| β-Catenin, TCF, and ICAT Contributor(s): Hossain, Mohammad Zulfiquer (Author) |
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ISBN: 3838334507 ISBN-13: 9783838334509 Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing OUR PRICE: $69.77 Product Type: Paperback Published: December 2009 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Science | Life Sciences - Genetics & Genomics |
| Physical Information: 0.45" H x 6" W x 9" (0.65 lbs) 196 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: In addition to working together to drive expression of target genes, β-catenin and TCF often work independently of each other. They both regulate several stages of T cell development, but their mode of action remains poorly understood. To study the specific role of β-catenin-TCF interactions in T cells, we generated transgenic mice that express ICAT, a naturally occurring inhibitor of β-catenin-TCF interactions, in the T cell lineage. We found that β-catenin-TCF interactions are important for thymocyte survival, but not for proliferation or differentiation. Interestingly, thymocyte aging slows down in ICAT-Tg mice, suggesting a role for β-catenin-TCF interactions in normal thymic involution. We also discovered that β-catenin-TCF interactions provide survival signals to activated T cells and promote differentiation of activated CD4 T cells into the default Th2 lineage. However, TCF represses Th1 differentiation independently of its interaction with β-catenin. This study, thus, provides novel insights into the role of β-catenin and TCF in T cell development, function, and aging, and should of interest to immunologists, developmental biologists, and gerontologists alike. |