Expression data from WT DN3, TCF-1-deficient DN3 thymocytes, and T cell lymphomas in TCF-1-deficient animals.

TCF-1 is an HMG family transcription factor which is known to be critical for T cell development. We discovered that it has a unique role in suppressing malignant transformation of developing thymocytes at early stages. We identified ID2 and LEF-1 as key TCF-1 target genens in tumor suppression. We used microarrays to detect gene expression changes in WT and TCF-1 deficient DN3 thymocytes as well as T cell lymphoma cells developed in TCF-1 KO mice. DN3 thymocytes were directly sorted from WT or TCF-1 KO mice. T cell lymphoma blast cells were also sorted from TCF-1 KO mice that developed the disease. RNA was extracted and hybridized to GeneChip Mouse GENE 1.0 ST arrays (Affymetrix).