B. Rudolph et al., Reversible activation of c-Myc in thymocytes enhances positive selection and induces proliferation and apoptosis in vitro, ONCOGENE, 19(15), 2000, pp. 1891-1900
In order to study the effect of c-Myc activation in T lymphocytes in vivo,
we generated transgenic mice that express a 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT)-depe
ndent switchable c-myc oncoprotein under the control of the proximal lck pr
omoter. Activation of c-MycER(TM) causes no obvious alteration in T cell on
togeny. However, using MHC class I restricted H-Y-TCR transgenic mice, we f
ound that c-Myc activation in vivo enhances the efficiency of positive sele
ction. Moreover, splenic T cells derived from lck-c-mycER(TM) transgenic mi
ce in which c-Myc had been activated exhibited increased proliferation in v
itro in response to activation with anti-CD3/CD28 antibody. Activation of c
-MycER(TM) also promotes apoptosis in thymocytes in vitro.