Comparative transcriptome analysis of Th22 and Th17 cells

Microarray was used to delineate the global gene expression profile underlying the specific developmental program of two divergent antigen-specific T helper subsets (Th22 versus Th17) by identifying upregulation or downregulation of key lineage-determining transcription factors, cytokines, chemokines and other genes that govern their functional attributes. To identify factors that might distinguish the Th22 and Th17 developmental programs, comparative global transcriptome analysis between these 2 subsets was performed. Naïve splenic CD4+ T cells from OT-II-transgenic mice were isolated and grown in vitro under T-helper lineage-specific conditions in the presence of cognate antigen (ovalbumin) to identify their distinctive global gene-regulation profiles.