BATF (D7C5) Rabbit mAb (Alexa Fluor^® 488 Conjugate) #90212

Basic leucine zipper transcriptional factor ATF-like (BATF) is a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor and is part of the AP-1/ATF family that forms inhibitory dimers with members of the Jun family (1-3). Expression of BATF is largely restricted with highest levels found in mature T cells, and it is induced in B cells following immune responses including viral infection (1,2). BATF expression is also induced by IL-6 via a Stat3-dependent mechanism (4). BATF plays an important role in the differentiation of immune cell lineages (5-7). Studies of BATF-deficient mice have demonstrated a critical role for BATF in the formation of IL-17-expressing Th17 cells, in part, by regulating the expression of IL-17 (5,6). BATF knockouts are resistant to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EEA), consistent with the role of Th17 cells in this model for autoimmunity (5). Additional studies have found that BATF is important in generating antibody class switching. BATF is required for the generation of follicular helper T cells (Tfh), by regulating BCL6 and c-Maf (6,7). In B cells, BATF controls the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) and regulates class-switched antibody responses (7). Taken together, these studies suggest that BATF is a key regulator of distinct populations of immune cells.