MCL1 increases primitive thymocyte stability in female rodents and encourages thymic expansion into their adult years

Growing the pool of cells at early T-cell developmental stages improves thymopoiesis and it is extremely advantageous when T-cell production is jeopardized by radiation or aging. Inside the immature double-negative (DN CD4&shCD8&ndas thymocyte subpopulation, the DN1 subset consists of probably the most primitive cells such as the rare early T-cell progenitors (ETPs). In our study, an individual MCL1 transgene, underneath the charge of its endogenous promoter, led to enlargement of the undistorted thymus in C57/BL6 rodents. Enlargement happened in women however not males, being seen at 30 days old and maintained throughout progression into their adult years because the thymus went through involution. The little DN1 subset was broadened disproportionally (ETPs growing from ~.016 to .03% of thymocytes), while mo...

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