Open AccessDNA Methylation in T-Cell Development and Differentiation
Author(s) -
Luis O Correa,
Martha S. Jordan,
Shan A. Carty
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
critical reviews in immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.997
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 2162-6472
pISSN - 1040-8401
DOI - 10.1615/critrevimmunol.2020033728
Subject(s) - dna methylation , epigenetics , epigenomics , dna methyltransferase , histone , biology , histone methylation , epigenetics of physical exercise , histone methyltransferase , methyltransferase , cellular differentiation , context (archaeology) , dna , microbiology and biotechnology , methylation , genetics , gene , gene expression , paleontology
T lymphocytes undergo carefully orchestrated programming during development in the thymus and subsequently during differentiation in the periphery. This intricate specification allows for cell-type and context-specific transcriptional programs that regulate immune responses to infection and malignancy. Epigenetic changes, including histone modifications and covalent modification of DNA itself through DNA methylation, are now recognized to play a critical role in these cell-fate decisions. DNA methylation is mediated primarily by the actions of the DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and ten-eleven-translocation (TET) families of epigenetic enzymes. In this review, we discuss the role of DNA methylation and its enzymatic regulators in directing the development and differentiation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells.