Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells and Tolerance

The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factors control a wide range of processes in T cells that determine the fate and functions of different T cell populations. The capacity of NFAT to regulate different programs of gene expression is determined by its ability to cooperate with multiple transcription factors and, therefore, integrate calcium signaling, which mediates NFAT activation and shuttling from the cytosol to the nucleus, with other signaling pathways that are engaged under specific conditions and induce the activation of distinct NFAT partners. This article will explore how, by forming specific transcriptional complexes, NFAT regulates events that are responsible for the establishment of T cell tolerance.