Type II cytokines direct choices of early thymic progenitor lineage and influence negative selection of myelin-reactive T cells

Autoimmune diseases have been known for having a strong genetic component; however, there is growing indication that shows the environment also plays an important role. One way in which the environment plays a role is though influencing central tolerance via fine tuning of the thymic microenvironment. It has been shown that early thymic progenitors (ETPs) that express the heteroreceptor (HR), which are comprised of both IL-13R[alpha]1 and IL- 4R[alpha] chain, are directed toward the myeloid lineage and serve as antigen presenting cells (APCs). Due to the role of APCs in T cell negative selection, this research looks to investigate whether type II cytokines can determine ETP lineage choice and subsequently alter negative T cell selection. --Introduction.Funding: NIH grant, RO1 NS057194.Hannah Gavin (Undergraduate Student, University of Missouri School of Medicine at Columbia), Alexis Cattin-Roy (Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Missouri Hospital, MO, 65201), Habib Zaghouani (Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Missouri Hospital)