Membrane compartmentation is required for efficient T cell activation.
The plasma membrane of mammalian cells contains detergent-resistant membrane rafts enriched in glycosphingolipids and cholesterol. Although several important signaling molecules have been found in such rafts, evidence documenting a functional role for their localization has been scarce. Using a fractionation scheme that preserves tyrosine phosphorylation, we show that T cell activation leads to a striking compartmentation in the rafts of activated T cell receptor and associated signal-transducing molecules. Conditions that reversibly disrupt raft structure either by dispersing their contents or by forcing their internalization reversibly disrupt the earliest steps of T cell activation. Thus, raft integrity is a prerequisite for efficient T cell receptor signal transduction.
Xavier
R
R
Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.
Brennan
T
T
Li
Q
Q
McCormack
C
C
Seed
B
B
D000818:Animals; D002451:Cell Compartmentation / Q000276:immunology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*