg differentiation and function to modulate
Yun Shi1, Xiaoqun Tao2, Lei Shen2
1Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
Tudor domain-containing protein 3 (TDRD3) is crucial for immune tolerance. Its absence impairs regulatory T cell differentiation and function, leading to inflammation and highlighting TDRD3 as a therapeutic target.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Gene Regulation
Background:
- Tudor domain-containing protein 3 (TDRD3) acts as a methylarginine reader, influencing gene expression.
- Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for immune tolerance.
- The role of TDRD3 in Treg function and immune homeostasis is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of TDRD3 in regulatory T cell differentiation and function.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which TDRD3 regulates immune tolerance.
- To assess the therapeutic potential of targeting TDRD3 in inflammatory conditions.
Main Methods:
- Treg-specific Tdrd3 knockout mouse models were generated.
- Analysis of iTreg and thymic Treg differentiation and suppressive capacity.
- Adoptive transfer models for colitis.
- Mechanistic studies involving transcription factor recruitment and gene expression analysis (Klf2).
Main Results:
- Treg-specific deletion of Tdrd3 severely impaired inducible Treg (iTreg) differentiation but not thymic Treg differentiation.
- Tdrd3-deficient iTregs exhibited compromised suppressive capacity, failing to prevent colitis in adoptive transfer models.
- Aged Tdrd3-deficient mice developed spontaneous autoinflammation.
- TDRD3 interacts with FOXO1 to promote Klf2 expression, which is vital for Treg differentiation.
- Restoring Klf2 expression rescued iTreg development and function in Tdrd3-deficient cells.
Conclusions:
- TDRD3 is a critical transcriptional regulator of iTreg differentiation and immune homeostasis.
- TDRD3, via FOXO1 and Klf2, plays a key role in maintaining immune tolerance.
- TDRD3 represents a potential therapeutic target for immune-mediated diseases.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to...
Regulated Protein Degradation
Protein degradation plays two important roles in the cells. It helps to protect cells from misfolded or damaged proteins before they lead to a...
Regulated Protein Degradation
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein....
Mechanical Protein Functions
Conservation of Protein Domains

