Th2-specific DNase I-hypersensitive sites in the murine IL-13 and IL-4 intergenic region.
Open Access
- 1 December 1998
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in International Immunology
- Vol. 10 (12) , 1981-1985
- https://doi.org/10.1093/intimm/10.12.1981
Abstract
IL-4 and IL-13 are cytokines preferentially produced by Th2 cells, and their genes are located in close proximity on human chromosome 5 and mouse chromosome 11. To identify potential regulatory elements that confer Th2-specific expression of IL-4 and IL-13 genes, we constructed a physical map of the IL-13/IL-4 locus and conducted DNase I-hypersensitive (DH) site analysis using Th clones and in vitro-differentiated effector Th cells obtained from TCR transgenic mice. Three DH sites, HSS1, HSS2 and HSS3, were identified within the intergenic region between IL-13 and IL-4 genes. HSS3 was observed both in Th1 and Th2 cells as well as CD4+ naive T cells, while HSS1 and HSS2 were detected exclusively in Th2 cells. The correlation between differentiation into Th2 subtype and the appearance of HSS1 and HSS2 suggests that these regions may play a role in subtype-specific expression of the IL-13/IL-4 locus.Keywords
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