title: Association of CD2 with tubulin. Evidence for a role of the cytoskeleton in T cell activation.
abstract: In addition to the antigen-specific T cell receptor, a number of other T cell surface molecules contribute to T cell adhesion and activation. CD2 is a 50-kDa glycoprotein found on the surface of human T lymphocytes which plays a role in T cell adhesion and stimulation. The intracellular mechanisms by which CD2 functions are, however, not fully defined. Here we show that the T cell surface molecule CD2 physically interacts with tubulin. This interaction appears to involve the membrane-proximal part of the cytoplasmic domain of the CD2 molecule, suggesting that CD2 binds to the tubulin fraction previously shown to be present in membranes. Stimulation of T cells with activating pairs of anti-CD2 antibodies, capable of initiating lymphokine production and T cell proliferation, disrupts the CD2-tubulin complexes, suggesting that the dynamic interaction of CD2 with tubulin may play a role in T cell activation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Offringa
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Bierer
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism*; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D014404:Tubulin