Carotta S, Dakic A, D’Amico A, Pang SHM, Greig KT, Nutt SL and Wu L. The Transcription Factor PU.1 Controls Dendritic Cell Development and Flt3 Cytokine Receptor Expression in a Dose Dependent Manner. Immunity 28:628-41, 2010

Abstract The transcription factor PU.1 plays multiple context and concentration dependent roles in lymphoid and myeloid cell development. Here we showed that PU.1 (encoded by Sfpi1) was essential for dendritic cell (DC) development in vivo and that conditional ablation of PU.1 in defined precursors, including the common DC progenitor, blocked Flt3 ligand-induced DC generation in vitro. PU.1 was also required for the parallel granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor-induced DC pathway from early hematopoietic progenitors. Molecular studies demonstrated that PU.1 directly regulated Flt3 in a concentration-dependent manner, as Sfpi1(+/-) cells displayed reduced expression of Flt3 and impaired DC formation. These studies identify PU.1 as a critical regulator of both conventional and p......