Work

Medullary Epithelial Cells of the Human Thymus Express a Highly Diverse Selection of Tissue-specific Genes Colocalized in Chromosomal Clusters

Year: 2004

Type: article

Abstract: Promiscuous expression of tissue-specific self-antigens in the thymus imposes T cell tolerance and protects from autoimmune diseases, as shown in animal studies. Analysis of promiscuous gene expression in purified stromal cells of the human thymus at the single and global gene level documents the species conservation of this phenomenon. Medullary thymic epithelial cells overexpress a highly diverse set of genes (>400) including many tissue-specific antigens, disease-associated autoantigens, and cancer-germline genes. Although there are no apparent structural or functional commonalities among these genes and their products, they cluster along chromosomes. These findings have implications for human autoimmune diseases, immuno-therapy of tumors, and the understanding of the nature of this unorthodox regulation of gene expression.

Source: The Journal of Experimental Medicine

DOI: 10.1084/jem.20031677

Authors: Jörn Gotter, Benedikt Brors, Manfred Hergenhahn, Bruno Kyewski

Institution: German Cancer Research Center

Language: English

Topic: T-cell and B-cell Immunology

Subfield: Immunology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

OpenAlex ID: W2121733174