ArticleBlood2017
A critical epithelial survival axis regulated by MCL-1 maintains thymic function in mice.
Article in Blood, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 38 citations in OpenAlex.
- MHC disparity hampers thymus-dependent T-cell recovery post-hematopoietic transplantation through dysregulation of TGF-β1 and LRP6 pathways.Haematologica · 2026Article
- Article
- Deconstructing the Thymic Microenvironment Through Genesis to Senescence.Immunological reviews · 2025Review
- The BCL2 family: from apoptosis mechanisms to new advances in targeted therapy.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2025Review
- Review
- Targeting MCL-1 triggers DNA damage and an anti-proliferative response independent from apoptosis induction.Cell reports · 2023Article
- Apoptotic cell death in disease-Current understanding of the NCCD 2023.Cell death and differentiation · 2023Review
- Thymic epithelial cells require lipid kinase Vps34 for CD4 but not CD8 T cell selection.The Journal of experimental medicine · 2022Article
- Understanding MCL1: from cellular function and regulation to pharmacological inhibition.The FEBS journal · 2022Review
- What can we learn from mice lacking pro-survival BCL-2 proteins to advance BH3 mimetic drugs for cancer therapy?Cell death and differentiation · 2022Review
- Functional apoptosis profiling identifies MCL-1 and BCL-xL as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets in advanced thymomas and thymic carcinomas.BMC medicine · 2021Article
- Thymus Degeneration and Regeneration.Frontiers in immunology · 2021Review
- Physiological Functions of Mcl-1: Insights From Genetic Mouse Models.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2021Review
- Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Autophagy Intervention Agents Suppress Hepatoma Growth by Enhancing Tumoricidal Autophagy.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2020Article
- How do thymic epithelial cells die?Cell death and differentiation · 2018Article
- MCL-1 keeps a charming home for thymocytes.Blood · 2017Article
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Authors and funding
13 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
Abstract
T-cell differentiation is governed by interactions with thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and defects in this process undermine immune function and tolerance. To uncover new strategies to restore thymic function and adaptive immunity in immunodeficiency, we sought to determine the molecular mechanisms that control life and death decisions in TECs. Guided by gene expression profiling, we created mouse models that specifically deleted prosurvival genes in TECs. We found that although BCL-2 and BCL-XL were dispensable for TEC homeostasis, MCL-1 deficiency impacted on TECs as early as embryonic day 15.5, resulting in early thymic atrophy and T-cell lymphopenia, with near complete loss of thymic tissue by 2 months of age. MCL-1 was not necessary for TEC differentiation but was continually required for the survival of mature cortical and medullary TECs and the maintenance of thymic architecture. A screen of TEC trophic factors in organ cultures showed that epidermal growth factor upregulated MCL-1 via MAPK/ERK kinase activity, providing a molecular mechanism for the support of TEC survival. This signaling axis governing TEC survival and thymic function represents a new target for strategies for thymic protection and regeneration.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.