Itch-/- alphabeta and gammadelta T cells independently contribute to autoimmunity in Itchy mice.

E3 ubiquitin ligases determine which intracellular proteins are targets of the ubiquitin conjugation pathway and thus play a key role in determining the half-life, subcellular localization and/or activation status of their target proteins. Itchy mice lack the E3 ligase, Itch, and show dysregulation of T lymphocytes and the induction of a lethal autoimmune inflammatory condition. Itch is widely expressed in hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells, and we demonstrate that disease is transferred exclusively by hematopoietic cells.