The zinc-finger transcription factor MAZR regulates iNKT cell subset differentiation

Bioinformatics Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes and Related Pathways in Acute Pancreatitis

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the acute pancreatitis (AP).

METHODS

Microarray datasets GSE3644, GSE65146, and GSE109227 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. Then, a comprehensive analysis of these genes was performed using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction network analysis, core gene correlation analysis, and transcription factor prediction. Finally, the differences in the expression of hub genes in human organs and survival analysis in pancreatic carcinoma were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 137 DEGs were screened, 128 genes were upregulated, and 9 genes were downregulated. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that these genes were mostly enriched in biological processes such as positive regulation of macroautophagy, cellular component such as focal adhesion, molecular function such as cadherin binding involved in cell-cell adhesion, and multiple pathways including tight junction. CDH1 and VCL were identified as hub DEGs, close interactions with MAZ, were expressed in human pancreas organs in various degrees. The high expression of CDH1 and VCL was significantly associated with poor prognosis in pancreatic carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS

The core genes CDH1 and VCL may play a key role in AP through regulation by MAZ.

Genomic and Transcriptional Mechanisms Governing Innate-like T Lymphocyte Development

Innate-like lymphocytes are a subset of lymphoid cells that function as a first line of defense against microbial infection. These cells are activated by proinflammatory cytokines or broadly expressed receptors and are able to rapidly perform their effector functions owing to a uniquely primed chromatin state that is acquired as a part of their developmental program. These cells function in many organs to protect against disease, but they release cytokines and cytotoxic mediators that can also lead to severe tissue pathologies. Therefore, harnessing the capabilities of these cells for therapeutic interventions will require a deep understanding of how these cells develop and regulate their effector functions. In this review we discuss recent advances in the identification of the transcription factors and the genomic regions that guide the development and function of invariant NKT cells and we highlight related mechanisms in other innate-like lymphocytes.

ZBTB Transcription Factors: Key Regulators of the Development, Differentiation and Effector Function of T Cells

The development and differentiation of T cells represents a long and highly coordinated, yet flexible at some points, pathway, along which the sequential and dynamic expressions of different transcriptional factors play prominent roles at multiple steps. The large ZBTB family comprises a diverse group of transcriptional factors, and many of them have emerged as critical factors that regulate the lineage commitment, differentiation and effector function of hematopoietic-derived cells as well as a variety of other developmental events. Within the T-cell lineage, several ZBTB proteins, including ZBTB1, ZBTB17, ZBTB7B (THPOK) and BCL6 (ZBTB27), mainly regulate the development and/or differentiation of conventional CD4/CD8 αβ⁺ T cells, whereas ZBTB16 (PLZF) is essential for the development and function of innate-like unconventional γδ⁺ T & invariant NKT cells. Given the critical role of T cells in host defenses against infections/tumors and in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory disorders, we herein summarize the roles of fourteen ZBTB family members in the development, differentiation and effector function of both conventional and unconventional T cells as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms.

The Transcription Regulator Patz1 Is Essential for Neural Stem Cell Maintenance and Proliferation

Proper regulation of neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons are generated from neural stem and progenitor cells (NS/PCs), is essential for embryonic brain development and adult brain function. The transcription regulator Patz1 is ubiquitously expressed in early mouse embryos and has a key role in embryonic stem cell maintenance. At later stages, the detection of Patz1 expression mainly in the developing brain suggests a specific involvement of Patz1 in neurogenesis. To address this point, we first got insights in Patz1 expression profile in different brain territories at both embryonic and postnatal stages, evidencing a general decreasing trend with respect to time. Then, we performed in vivo and ex vivo analysis of Patz1-knockout mice, focusing on the ventricular and subventricular zone, where we confirmed Patz1 enrichment through the analysis of public RNA-seq datasets. Both embryos and adults showed a significant reduction in the number of Patz1-null NS/PCs, as well as of their self-renewal capability, compared to controls. Consistently, molecular analysis revealed the downregulation of stemness markers in NS/PCs derived from Patz1-null mice. Overall, these data demonstrate the requirement of Patz1 for NS/PC maintenance and proliferation, suggesting new roles for this key transcription factor specifically in brain development and plasticity, with possible implications for neurodegenerative disorders and glial brain tumors.

A focus on natural killer T-cell subset characterization and developmental stages

Almost 20 years ago, CD1d tetramers were developed to track invariant natural killer T (NKT) cells based on their specificity, and to define developmental steps during which differentiation markers and functional features are progressively acquired from early NKT cell precursor to fully mature NKT cell subsets. Based on these findings, a linear developmental model was proposed and subsequently used by all studies investigating the specific role of factors that control NKT cell development. More recently, based on intracellular staining patterns of lineage-specific transcription factors such as T-bet, GATA-3, promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger and RORγt, a lineage differentiation model was proposed for NKT cell development. Currently, studies on NKT cells development present lineage differentiation model data in addition to the linear maturation model. In the perspective presented here, we discuss current knowledge relating to NKT cell developmental models and particularly focus on the approaches and strategies, some of which appear nebulous, used to define NKT cell developmental stages and subsets.