| First Author | Boyden LM | Year | 2008 |
| Journal | Nat Genet | Volume | 40 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 656-62 |
| PubMed ID | 18408721 | Mgi Jnum | J:139711 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3809697 | Doi | 10.1038/ng.108 |
| Citation | Boyden LM, et al. (2008) Skint1, the prototype of a newly identified immunoglobulin superfamily gene cluster, positively selects epidermal gammadelta T cells. Nat Genet 40(5):656-62 |
| abstractText | B cells, alphabeta T cells and gammadelta T cells are conserved lymphocyte subtypes encoding their antigen receptors from somatically rearranged genes. alphabeta T cells undergo positive selection in the thymus by engagement of their T cell receptors (TCRs) with self-peptides presented by major histocompatibility complex molecules. The molecules that select gammadelta T cells are unknown. Vgamma5+Vdelta1+ cells comprise 90% of mouse epidermal gammadelta T cells. By mapping and genetic complementation using a strain showing loss of Vgamma5+Vdelta1+ cells due to a failure of thymic selection, we show that this defect is caused by mutation in Skint1, a newly identified gene expressed in thymus and skin that encodes a protein with immunoglobulin-like and transmembrane domains. Skint1 is the prototypic member of a rapidly evolving family of at least 11 genes in mouse, with greatest similarity to the butyrophilin genes. These findings define a new family of proteins mediating key epithelial-immune interactions. |
