AP-1 Immediate Early
Gene co-expression module in Natural Killer cells
| Category | activation |
|---|---|
| Genes | 10 |
| Annotation certainty | 4 of 5 |
| Annotation consistency | 9 of 10 genes have a known function matching the annotation |
Why this annotation
Hub genes: DUSP1 and DUSP2 (dual-specificity phosphatases that inactivate MAPK/ERK/p38, immediate early stress/activation response), JUNB, FOS, JUN (AP-1 transcription factors, immediate early genes), CXCR4 (chemokine receptor for CXCL12, homing/migration), BTG1 (anti-proliferative, immediate early), KLF6 (stress-responsive transcription factor), CITED2 (CBP/p300 co-activator, hypoxia/stress), TUBA4A (tubulin). The core is a classic immediate early gene / AP-1 activation signature combined with MAPK negative feedback (DUSP1/2). This pattern is seen in NK cell activation, stress responses, and dissociation stress. However, the high mean expression (1.552), high pct positive (79.4%), and upregulation in CD inflammation and CD remission suggest genuine in vivo activation rather than pure dissociation artifact. CXCR4 co-expression links this to migratory/homing context. Neighbor modules are stress/chaperone modules, consistent with a shared activation-stress axis.
Genes
BTG1, CITED2, CXCR4, DUSP1, DUSP2, FOS, JUN, JUNB, KLF6, TUBA4A
Most correlated modules
- Integrated Stress Response · correlation 0.86
- ER Stress Response · correlation 0.78
- Transcription Elongation Control · correlation 0.71
- Autophagy-Inflammation Stress · correlation 0.68
- TGF-β Antagonism · correlation 0.66
- NF-κB Activation · correlation 0.56
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.