Citation

  • Authors: Lai, C. Y., Lin, S. Y., Wu, C. K., Yeh, L. T., Sytwu, H. K., Miaw, S. C.
  • Year: 2012
  • Journal: J Immunol 189 1545-50
  • Applications: in vitro / DNA / jetPEI
  • Cell type: HEK-293T
    Description: Human embryonic kidney Fibroblast
    Known as: HEK293T, 293T

Abstract

Maf proteins are involved in a variety of biological processes, such as oncogenesis, lens development, and differentiation. In immune system, c-Maf transactivates IL-4 promoter, and ectopic expression of c-Maf skews primary T cell response toward the Th2 pathway. Numerous transcription factors are subjected to posttranslational modification. In this study, to our knowledge, we show for the first time that c-Maf is subjective to tyrosine phosphorylation in Th cells and that the level of its tyrosine phosphorylation positively correlates with IL-4 expression by peripheral Th cells, but is negatively associated with the severity of disease in NOD mice. c-Maf undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation at Tyr(21), Tyr(92), and Tyr(131) residues in Th2 cells. Furthermore, tyrosine phosphorylation at these three residues is critical for the recruitment of c-Maf to IL-4 promoter and IL-4 production in Th cells. Taken together, this study sheds new light on the role of posttranslational modification of c-Maf in IL-4 production and Th cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.

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