Immunological rejection induced by allogeneic Schwann cells remains a problem for construction of artificial nerves. Class II transactivator (CIITA) gene is a chief regulator of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) molecules which contributes to the immunogenicity of Schwann cells. This study aimed to downregulate MHC II expression by suppressing CIITA expression, therefore reduci...

CIITA is the primary factor activating the expression of the class II MHC genes necessary for the exogenous pathway of Ag processing and presentation. Strict control of CIITA is necessary to regulate MHC class II gene expression and induction of an immune response. We show in this study that the nuclear localized form of CIITA is a predominantly phosphorylated form of the protein, whereas cytop...

Aberrant expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II proteins on thyrocytes, which is associated with autoimmune thyroid disease, is mimicked by gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN). To define elements and factors that regulate class II gene expression in thyrocytes and that might be involved in aberrant expression, we have studied gamma-IFN-induced HLA-DR alpha gene expression in rat...

Repression of the cellular CIITA gene is part of the immune evasion strategy of the γherpes virus Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) during its lytic replication cycle in B-cells. In part, this is mediated through downregulation of MHC class II gene expression via the targeted repression of CIITA, the cellular master regulator of MHC class II gene expression. This repression is achieved through a reducti...

Class II transactivator (CIITA) is an unusual transcriptional coactivator in that it contains a functionally important, GTP-binding consensus domain. To assess the functional role of the GTP-binding domain of CIITA in vivo, we have generated knockout mice that bear a mutation in the CIITA gene spanning the GTP-binding domain. Upon analysis, these mice show no detectable CIITA mRNA; hence, they ...

Initiation of an immune response through expression of MHC class II and related genes is under the control of the CIITA. Normally found in both the cytoplasm and nucleus, CIITA is tightly controlled by a variety of posttranslational modifications as well as interactions with other nuclear and cytoplasmic factors, whereas disruption of this dual subcellular localization impairs CIITA functioning...

The class II transactivator (CIITA) is induced by gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and activates major histocompatibility complex class II; however, this report shows it suppresses other genes. An N-terminal 36 amino acids of CIITA mediates suppression of the collagen alpha(2)(I) promoter via binding to CREB-binding protein (CBP). Reconstitution of cells with CBP reverts this suppression. IFN-gamma...

Major Histocompatibility Complex Class-II (MHC-II) molecules are critical regulators of adaptive immunity that present extracellular antigens required to activate CD4 + T cells. MHC-II are regulated at the level of transcription by master regulator, the Class II Transactivator (CIITA), whose association with the MHC-II promoter is necessary to initiate transcription. Recently, much research foc...

CIITA activates the expression of multiple genes involved in antigen presentation and it is believed to be required for both constitutive and IFN gamma-inducible expression of these genes. To understand the role of CIITA in vivo, we have used gene targeting to generate mice that lack CIITA. CIITA-deficient (-/-) mice do not express conventional MHC class II molecules on the surface of splenic B...

The class II transactivator (CIITA) is a key regulatory factor that controls expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes that are essential components for antigen presentation and thus regulation of the immune response. We show here that the adenovirus E1A protein interferes with the action of CIITA and inhibits both B-cell-specific and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-i...