技术资料

Platelets are an abundant source of CD40 ligand (CD154),an immunomodulatory and proinflammatory molecule implicated in the onset and progression of several inflammatory diseases,including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),diabetes,and cardiovascular disease. Heretofore considered largely restricted to activated T cells,we initiated studies to investigate the source and regulation of platelet-associated CD154. We found that CD154 is abundantly expressed in platelet precursor cells,megakaryocytes. We show that CD154 is expressed in primary human CD34+ and murine hematopoietic precursor cells only after cytokine-driven megakaryocyte differentiation. Furthermore,using several established megakaryocyte-like cells lines,we performed promoter analysis of the CD154 gene and found that NFAT,a calcium-dependent transcriptional regulator associated with activated T cells,mediated both differentiation-dependent and inducible megakaryocyte-specific CD154 expression. Overall,these data represent the first investigation of the regulation of a novel source of CD154 and suggests that platelet-associated CD154 can be biochemically modulated. View Publication

Mef2c is a MADS (MCM1-agamous-deficient serum response factor) transcription factor best known for its role in muscle and cardiovascular development. A causal role of up-regulated MEF2C expression in myelomonocytic acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has recently been demonstrated. Due to the pronounced monocytic component observed in Mef2c-induced AML,this study was designed to assess the importance of Mef2c in normal myeloid differentiation. Analysis of bone marrow (BM) cells manipulated to constitutively express Mef2c demonstrated increased monopoiesis at the expense of granulopoiesis,whereas BM isolated from Mef2c(Delta/-) mice showed reduced levels of monocytic differentiation in response to cytokines. Mechanistic studies showed that loss of Mef2c expression correlated with reduced levels of transcripts encoding c-Jun,but not PU.1,C/EBPalpha,or JunB transcription factors. Inhibiting Jun expression by short-interfering RNA impaired Mef2c-mediated inhibition of granulocyte development. Moreover,retroviral expression of c-Jun in BM cells promoted monocytic differentiation. The ability of Mef2c to modulate cell-fate decisions between monocyte and granulocyte differentiation,coupled with its functional sensitivity to extracellular stimuli,demonstrate an important role in immunity--and,consistent with findings of other myeloid transcription factors,a target of oncogenic lesions in AML. View Publication

T cell homeostasis is crucial for maintaining an efficient and balanced T cell immunity. The interaction between TCR and self peptide (sp) MHC ligands is known to be the key driving force in this process,and it is believed to be functionally and mechanistically different from that initiated by the antigenic TCR stimulation. Yet,very little is known about the downstream signaling events triggered by this TCR-spMHC interaction and how they differ from those triggered by antigenic TCR stimulation. In this study,we show that T cell conditional ablation of MEKK3,a Ser/Thr kinase in the MAPK cascade,causes a significant reduction in peripheral T cell numbers in the conditional knockout mice,but does not perturb thymic T cell development and maturation. Using an adoptive mixed transfer method,we show that MEKK3-deficient T cells are severely impaired in lymphopenia-induced cell proliferation and survival. Interestingly,the Ag-induced T cell proliferation proceeds normally in the absence of MEKK3. Finally,we found that the activity of ERK1/2,but not p38 MAPK,was attenuated during the lymphopenia-driven response in MEKK3-deficient T cells. Together,these data suggest that MEKK3 may play a crucial selective role for spMHC-mediated T cell homeostasis. View Publication

The antigen recognition interface formed by T helper precursors (Thps) and antigen-presenting cells (APCs),called the immunological synapse (IS),includes receptors and signaling molecules necessary for Thp activation and differentiation. We have recently shown that recruitment of the interferon-gamma receptor (IFNGR) into the IS correlates with the capacity of Thps to differentiate into Th1 effector cells,an event regulated by signaling through the functionally opposing receptor to interleukin-4 (IL4R). Here,we show that,similar to IFN-gamma ligation,TCR stimuli induce the translocation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) to IFNGR1-rich regions of the membrane. Unexpectedly,STAT1 is preferentially expressed,is constitutively serine (727) phosphorylated in Thp,and is recruited to the IS and the nucleus upon TCR signaling. IL4R engagement controls this process by interfering with both STAT1 recruitment and nuclear translocation. We also show that in cells with deficient Th1 or constitutive Th2 differentiation,the IL4R is recruited to the IS. This observation suggest that the IL4R is retained outside the IS,similar to the exclusion of IFNGR from the IS during IL4R signaling. This study provides new mechanistic cues for the regulation of lineage commitment by mutual immobilization of functionally antagonistic membrane receptors. View Publication