Long-range intrachromosomal interactions in the T helper type 2 cytokine locus

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Abstract
The T helper type 2 (TH2) locus control region is important in the regulation of the genes encoding the cytokines interleukins 4, 5 and 13. Using the chromosome conformation capture technique, we found that in T cells, natural killer cells, B cells and fibroblasts, the promoters for the genes encoding TH2 cytokines are located in close spatial proximity, forming an initial chromatin core configuration. In CD4+ T cells and natural killer cells, but not B cells and fibroblasts, the TH2 locus control region participates in this configuration. The transcription factors GATA3 and STAT6 are essential for the establishment and/or maintenance of these interactions. Intrachromosomal interactions in the TH2 cytokine locus may form the basis for the coordinated transcriptional regulation of cytokine-encoding genes by the TH2 locus control region.