| First Author | Liao W | Year | 2008 |
| Journal | Nat Immunol | Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 11 | Pages | 1288-96 |
| PubMed ID | 18820682 | Mgi Jnum | J:143336 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3826710 | Doi | 10.1038/ni.1656 |
| Citation | Liao W, et al. (2008) Priming for T helper type 2 differentiation by interleukin 2-mediated induction of interleukin 4 receptor alpha-chain expression. Nat Immunol 9(11):1288-96 |
| abstractText | T helper type 2 (T(H)2) cells are essential for humoral immunity and host defense. Interleukin 4 (IL-4) drives T(H)2 differentiation and IL-2 augments the accessibility of Il4 chromatin. Here we demonstrate that IL-2, by inducing binding of STAT5 to the Il4ra locus, which encodes IL-4 receptor alpha-chain (IL-4Ralpha), was essential for inducing and maintaining IL-4Ralpha expression. Although IL-4 induced IL-4Ralpha expression, T cell receptor-induced IL-4Ralpha expression was normal in Il4(-/-) cells but was much lower in Il2(-/-) cells. Notably, forced IL-4Ralpha expression restored the T(H)2 differentiation of Il2(-/-) cells. Moreover, genome-wide mapping by chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with sequencing showed broad interaction of the transcription factors STAT5A and STAT5B with genes associated with T(H)2 differentiation. Our results identify a previously unappreciated function for IL-2 in 'priming' T cells for T(H)2 differentiation and in maintaining the expression of Il4ra and other genes in T(H)2-committed cells. |
