| First Author | Xing Y | Year | 2016 |
| Journal | Nat Immunol | Volume | 17 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 565-73 |
| PubMed ID | 27043411 | Mgi Jnum | J:259593 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6142069 | Doi | 10.1038/ni.3419 |
| Citation | Xing Y, et al. (2016) Late stages of T cell maturation in the thymus involve NF-kappaB and tonic type I interferon signaling. Nat Immunol 17(5):565-73 |
| abstractText | Positive selection occurs in the thymic cortex, but critical maturation events occur later in the medulla. Here we defined the precise stage at which T cells acquired competence to proliferate and emigrate. Transcriptome analysis of late gene changes suggested roles for the transcription factor NF-kappaB and interferon signaling. Mice lacking the inhibitor of NF-kappaB (IkappaB) kinase (IKK) kinase TAK1 underwent normal positive selection but exhibited a specific block in functional maturation. NF-kappaB signaling provided protection from death mediated by the cytokine TNF and was required for proliferation and emigration. The interferon signature was independent of NF-kappaB; however, thymocytes deficient in the interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) receptor IFN-alphaR showed reduced expression of the transcription factor STAT1 and phenotypic abnormality but were able to proliferate. Thus, both NF-kappaB and tonic interferon signals are involved in the final maturation of thymocytes into naive T cells. |
