New insights into regulation of immune response
The new study from Turku Bioscience provides new insights into how genetic variation associated with immune mediated diseases can influence T-cell function and regulation of immune response. The study was published in Nucleic Acid Research.
Researchers from Turku Bioscience identified for the first time the binding sites for three transcription factors in human T-cells, where they regulate cell function and differentiation. In addition, they showed that the binding sites for these transcription factors very often contain genetic variations associated with immune mediated diseases that can regulate T-cell function. This, in turn, may alter the immune response in general and contribute to susceptibility for immune mediated diseases.
T-cells orchestrate regulation of the immune response. They can also cause inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis or type 1 diabetes. InFLAMES Flagship group leaders professor Riitta Lahesmaa’s and professor Laura Elo’s research groups revealed how three transcription factors co-operate to regulate human T-cell function in a different fashion compared to mouse T-cells.
– We used genome-wide methods to show that these three transcription factors bind to a high number of DNA binding sites in the nuclei of the T-cells, comments Professor Elo.
 – and we found that that interplay between these factors regulates early T-cell  differentiation in human by controlling expression of numerous genes, adds Dr. Ankitha Shetty.
The results provide new insights into molecular mechanisms of regulation of T-cell functions and immune response.
The study was funded by the Academy of Finland, EU Horizon 2020, The Sigrid Jusélius Foundation and Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.
Link to the paper:
A systematic comparison of FOSL1, FOSL2 and BATF-mediated transcriptional regulation during early human Th17 differentiation.
https://academic.oup.com/nar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nar/gkac256/6574681#
Further information:
Riitta Lahesmaa, +358 40 718 4813, riitta.lahesmaa@utu.fi
Recent Posts
-    The Academy of Finland granted Johanna Ivaska €2,400,000 in funding for an Academy Professor position The Academy of Finland granted our Group Leader, Professor Johanna Ivaska €2,400,000 in funding for Read moreOctober 30, 2025
-    Guillaume Jacquemet and Cecilia Sahlgren receive funding for the Research Council of Finland Centre of Excellence in Immune-Endothelial Interactions (IMMENs) Associate Professor Guillaume Jacquemet, our Group Leader, and Professor Cecilia Sahlgren, our affiliated Group Leader, Read moreOctober 30, 2025
-    Registration to AI2Med imaging event is now open! Registration for AI2Med Turku 2025 is open! The event is organized by the Turku PET Read moreOctober 21, 2025
-    Jonna Alanko receives the Young Investigator Award from the Scandinavian Society for Immunology Jonna Alanko has received the Young Investigator Award of the Scandinavian Society for Immunology. The Read moreOctober 17, 2025
-    Professor Riitta Lahesmaa awarded Johnny Ludvigsson Prize for Outstanding Nordic Researcher Professor Riitta Lahesmaa was awarded Johnny Ludvigsson Prize for Outstanding Nordic Researcher. The prize is Read moreOctober 16, 2025
-    PFAS levels in mothers’ blood associated with children’s brain structure and function Researchers from the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland, and Örebro University, Sweden, Read moreOctober 13, 2025
