Transcription profiling by array of medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) from BALB/c mice

The medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) express virtually all autoantigens of the body. This phenomenon was then termed promiscuous gene expression (PGE). A large set of autoantigen genes (but not all) is controlled by the transcriptional modulator Autoimmune regulator (Aire) in mTECs. These autoantigens represent all tissues and organs in the thymus and it is implicated in the negative selection of autoreactive thymocytes, and consequantly preventing autoreactive autoimmune reactions and autoimmune diseases (e.g. type 1 diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus). Thus, we are looking at gene expression in these cells because it is very important to better understand the molecular basis of central immune tolerance to normal tissues and organs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible link between the expression of the transcriptional regulator Aire, the genetic background of mouse strains and the promiscuous gene expression in mTECs.