TGF-beta response
Gene co-expression module in CD4⁺ T cells
| Category | Intercellular communication |
|---|---|
| Genes | 12 |
| Annotation certainty | 2 of 5 |
| Annotation consistency | 5 of 12 genes have a known function matching the annotation |
Why this annotation
The top hub gene is TGFBR2, the TGF-beta type II receptor, central to TGF-beta signaling in CD4 T cells (regulatory T cell induction, Th17 balance). Supporting genes include GLUL (glutamine synthetase, often TGF-beta/Treg associated), CLU (clusterin), RASSF2, STK17A (DRAK2, T cell apoptosis regulator), RHOU, ORAI2 (calcium entry), GPR18, ELK4 (SRF cofactor). The module is upregulated with inflammation in both UC and CD. The collection of genes is heterogeneous but anchored by TGFBR2-driven signaling, suggesting a TGF-beta responsive program in intestinal CD4 T cells. Coherence is moderate and expression is low/uniform, so this is a loosely defined signaling module. Given TGFBR2 as the dominant hub, the best interpretation is a TGF-beta response/intercellular communication program.
Genes
CLU, COA1, ELK4, GLUL, GPR18, HDGFL3, ORAI2, RAB27B, RASSF2, RHOU, STK17A, TGFBR2
Most correlated modules
- GIMAP survival · correlation 0.64
- Th17 lineage · correlation 0.61
- TCR signaling · correlation 0.50
- Ribosomal proteins · correlation 0.40
Module annotations were drafted by a large language model from the module's genes, then reviewed and approved by a domain expert. See sources & licences.