期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：2014
卷号：111
期号：4
页码：1491-1496
DOI：10.1073/pnas.1323535111
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Aire induces the expression of a large set of autoantigen genes in the thymus, driving immunological tolerance in maturing T cells. To determine the full spectrum of molecular mechanisms underlying the Aire transactivation function, we screened an AIRE-dependent gene-expression system with a genome-scale lentiviral shRNA library, targeting factors associated with chromatin architecture/function, transcription, and mRNA processing. Fifty-one functional allies were identified, with a preponderance of factors that impact transcriptional elongation compared with initiation, in particular members of the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) involved in the release of "paused" RNA polymerases (CCNT2 and HEXIM1); mRNA processing and polyadenylation factors were also highlighted (HNRNPL/F, SFRS1, SFRS3, and CLP1). Aire's functional allies were validated on transfected and endogenous target genes, including the generation of lentigenic knockdown (KD) mice. We uncovered the effect of the splicing factor Hnrnpl on Aire-induced transcription. Transcripts sensitive to the P-TEFb inhibitor flavopiridol were reduced by Hnrnpl knockdown in thymic epithelial cells, independently of their dependence on Aire, therefore indicating a general effect of Hnrnpl on RNA elongation. This conclusion was substantiated by demonstration of HNRNPL interactions with P-TEFb components (CDK9, CCNT2, HEXIM1, and the small 7SK RNA). Aire-containing complexes include 7SK RNA, the latter interaction disrupted by HNRNPL knockdown, suggesting that HNRNPL may partake in delivering inactive P-TEFb to Aire. Thus, these results indicate that mRNA processing factors cooperate with Aire to release stalled polymerases and to activate ectopic expression of autoantigen genes in the thymus.
