| First Author | Wilkinson B | Year | 2002 |
| Journal | Nat Immunol | Volume | 3 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 272-80 |
| PubMed ID | 11850626 | Mgi Jnum | J:74993 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2159528 | Doi | 10.1038/ni767 |
| Citation | Wilkinson B, et al. (2002) TOX: an HMG box protein implicated in the regulation of thymocyte selection. Nat Immunol 3(3):272-80 |
| abstractText | In the thymus, pre-T cell receptor (pre-TCR)--mediated signaling and then TCR-mediated signaling initiate changes in gene expression that result in the maturation of CD4 and CD8 lineage T cells from common precursors. Using gene chip technology, we isolated a murine gene, designated Tox, that encodes a member of the HMG (high-mobility group) box family of DNA-binding proteins. TOX expression is up-regulated by both pre-TCR and TCR activation of immature thymocytes but not by TCR activation of mature naive T cells. Transgenic mice that express TOX show expanded CD8+ and reduced CD4+ single positive thymocyte subpopulations. We present evidence here that this phenotype results from a perturbation in lineage commitment due to reduced sensitivity to TCR-mediated signaling. This molecular marker of thymic selection events may therefore play a role in establishing the activation threshold of developing T cells and patterning changes in gene expression. |
