| First Author | Kimura S | Year | 2019 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 216 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | 831-846 |
| PubMed ID | 30877171 | Mgi Jnum | J:275233 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6305966 | Doi | 10.1084/jem.20181604 |
| Citation | Kimura S, et al. (2019) Sox8 is essential for M cell maturation to accelerate IgA response at the early stage after weaning in mice. J Exp Med 216(4):831-846 |
| abstractText | Microfold (M) cells residing in the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue are specialized for antigen uptake to initiate mucosal immune responses. The molecular machinery and biological significance of M cell differentiation, however, remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that Sox8, a member of the SRY-related HMG box transcription factor family, is specifically expressed by M cells in the intestinal epithelium. The expression of Sox8 requires activation of RANKL-RelB signaling. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays revealed that Sox8 directly binds the promoter region of Gp2 to increase Gp2 expression, which is the hallmark of functionally mature M cells. Furthermore, genetic deletion of Sox8 causes a marked decrease in the number of mature M cells, resulting in reduced antigen uptake in Peyer's patches. Consequently, juvenile Sox8-deficient mice showed attenuated germinal center reactions and antigen-specific IgA responses. These findings indicate that Sox8 plays an essential role in the development of M cells to establish mucosal immune responses. |
