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Deletion of β-catenin impairs T cell development

Nature Immunology volume 4, pages 1177–1182 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

T cells encounter two main checkpoints during development in the thymus. These checkpoints are critically dependent on signals derived from the thymic microenvironment as well as from the pre-T cell receptor (pre-TCR) and the αβ TCR. Here we show that T cell–specific deletion of β-catenin impaired T cell development at the β-selection checkpoint, leading to a substantial decrease in splenic T cells. In addition, β-catenin also seemed to be a target of TCR-CD3 signals in thymocytes and mature T cells. These data indicate that β-catenin-mediated signals are required for normal T cell development.

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Figure 1: T cell–specific deletion of the gene encoding β-catenin (Catnb).
Figure 2: T cell–specific deletion of Catnb leads to decreased splenic T cell numbers.
Figure 3: β-catenin deletion blocks T cell development.
Figure 4: The DN3-to-DN4 transition is blocked in β-catenin-deficient mice.
Figure 5: β-catenin regulates cell cycle status of DN4 but not DN3 thymocytes.
Figure 6: TCR signals induce nuclear β-catenin.

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Acknowledgements

We thank H. von Boehmer and members of his lab; and I. Aifantis, I. Apostolou and L. Haughn for support and discussions during the course of this work. Supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health, the Arthritis Foundation and the Barr Foundation (to J.M.S.).

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  1. Youyuan Xu and Daliya Banerjee: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Youyuan Xu & Jyoti Misra Sen

  2. Rosensteil Center for Biomedical Research, Brandeis University, Waltham, 02540, Massachusetts, USA

    Daliya Banerjee

  3. Max-Delbrueck-Centrum for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Roessle-Strasse 10, Berlin, D-13092, Germany

    Joerg Huelsken & Walter Birchmeier

  4. Harvard Medical School, 44 Binney Street, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Jyoti Misra Sen

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Correspondence to Jyoti Misra Sen.

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Xu, Y., Banerjee, D., Huelsken, J. et al. Deletion of β-catenin impairs T cell development. Nat Immunol 4, 1177–1182 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni1008

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