Cutting Edge: The Histone Methyltransferase G9a Is Required for Silencing of Helper T Lineage-Associated Genes in Proliferating CD8 T Cells

Helper versus cytotoxic T lineage decision in the thymus has been studied as a model for silencing of alternative lineage genes. Although the transcription factor RUNX3 is required for the initiation of silencing in developing CD8 T cells, it is unknown how silencing of and other helper T lineage ge...

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Published inThe Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 200; no. 12; pp. 3891 - 3896
Main Authors Verbaro, Daniel J, Sakurai, Nagisa, Kim, Byungil, Shinkai, Yoichi, Egawa, Takeshi
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Association of Immunologists 15.06.2018
Subjects
CD4 antigen
CD8 antigen
Cell division
Cytotoxicity
Gene silencing
Histone methyltransferase
Inflammation
Listeria
Listeria monocytogenes
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes T
Lymphopenia
Runx3 protein
Thymus
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Summary:Helper versus cytotoxic T lineage decision in the thymus has been studied as a model for silencing of alternative lineage genes. Although the transcription factor RUNX3 is required for the initiation of silencing in developing CD8 T cells, it is unknown how silencing of and other helper T lineage genes is maintained. We show that the histone methyltransferase G9a is necessary for silencing helper T lineage genes in proliferating mouse CD8 T cells. Despite normal initial downregulation, G9a-deficient CD8 T cells derepress and other helper lineage genes during repeated division in lymphopenia or in response to tumor Ag. However, G9a was dispensable for continued silencing of those genes in CD8 T cells that respond to infection by These results demonstrate that G9a facilitates maintenance of cellular identity of CD8 T cells during cell division, which is further reinforced by inflammatory signals.
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ISSN:0022-1767
1550-6606
DOI:10.4049/jimmunol.1701700