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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Jul 3.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Immunol. 2010 Jul 20;11(8):666–673. doi: 10.1038/ni.1887

Figure 2. transcriptional circuitries in differentiating αβ T cells.

Figure 2

In pre-selection DP thymocytes (left), E2A is thought to promote expression of Rorc and Rag genes, thereby ensuring TCR gene receptor expression and TCRα locus accessibility. In addition, E2A restrains expression of IL-7Rα, Bcl-2 and CCR7, although it is not clear whether such effects are direct or indirect (e.g. through effects on Foxo1 expression). Positive selection signals (right) reduce E2A activity by increasing Id3 expression, indirectly through Erk-dependent up-regulation of Egr proteins. Positively selected thymocytes have ceased expression of DP-stage genes and up-regulated Bcl-2, CCR7 and IL-7Rα, presumably as a result of the termination of E2A activity and of the induction of activators that may include Foxo1. Arrows or block signs do not necessarily indicate direct effects.