美國(guó)最新研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，一種對(duì)諸多生命功能至關(guān)重要的基因調(diào)節(jié)器也能夠促進(jìn)人體免疫系統(tǒng)中T淋巴細(xì)胞的形成,。這一發(fā)現(xiàn)將有助于研發(fā)用于治療艾滋病,、自身免疫疾病和過(guò)敏癥等疾病的藥物,。
這項(xiàng)研究是由美國(guó)加州理工學(xué)院和俄勒岡州立大學(xué)的研究人員共同完成的,，研究成果刊登在7月2日出版的美國(guó)《科學(xué)》（Science）雜志上,。
研究報(bào)告指出,，這種名為Ctip2的基因調(diào)節(jié)器是一種能控制基因表達(dá)或決定細(xì)胞基因代碼開(kāi)啟和沉默的蛋白質(zhì),。它最早是由俄勒岡州立大學(xué)的研究人員于2000年發(fā)現(xiàn)的，專(zhuān)家已知它是基因表達(dá)的一個(gè)主要調(diào)節(jié)器,，控制著牙齒琺瑯質(zhì),、腦細(xì)胞、皮膚和T細(xì)胞等不同器官組織的形成,。
參與這項(xiàng)研究的俄勒岡州立大學(xué)藥學(xué)院院長(zhǎng)助理馬克·雷德教授指出：“動(dòng)物實(shí)驗(yàn)顯示,，Ctip2對(duì)各種生命功能發(fā)揮著至關(guān)重要的作用,，而關(guān)于Ctip2與T淋巴細(xì)胞早期形成有關(guān)聯(lián)的最新發(fā)現(xiàn)將有可能引起免疫學(xué)家和醫(yī)學(xué)家的極大興趣。”
雷德說(shuō),，Ctip2似乎是許多不同類(lèi)型細(xì)胞發(fā)展和變異的一個(gè)非常高級(jí)的調(diào)節(jié)器,。根據(jù)這一發(fā)現(xiàn)，科學(xué)家有可能研發(fā)出可控制Ctip2的藥物,，從而達(dá)到治療某些免疫系統(tǒng)疾病的目的,。(生物谷Bioon.net)
生物谷推薦原文出處：
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1188063
Reprogramming of T Cells to Natural Killer–Like Cells upon Bcl11b Deletion
Peng Li, Shannon Burke, Juexuan Wang, Xiongfeng Chen, Mariaestela Ortiz, Song-Choon Lee, Dong Lu, Lia Campos, David Goulding, Bee Ling Ng, Gordon Dougan, Brian Huntly, Bertie Gottgens, Nancy A. Jenkins, Neal G. Copeland, Francesco Colucci, and Pentao Liu
T cells develop in the thymus and are critical for adaptive immunity. Natural killer (NK) lymphocytes constitute an essential component of the innate immune system in tumor surveillance, reproduction, and defense against microbes and viruses. Here, we show that the transcription factor Bcl11b was expressed in all T cell compartments and was indispensable for T lineage development. When Bcl11b was deleted, T cells from all developmental stages acquired NK cell properties and concomitantly lost or decreased T cell–associated gene expression. These induced T-to–natural killer (ITNK) cells, which were morphologically and genetically similar to conventional NK cells, killed tumor cells in vitro, and effectively prevented tumor metastasis in vivo. Therefore, ITNKs may represent a new cell source for cell-based therapies.
