Mina, an Il4 repressor, controls T helper type 2 bias

Nat Immunol. 2009 Aug;10(8):872-9. doi: 10.1038/ni.1747. Epub 2009 Jun 28.

Abstract

T helper type 2 (T(H)2) bias, which is the propensity of naive CD4(+) T cells to differentiate into interleukin 4 (IL-4)-secreting T(H)2 cells, is a genetic trait that affects susceptibility to infectious, autoimmune and allergic diseases. T(H)2 bias correlates with the amount of IL-4 initially secreted by newly activated helper T cells that feeds back positively through the pathway of the IL-4 receptor and the transcription factors STAT6 and GATA-3 to drive T(H)2 development. Here we identify Mina, a member of the jumonji C (JmjC) protein family, as a genetic determinant of T(H)2 bias. Mina specifically bound to and repressed the Il4 promoter. Mina overexpression in transgenic mice impaired Il4 expression, whereas its knockdown in primary CD4(+) T cells led to Il4 derepression. Our findings collectively provide mechanistic insight into an Il4-regulatory pathway that controls helper T cell differentiation and genetic variation in T(H)2 bias.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • GATA3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Haplotypes
  • Interleukin-4 / biosynthesis*
  • Interleukin-4 / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / physiology*
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / physiology*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Species Specificity
  • Th2 Cells / cytology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*

Substances

  • GATA3 Transcription Factor
  • Mina53 protein, mouse
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor
  • Interleukin-4