title: CD4 function in thymocyte differentiation and T cell activation.
abstract: The ectodomains of the T cell surface glycoproteins CD4 and CD8 bind to membrane-proximal domains of MHC class II and class I molecules, respectively, while both cytoplasmic domains interact with the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) p56lck (lck) through a shared cysteine-containing motif. Function of CD4 and CD8 requires their binding to the same MHC molecule as that recognized by the T cell antigen receptor (TCR). In vitro studies indicate that CD4-associated lck functions even in the absence of kinase activity. In vivo experiments show that, whereas helper T cell development is impaired in CD4-deficient mice, high level expression of a transgenic CD4 that cannot bind lck rescues development of this T cell subset. These studies suggest that CD4 is an adhesion molecule whose localization is regulated through protein-protein interactions of the associated PTK and whose function is to increase the stability of the TCR signalling complex by binding to the relevant MHC. The function of CD4 in development has been further studied in the context of how double positive (CD4+CD8+) thymocytes mature into either CD4+ T cells with helper function and TCR specificity for class II or into CD8+ T cells with cytotoxic function and specificity for class I. Studies using CD4-transgenic mice indicate that development of single positive T cells involves stochastic downregulation of either CD4 or CD8, coupled to activation of a cytotoxic or helper program, respectively, and subsequent selection based on the ability of the TCR and remaining co-receptor to engage the same MHC molecule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of California at San Francisco 94143-0414.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Killeen
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Crooks
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Scarborough
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Stuart
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Littman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000378:metabolism; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell