The DNA modifier Tet2 molecule can respond to pathogen infection and its inflammatory response.

Cao Xuetao, director of the National Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, found that THE DNA modification enzyme Tet2 molecule can promote the body to increase the number and function of natural immune cells in new ways of regulating RNA modification to cope with pathogen infection and its inflammatory response.
the discovery not only puts forward a new point of view for the body's natural immune mechanism against pathogen infection from the perspective of immunology, but also reveals a new model of Tet2's participation in gene expression after transcription at the epigenetic mechanism level, which provides new ideas and potential drug research targets for the effective prevention and control of infectious diseases and the control of inflammatory diseases.
's papers appear in the journal Nature on January 25.
the natural immune system once perceived pathogen infection, will immediately induce the production of a large number of natural immune cells and promote inflammatory response in order to eliminate the invading pathogens, but natural immune and inflammatory response is a double-edged sword, excessive activation will damage the body.
how to effectively and moderately balance the occurrence and termination of natural immunity and inflammatory response is a major scientific problem in the field of immunology.
Cao Xuetao's team studied the role of RNA modification in natural immunity and inflammation from the perspective of epigenetic transcription groups, and found that DNA hydroxymethylase Tet2 can act as an RNA binding protein on immune molecule mRNA levels, thus promoting the increase in the number of natural immune cells in the peripheral blood of the body in the infectious state, which is conducive to the removal of pathogens.
researchers used RNA-related genomic techniques such as POLY-combined high-throughput sequencing (CLIP-seq) and single nucleotide resolution, to further reveal that Tet2 can be directly combined with immune signals in molecular mechanisms. Pathway negative regulatory molecule Socs3 mRNA 3'-UTR, and inhibit the region's RNA cytosine methylation, promote the degradation of Socs3 mRNA, achieve negative positive effects, promote the body in the early infection of natural immune cells and its function.
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