Long-range intrachromosomal interactions in the T helper type 2 cytokine locus.

The T helper type 2 (T(H)2) locus control region is important in the regulation of the genes encoding the cytokines interleukins 4, 5 and 13. Using the chromosome conformation capture technique, we found that in T cells, natural killer cells, B cells and fibroblasts, the promoters for the genes encoding T(H)2 cytokines are located in close spatial proximity, forming an initial chromatin core configuration. In CD4(+) T cells and natural killer cells, but not B cells and fibroblasts, the T(H)2 locus control region participates in this configuration. The transcription factors GATA3 and STAT6 are essential for the establishment and/or maintenance of these interactions. Intrachromosomal interactions in the T(H)2 cytokine locus may form the basis for the coordinated transcriptional regulation of cytokine-encoding genes by the T(H)2 locus control region.