title: The pre-T cell receptor (TCR) complex is functionally coupled to the TCR-zeta subunit.
abstract: The pre-T cell receptor (TCR) complex regulates early T cell development and consists of a heterodimer of the TCR-beta subunit in association with the pre-TCR-alpha chain. Notably, in contrast to alpha/beta-expressing T cells, several studies suggested that the TCR-zeta chain is not stably associated with this pre-TCR complex. To examine the proximal signaling processes mediated by the pre-TCR complex and the role of the TCR-zeta chain in these processes, we stimulated pre-TCR-expressing cells and analyzed the interactions of the TCR/CD3 invariant chains with the Syk/ZAP-70 family of protein tyrosine kinases. Stimulation of the pre-TCR complex led to the tyrosine phosphorylation of the CD3 epsilon and TCR-zeta chains, as well as the phosphorylation and association of ZAP-70 and Syk with phosphorylated CD3 epsilon and TCR-zeta. These results demonstrate that the pre-TCR complex is functionally coupled to the TCR-zeta subunit and to the ZAP-70 and Syk protein tyrosine kinases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA.
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: van Oers
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Boehmer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000072377:Syk Kinase; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase
chemical_list: D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; C054979:antigen T cell receptor, zeta chain; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D000072377:Syk Kinase; C000606897:Syk protein, mouse; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; C497262:Zap70 protein, mouse