title: Thymocyte development in the absence of pre-T cell receptor extracellular immunoglobulin domains.
abstract: Immature thymocytes express a pre-T cell receptor (pre-TCR) composed of the TCRbeta chain paired with pre-Talpha. Signals from this receptor are essential for passage of thymocytes through a key developmental checkpoint in the thymus. These signals were efficiently delivered in vivo by a truncated form of the murine pre-TCR that lacked all of its extracellular immunoglobulin domains. De novo expression of the truncated pre-TCR or an intact alphabetaTCR was sufficient to activate characteristic TCR signaling pathways in a T cell line. These findings support the view that recognition of an extracellular ligand is not required for pre-TCR function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0414, USA.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Irving
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Alt
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Killeen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019281:Dimerization; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D017252:CD3 Complex; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D014157:Transcription Factors; C090377:pre-T cell receptor alpha