Satb1, or Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1, is a chromatin-binding protein. It serves as a key regulator in various biological processes, mainly through orchestrating long-range chromatin loops between genes and their regulatory elements, thereby influencing gene expression. It is involved in T-cell development, differentiation, and functions, and is also associated with processes like cellular senescence and cancer development [1,3].

In T-cells, multiple Satb1 perturbations in mice have shown its link to autoimmune diseases. For example, in CD4CreSatb1f/f mice, vaccination enriched for antigen-specific Tfh cells, and TGF-β-mediated repression of Satb1 enhanced Tfh differentiation of human T cells, which also promoted the formation of intra-tumoral tertiary lymphoid structures [2]. In colorectal cancer, high levels of Satb1 expression facilitate cancer progression and are associated with poor prognosis, as demonstrated by in vitro experiments using Satb1 over-expressing and depleted CRC cell lines [4]. In naïve CD8+ T cells, Satb1-mutant mice (Satb1m1Anu/m1Anu) showed abnormal transcriptional and phenotypic characteristics, and upon influenza A virus infection, had a decreased proportion and number of IAV-specific CD8+ effector T cells recruited to the infected lung compared to wild-type mice [5].

In conclusion, Satb1 plays essential roles in T-cell-specific regulatory pathways, cellular senescence, and cancer development. Mouse models with Satb1 knockout or conditional knockout have been crucial in revealing its functions in these biological processes and disease conditions, contributing to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and potentially providing new directions for disease treatment and prevention.