RNA-seq analysis of WT and HDAC1f/f HDAC2f/+ x CD4cre deficient activated helper T cells

CD4+ T cells have the potential to differentiate into effector cells with cytotoxic activity (CD4+ CTLs), however molecular mechanisms regulating CD4+ CTL induction are poorly understood. By analyzing mice with graded deletion of Hdac1 and Hdac2 alleles in T cells, we observed an HDAC1-HDAC2 dose-dependent induction of CD4+ CTLs. A transcriptome analysis of activated CD4+ T cells carrying a combined deletion of two Hdac1 and one Hdac2 alleles (HDAC1f/f-HDAC2f/+) revealed enrichment of gene signatures similar to CD8+ T cells and CD4+ CTLs. Overall design: mRNA expression profiles of activated CD4+ T cells isolated from WT and HDAC1f/f HDAC2f/+ (CD4-cre) mice were generated by deep sequencing. mRNA expression profiles of activated CD4+ T cells isolated from WT and HDAC1f/f (CD4-cre) mice were generated by deep sequencing.