TY - JOUR
T1 - Autoimmune regulator is expressed in the cells regulating immune tolerance in thymus medulla
AU - Heino, Maarit
AU - Peterson, Pärt
AU - Kudoh, Jun
AU - Nagamine, Kentaro
AU - Lagerstedt, Anssi
AU - Ovod, Vladimir
AU - Ranki, Annamari
AU - Rantala, Immo
AU - Nieminen, Markku
AU - Tuukkanen, Juha
AU - Scott, Hamish S.
AU - Antonarakis, Stylianos E.
AU - Shimizu, Nobuyoshi
AU - Krohn, Kai
N1 - Funding Information:
The help of Ms. Suvi Heinämäki, Ms. Ulla Kiiskinen, and Ms. Marianne Karlsberg is highly appreciated. The laboratory of KJEK was supported by EU Biomed2 programme (BNH4-CT95-0729) and by Tampere University Hospital Medical Research Fund. The laboratory of NS was supported by Fund for Human Genome Sequencing Project from the Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST), Grants in Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas and Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan, and Fund for “Research for the Future” Program from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). The laboratory of SEA was supported by the Swiss FNRS 31-40500.94, the European Union/OFES CT93-0015, by University and Cantonal Hospital of Geneva and the Associazone Malattie Rare “Mauro Baschirotto.”
PY - 1999/4/21
Y1 - 1999/4/21
N2 - The AIRE gene (autoimmune regulator), coding for a putative transcriptional regulatory factor, is mutated in autoimmune-polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy (APECED). We have investigated the expression of the AIRE gene by mRNA in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry in various human tissues. Here we show that AIRE is expressed in distinct cells in thymus medulla, and also in rare cells in lymph node paracortex and medulla, and in spleen and fetal liver, but not in the target organs of autoimmune destruction. Double immunofluorescence studies revealed that in thymus medulla both epithelial (cytokeratin positive) and non-epithelial cells expressed AIRE. Subcellularly, AIRE was localised in nuclear dots in thymus and lymph node and also in transfected cells. The cellular localisation of AIRE and its nuclear localisation, compatible with its predicted protein domains, suggest that AlRE may regulate the mechanisms involved in the induction and maintenance of immune tolerance.
AB - The AIRE gene (autoimmune regulator), coding for a putative transcriptional regulatory factor, is mutated in autoimmune-polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy (APECED). We have investigated the expression of the AIRE gene by mRNA in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry in various human tissues. Here we show that AIRE is expressed in distinct cells in thymus medulla, and also in rare cells in lymph node paracortex and medulla, and in spleen and fetal liver, but not in the target organs of autoimmune destruction. Double immunofluorescence studies revealed that in thymus medulla both epithelial (cytokeratin positive) and non-epithelial cells expressed AIRE. Subcellularly, AIRE was localised in nuclear dots in thymus and lymph node and also in transfected cells. The cellular localisation of AIRE and its nuclear localisation, compatible with its predicted protein domains, suggest that AlRE may regulate the mechanisms involved in the induction and maintenance of immune tolerance.
KW - Autoimmunity
KW - Monocyte-dendritic cell
KW - Polyendocrinopathy
KW - Thymic epithelial cell
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U2 - 10.1006/bbrc.1999.0308
DO - 10.1006/bbrc.1999.0308
M3 - Article
C2 - 10208866
AN - SCOPUS:0033590981
SN - 0006-291X
VL - 257
SP - 821
EP - 825
JO - Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
JF - Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
IS - 3
ER -