HIC1 interacts with FOXP3 multi protein complex: a novel mechanism to regulate human regulatory T cell differentiation and function

Transcriptional repressor, hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC1) is an important contributor to regulatory T (Treg) cell development and function. To investigate the mechanism by which it regulates Treg cell development, we systematically characterized the HIC1 interactome by affinity-purification mass spectrometry in human regulatory T cells.
Interactors, involved in protein transport, mRNA processing, non-coding (ncRNA) transcription and RNA metabolism processes were identified. These data demonstrate that HIC1 is a part of a FOXP3-RUNX1-CBFβ protein complex that regulates Treg signature genes and is indispensable for the suppressive function of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells.