[61] This could explain how inducible genes acquire active chromatin signature, so enabling a fast and effective transcription of these genes in daughter cells. For example, genes encoding signalling molecules have

a repressive chromatin state in naive T cells but a permissive chromatin state in memory T cells, hence these genes in memory T cells are able to respond more quickly to T-cell activation.[47] Furthermore, gene promoters in memory T cells have increased histone acetylation levels when compared with naive T cells. Increased acetylation levels were retained even after numerous cell divisions.[62, 63] There is currently intense interest in determining the mechanisms responsible for the inheritance of permissive chromatin states in memory T cells, as this is an essential step in mediating a faster gene expression response that is required to combat re-infection. Selleckchem NVP-LDE225 Although the particular histone patterns that mark MLN0128 order inducible genes described above and the changes to histone modifications that occur during gene activation have been characterized relatively recently, changes to chromatin structure have long been thought to accompany gene

activation in T cells. The appearance of inducible DNase I hypersensitive (DH) sites have been well documented concomitant with gene activation in T cells.[64, 65] These DH sites coincide with regulatory regions and have long been presumed to represent regions at which chromatin structure is reorganized. Further studies have revealed that the DH sites at the granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) promoters represent regions of increased chromatin accessibility,[64-66] and coincide with depletion of the core histones H3 and H4 from the promoter region

upon T-cell activation.[60, 67] Genome-wide analysis of histone occupancy and positioning in human CD4+ T cells also documented extensive reorganization at gene promoters and enhancers in response to T-cell activation.[68] There are several mechanisms that may underlie the reorganization of chromatin associated with T-cell activation that has been described in such studies. click here First, chromatin-remodelling complexes such as the SWI/SNF complex have been demonstrated to contribute to chromatin changes during T-cell activation. Early studies examining the BRG1 ATPase component demonstrated its increased association with chromatin in response to T-cell activation,[69] and ChIP-Seq analysis has demonstrated increased association of BRG1 with promoters of a set of inducible genes following T-cell activation.[70] Second, chromatin composition can be altered by the exchange of the canonical histones for histone variants,[71] which can affect nucleosome stability and also high-order chromatin structure.