Transcriptional Regulation of the Thymus Master Regulator Foxn1

The study by Kadouri et al. investigates the transcriptional regulation of the Foxn1 gene, crucial for thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and hair follicle cells (HFCs). Key findings include the identification of critical regulatory regions necessary for Foxn1 expression in TECs but not in HFCs, with a small deletion in the AR3 region significantly reducing thymus size without affecting hair growth. Transcription factors SIX1 and FOXN1 were identified as key regulators of Foxn1 expression in TECs. The study also highlights the role of DNA methylation and histone modifications in regulating Foxn1 expression, providing a deeper understanding of the precise regulatory mechanisms controlling Foxn1 and its role in thymic development.