Maintenance of T cell lineage commitment by DNA methylation

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24689042
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Hematology
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: TOMOKATSU Ikawa 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 統合生命医科学研究センター, 上級研究員 (60450392)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: T細胞分化 / 運命決定 / Np95 / エピジェネティクス / DNAメチル化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Epigenetic regulations, such as chromatin modification or DNA methylation play key roles in the maintenance of committed cells during differentiation. However, exact mechanisms are yet to be determined. Here we found that the Np95, which is shown to regulate the DNA methylation, is critical for early T cell differentiation. The T cell development in thymus of T-cell specific Np95-deficient mice was severely impaired at the early differentiation stage. Derepression of genes which are not normally expressed in thymic T cell progenitors were found. These results suggest that the Np95 is essential for the maintenance of T cell fate.

Free Research Field

免疫学