Functions of nucleolar complex associated 4 homolog in activated T cells

Abstract:

Nucleolar complex associated 4 homolog (NOC4L) is a key factor in ribosome biogenesis, and this study aims to investigate its roles in activated T cells from the perspective of translation regulation. Firstly, flow cytometry was employed to determine the expression levels of NOC4L in the CD4⁺ T cells under different conditions in the transgenic reporter mice expressing Noc4l^mCherry. Subsequently, the expression of NOC4L along with cell proliferation was examined under Th1 and Th17 polarization conditions. Finally, in vitro experiments were conducted to identify the proteins interacting with NOC4L during the activation of Th1 and Th17 cells, on the basis of which the potential mechanisms of NOC4L were explored. The results showed that the expression level of NOC4L increased in activated CD4⁺ T cells, and the expression of NOC4L was closely associated with the proliferation and division of activated T cells. The in vitro experiments revealed interactions between NOC4L and proteins involved in ribosome assembly and cell proliferation during T cell activation. These findings lay a foundation for probing into the post-transcriptional regulation in helper T cells and hold profound significance for understanding the activation and regulatory mechanisms of T cells.