Costimulation through the coreceptor CD28 is required for efficient activation of naive T cells. In the Journal of Experimental Medicine, Bluestone and colleagues use gene-expression microarray to identify genes uniquely regulated by CD28 signaling in naive CD4+ T cells. DEC1, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, is induced by CD28 costimulation early during T cell activation. DEC1-deficient T cells have diminished proliferation and survival after activation, which correlates with lower interleukin 2 (IL-2) production. DEC1-deficient mice are resistant to the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis because of defects in T cell proliferation and cytokine production. IL-2 can restore proliferation but cannot correct an intrinsic survival defect in antigen-specific DEC1-deficient T cells. DEC1-dependent gene signatures indicate DEC1 controls the transcriptional regulation of several T cell–activation pathways, a big subset of which are also regulated by CD28.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Visan, I. Networks for costimulation. Nat Immunol 14, 892 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.2699
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.2699
