# E2A/HEB MEDIATED TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION IN T CELL DEVELOPMENT

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $455,072

## Abstract

E2A/HEB MEDIATED TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION IN T CELL DEVELOPMENT
Abstract
T lymphocyte development in the thymus gives rise to multiple lineages of T cells that are clearly separated
from each other based on their distinct effector fates and associated immune functions. Invariant natural killer
T (iNKT) cells represent a group of innate-like T cells produced in parallel with CD4 helper and CD8 killer
lineage T cells that provide adaptive immunity. In contrast to adaptive T cells, which constitute the vast clonal
diversity but remain mostly functionally naïve in circulation, iNKT cells have already acquired effector functions
upon maturation in the thymus or arrival at the peripheral tissues. This unique feature endorses iNKT cells to
play important roles in the early phase of immune defense, long before the elapsing window needed for clonal
activation and expansion of antigen specific CD4 helper or CD8 killer T cells. Because iNKT cells use a semi-
invariant T cell receptor (TCR) that can be stimulated with small lipid antigens to provide potent effector
function, they have a great potential to be applied to cell-based immune therapy. However, due to lack of
understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underpinning iNKT lineage development and homeostatic
maintenance of the effector populations, therapeutic manipulation of iNKT cells in vivo or adoptive transfer of
ex vivo expanded iNKT cells still remain in early phase of clinical trials. Our recent studies have revealed a
critical role for E-protein transcription factors, encoded by the E2A and HEB genes, in driving iNKT lineage
specification and expansion. Strikingly, we saw a dramatic enhancement of iNKT cell development and
expansion upon deletion of the Id2 and Id3 genes, which encode inhibitors of E-proteins. The expansion of
iNKT cells, induced by Id gene deletion, eventually drives their malignant transformation into iNKT lymphomas
in young adult mice. These findings offer a new angle of approach to uncovering the developmental timing and
regulatory pathways of iNKT lineage development and expansion. In this proposal we will leverage the mouse
genetic tools established in our lab to define the separate roles of E proteins in iNKT lineage commitment and
subsequent clonal expansion. iNKT cells are highly conserved between mice and humans in regards to their
developmental origin, antigenic specificity, and functionality. The outcome of the proposed research will
provide new strategies for controlled manipulation of iNKT cells that can be used in immune therapy, either
alone or in combination with the adaptive T cells, without the risk of malignant transformation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10194508
- **Project number:** 5R01GM059638-20
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** FRANCIS Kaming CHAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $455,072
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1999-08-01 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10194508

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10194508, E2A/HEB MEDIATED TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION IN T CELL DEVELOPMENT (5R01GM059638-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10194508. Licensed CC0.

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