Résumé
Innate-like populations, such as natural killer T (NKT) cells, exhibit numerous characteristics associated with the innate immune system, including restricted antigen receptor diversity, the developmental acquisition of effector functions, tissue localization, and immediate response to antigen. These similarities suggest that innate and innate-like lymphocytes share a transcriptional program that directs their developmental acquisition of effector functions. The work presented here demonstrates that promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF), a transcription factor encoded by the Zbtb16 gene, is specifically expressed during the development of innate-like lymphocytes and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and necessary for their acquisition of effector characteristics. Furthermore, ectopic expression of PLZF is sufficient to impart effector functions in conventional T cells, including the capability to produce IL-4 and IFN gamma upon a primary antigen encounter and a CD44 super(high) CD62L super( low) phenotype that directs these cells to non-lymphoid tissues. This effector phenotype is acquired without cell division or agonist signaling. The transient expression of PLZF during ILC development led to the identification of a committed ILC precursor that elucidated the lineage relationships between innate lymphocytes. Due to the central role of PLZF in innate immunity, the PLZF super(GFPcre) mouse strain provides an important tool for further clarifying the development and function of NKT cells and ILCs.