Fidelity of T cell activation through multistep T cell receptor zeta phosphorylation.
The T cell receptor (TCR) alphabeta heterodimer interacts with its ligands with high specificity, but surprisingly low affinity. The role of the zeta component of the murine TCR in contributing to the fidelity of antigen recognition was examined. With sequence-specific phosphotyrosine antibodies, it was found that zeta undergoes a series of ordered phosphorylation events upon TCR engagement. Completion of phosphorylation steps is dependent on the nature of the TCR ligand. Thus, the phosphorylation steps establish thresholds for T cell activation. This study documents the sophisticated molecular events that follow the engagement of a low-affinity receptor.
Center for Immunology and Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
E N
EN
Kersh
A S
AS
Shaw
P M
PM
Allen
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009154:Mutation; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D019000:Phosphotyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase
D000941:Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C054979:antigen T cell receptor, zeta chain; D019000:Phosphotyrosine; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; C497262:Zap70 protein, mouse