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.胸腺髓质上皮细胞（medullary thymic epithelial cells，mTECs）几乎可表达机体全部自身抗原。该现象被命名为弥散基因表达（promiscuous gene expression，PGE）。在mTECs中，多数（而非全部）自身抗原基因的表达受转录调控因子自身免疫调节因子（Autoimmune regulator，Aire）的调控。此类自身抗原覆盖机体所有组织与器官，其参与自身反应性胸腺细胞的阴性选择过程，从而阻断自身反应性自身免疫反应及自身免疫疾病（如1型糖尿病、系统性红斑狼疮）的发生。因此，对这类细胞的基因表达展开研究，对于深入解析正常组织器官中枢免疫耐受的分子基础至关重要。本研究旨在评估转录调控因子Aire的表达水平、小鼠品系的遗传背景与mTECs中弥散基因表达三者之间的潜在关联。