Figure 1. WeeT mice have reduced peripheral CD4 and CD8 T cells due to Mst1 deficiency.

A) Representation of CD4 and CD8 T cells, CD11b⁺ and B cells in the peripheral blood of Mst1^wt and Mst1^h/h mice. B) Inheritance of homozygous C57BL/6 (B), 129Sv/ImJ (C) or heterozygous (H) SNPs in F2 mice generated by crossing Mst1^h/h mice from the original C57BL/6 background to 129Sv/ImJ. Genetic mapping of T-lymphopenic (WeeT) and normal mice isolated a 4.5 Mb region on chromosome 2 harboring the causative mutation. C) Mst1^h/h mice harbor an A to C transversion in exon 5 of the Mst1 gene, resulting in change of Leu₁₅₇ within the Mst1 kinase C-lobe to Arg (L₁₅₇R). D) Similar abundance of Mst1 transcripts in wt and Mst1^h/h T cells. E) Mst1^h/h T cells have reduced Mst1 protein levels in the presence or absence of proteosome (MG132) or caspase-3 inhibitors (Z-DEVD).