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The Epigenetic Landscape of Lineage Choice: Lessons From the Heritability of Cd4 and Cd8 Expression

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Epigenetic Regulation of Lymphocyte Development

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 356))

Abstract

Developing αβ T cells choose between the helper and cytotoxic lineages, depending upon the specificity of their T cell receptors for MHC molecules. The expression of the CD4 co-receptor on helper cells and the CD8 co-receptor on cytotoxic cells is intimately linked to this decision, and their regulation at the transcriptional level has been the subject of intense study to better understand lineage choice. Indeed, as the fate of developing T cells is decided, the expression status of these genes is accordingly locked. Genetic models have revealed important transcriptional elements and the ability to manipulate these elements in the framework of development has added a new perspective on the temporal nature of their function and the epigenetic maintenance of gene expression. We examine here novel insights into epigenetic mechanisms that have arisen through the study of these genes.

Manolis Gialitakis and MacLean Sellars contributed equally to this work

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Pathogenesis Program, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Manolis Gialitakis, MacLean Sellars & Dan R. Littman

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  1. Manolis Gialitakis
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  2. MacLean Sellars
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  3. Dan R. Littman
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Correspondence to Dan R. Littman .

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  1. , Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biology, Gilman Drive, 5113 Natural Sci. Bldg. 9500, La Jolla, 92093-0377, California, USA

    Cornelis Murre

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Gialitakis, M., Sellars, M., Littman, D.R. (2011). The Epigenetic Landscape of Lineage Choice: Lessons From the Heritability of Cd4 and Cd8 Expression. In: Murre, C. (eds) Epigenetic Regulation of Lymphocyte Development. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 356. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/82_2011_175

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