0000000000481586
AUTHOR
Ursula Bommhardt
NFATc1 affects mouse splenic B cell function by controlling the calcineurin–NFAT signaling network
Mouse B cells lacking NFATc1 exhibit defective proliferation, survival, isotype class switching, cytokine production, and T cell help.
Retarded thymic involution and massive germinal center formation in NF-ATp-deficient mice.
NF-ATp and NF-ATc are the most prominent nuclear NF-AT transcription factors in peripheral T lymphocytes. After T cell activation both factors bind to and control the promoters and enhancers of numerous lymphokine and receptor ligand genes. In order to define a specific role for NF-ATp in vivo we have inactivated the NF-ATp gene by gene targeting in mice. We show that NF-ATp deficiency leads to the accumulation of peripheral T cells with a “preactivated” phenotype, enhanced immune responses of T cells after secondary stimulation in vitro and severe defects in the proper termination of antigen responses, as shown by a reduced deletion of superantigen-reactive CD4+ T cells. These alterations …