Ctivity of Sos likely through release of the autoinhibitory domain [19]. Interestingly, one model of Ras activation in T cells suggests that HIV-RT inhibitor 1 chemical information RasGRP1 and Sos operate in a feedforward loop where initial RasGRP1-mediated Ras activation potentiates Sos activation resulting in an analogue to digital conversion of Ras activity [20,21]. The relative roles of the RasGRP and Sos families in Ras activation during the various stages of T cell development and activation has been controversial, however, FCCP recent work has begun to resolve this issue. In a seminal paper by Dower et al., RasGRP1 was shown to be required for thymocyte positive selection [22]. Furthermore, it was recently demonstrated that RasGRP1mediated Ras activation was required for invariant natural killer T cell (iNKT) development [23]. However, while the Ras/Erk pathway was known to be activated at the b-selection checkpoint, until recently, a role for the RasGRP family at this stage of 12926553 thymocyte development had not been described. In a recent report by the Zhang group, RasGRP1 knock out (KO) mice were found to display a partial block in b-selection that was augmented by simultaneous elimination of RasGRP4. RasGRP4 KO mice did not display any impairment in b-selection [24]. Furthermore, a report from Kortum et al. showed that RasGRP1 KO thymi showed increased ratios of DN/DP and DN3/DN4 compared to wildtype thymi, implying defects in b-selection [25]. Interestingly, it was also recently discovered that Sos1 deficiency enforced within the DN compartment resulted in a partial b-selection block;however, Sos1 deficiency did not impair positive or negative selection [26]. While 24272870 RasGRP1 KO and RasGRP1/4 double KO mice showed a block in b-selection, an in depth analysis of which bselection events were RasGRP dependent was not performed. Additionally, since there was a more profound b-selection block in RasGRP1/4 double KO mice, there is evidence that multiple RasGRPs regulate early T cell development and it is possible that RasGRP members other than RasGRP1 and RasGRP4 regulate b-selection. Therefore, we performed a detailed analysis of the hallmark events of b-selection in RasGRP1 KO, RasGRP3 KO and RasGRP1/3 double KO (DKO) mice. Our data indicated that in the absence of RasGRP1 or RasGRP1 and 3, DN thymocytes inefficiently developed into DP thymocytes and showed partial developmental arrest at the DN3 thymocyte stage. Furthermore, RasGRP1 KO and RasGRP1/3 DKO thymi showed impaired early DN3 (DN3E) to late DN3 (DN3L) development and a loss of DN3 proliferation, due to defective bselection. Interestingly, we found that RasGRP1, but not RasGRP3, was required for ERK activation downstream of CXCR4, which may represent a potential mechanism of RasGRP1 mediated control of the b-selection checkpoint. Our findings demonstrate the importance of RasGRP1 during early thymocyte development and provide a mechanistic link between CXCR4 signaling and b-selection.Materials and Methods MiceC57BL/6 mice were purchased from the National Cancer Institute and The Jackson Laboratory. The generation of RasGRP1 KO, RasGRP3 KO and RasGRP1/3 DKO has been previously described [22,27]. All KO mice were crossed onto the C57BL/6 background. For all strains, mice of both sexes were used between 4 and 16 weeks of age. All mice were treated in accordance with protocols approved by the University of Alberta Animal Care and Use Committee.Antibodies and Flow CytometryFluorochrome-conjugated and biotinylated antibodies (Ab.Ctivity of Sos likely through release of the autoinhibitory domain [19]. Interestingly, one model of Ras activation in T cells suggests that RasGRP1 and Sos operate in a feedforward loop where initial RasGRP1-mediated Ras activation potentiates Sos activation resulting in an analogue to digital conversion of Ras activity [20,21]. The relative roles of the RasGRP and Sos families in Ras activation during the various stages of T cell development and activation has been controversial, however, recent work has begun to resolve this issue. In a seminal paper by Dower et al., RasGRP1 was shown to be required for thymocyte positive selection [22]. Furthermore, it was recently demonstrated that RasGRP1mediated Ras activation was required for invariant natural killer T cell (iNKT) development [23]. However, while the Ras/Erk pathway was known to be activated at the b-selection checkpoint, until recently, a role for the RasGRP family at this stage of 12926553 thymocyte development had not been described. In a recent report by the Zhang group, RasGRP1 knock out (KO) mice were found to display a partial block in b-selection that was augmented by simultaneous elimination of RasGRP4. RasGRP4 KO mice did not display any impairment in b-selection [24]. Furthermore, a report from Kortum et al. showed that RasGRP1 KO thymi showed increased ratios of DN/DP and DN3/DN4 compared to wildtype thymi, implying defects in b-selection [25]. Interestingly, it was also recently discovered that Sos1 deficiency enforced within the DN compartment resulted in a partial b-selection block;however, Sos1 deficiency did not impair positive or negative selection [26]. While 24272870 RasGRP1 KO and RasGRP1/4 double KO mice showed a block in b-selection, an in depth analysis of which bselection events were RasGRP dependent was not performed. Additionally, since there was a more profound b-selection block in RasGRP1/4 double KO mice, there is evidence that multiple RasGRPs regulate early T cell development and it is possible that RasGRP members other than RasGRP1 and RasGRP4 regulate b-selection. Therefore, we performed a detailed analysis of the hallmark events of b-selection in RasGRP1 KO, RasGRP3 KO and RasGRP1/3 double KO (DKO) mice. Our data indicated that in the absence of RasGRP1 or RasGRP1 and 3, DN thymocytes inefficiently developed into DP thymocytes and showed partial developmental arrest at the DN3 thymocyte stage. Furthermore, RasGRP1 KO and RasGRP1/3 DKO thymi showed impaired early DN3 (DN3E) to late DN3 (DN3L) development and a loss of DN3 proliferation, due to defective bselection. Interestingly, we found that RasGRP1, but not RasGRP3, was required for ERK activation downstream of CXCR4, which may represent a potential mechanism of RasGRP1 mediated control of the b-selection checkpoint. Our findings demonstrate the importance of RasGRP1 during early thymocyte development and provide a mechanistic link between CXCR4 signaling and b-selection.Materials and Methods MiceC57BL/6 mice were purchased from the National Cancer Institute and The Jackson Laboratory. The generation of RasGRP1 KO, RasGRP3 KO and RasGRP1/3 DKO has been previously described [22,27]. All KO mice were crossed onto the C57BL/6 background. For all strains, mice of both sexes were used between 4 and 16 weeks of age. All mice were treated in accordance with protocols approved by the University of Alberta Animal Care and Use Committee.Antibodies and Flow CytometryFluorochrome-conjugated and biotinylated antibodies (Ab.
