| First Author | Ciucci T | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | Volume | 114 |
| Issue | 50 | Pages | 13236-13241 |
| PubMed ID | 29180433 | Mgi Jnum | J:254441 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6103509 | Doi | 10.1073/pnas.1711160114 |
| Citation | Ciucci T, et al. (2017) A STAT3-dependent transcriptional circuitry inhibits cytotoxic gene expression in T cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114(50):13236-13241 |
| abstractText | CD8(+) T cells are preprogrammed for cytotoxic differentiation in the thymus as they acquire expression of the transcription factor Runx3. However, a subset of effector CD8(+) T cells (Tc17) produce IL-17 and fail to express cytotoxic genes. Here, we show that the transcription factors directing IL-17 production, STAT3 and RORgammat, inhibit cytotoxicity despite persistent Runx3 expression. Cytotoxic gene repression did not require the transcription factor Thpok, which in CD4(+) T cells restrains Runx3 functions and cytotoxicity; and STAT3 restrained cytotoxic gene expression in CD8(+) T cells responding to viral infection in vivo. STAT3-induced RORgammat represses cytotoxic genes by inhibiting the functions but not the expression of the "cytotoxic" transcription factors T-bet and Eomesodermin. Thus, the transcriptional circuitry directing IL-17 expression inhibits cytotoxic functions. However, by allowing expression of activators of the cytotoxic program, this inhibitory mechanism contributes to the instability of IL-17-producing T cells. |
