| First Author | Graf D | Year | 2002 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 196 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 163-71 |
| PubMed ID | 12119341 | Mgi Jnum | J:120461 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3706613 | Doi | 10.1084/jem.20020276 |
| Citation | Graf D, et al. (2002) The developmentally regulated expression of Twisted gastrulation reveals a role for bone morphogenetic proteins in the control of T cell development. J Exp Med 196(2):163-71 |
| abstractText | The evolutionarily conserved, secreted protein Twisted gastrulation (Tsg) modulates morphogenetic effects of decapentaplegic (dpp) and its orthologs, the bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 4 (BMP2/4), in early Drosophila and vertebrate embryos. We have uncovered a role for Tsg at a much later stage of mammalian development, during T cell differentiation in the thymus. BMP4 is expressed by thymic stroma and inhibits the proliferation of CD4(-)CD8(-) double-negative (DN) thymocytes and their differentiation to the CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive (DP) stage in vitro. Tsg is expressed by thymocytes and up-regulated after T cell receptor signaling at two developmental checkpoints, the transition from the DN to the DP and from the DP to the CD4(+) or CD8(+) single-positive stage. Tsg can synergize with the BMP inhibitor chordin to block the BMP4-mediated inhibition of thymocyte proliferation and differentiation. These data suggest that the developmentally regulated expression of Tsg may allow thymocytes to temporarily withdraw from inhibitory BMP signals. |
