Foxn1 is not essential for T-cell development in teleosts.
Eur J Immunol
; 53(12): e2350725, 2023 12.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37724048
ABSTRACT
In mammals, T-cell development depends on the activity of the Foxn1 transcription factor in the thymic epithelium; mutations in the vertebrate-specific Foxn1 gene are associated with profound T-cell lymphopenia and fatal immunodeficiency. Here, we examined the extent of T-cell development in teleosts lacking a functional foxn1 gene. In zebrafish carrying a deleterious internal deletion of foxn1, reduced but robust lymphopoietic activity is maintained in the mutant thymus. Moreover, pseudogenization or loss of foxn1 in the genomes of deep-sea anglerfishes is independent of the presence or absence of the canonical signatures of the T-cell lineage. Thus, in contrast to the situation in mammals, the teleost thymus can support foxn1-independent lymphopoiesis, most likely through the activity of the Foxn4, an ancient metazoan paralog of Foxn1. Our results imply that during the early stages of vertebrate evolution, genetic control of thymopoiesis was functionally redundant and thus robust; in mammals, the genetic network was reorganized to become uniquely dependent on the FOXN1 transcription factor.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Peixe-Zebra
/
Redes Reguladoras de Genes
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Eur J Immunol
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Alemanha