The membrane-microfilament linker ezrin is involved in the formation of the immunological synapse and in T cell activation.
Dynamic interactions between membrane and cytoskeleton components are crucial for T cell antigen recognition and subsequent cellular activation. We report here that the membrane-microfilament linker ezrin plays an important role in these processes. First, ezrin relocalizes to the contact area between T cells and stimulatory antigen-presenting cells (APCs), accumulating in F-actin-rich membrane protrusions at the periphery of the immunological synapse. Second, T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated intracellular signals are sufficient to induce ezrin relocalization, indicating that this protein is an effector of TCR signaling. Third, overexpression of the membrane binding domain of ezrin perturbs T cell receptor clustering in the T cell-APC contact area and inhibits the activation of nuclear factor for activated T cells (NF-AT).
Roumier
A
A
Unité de Biologie des Interactions Cellulaires, CNRS URA 1960, Paris, France.
Olivo-Marin
J C
JC
Arpin
M
M
Michel
F
F
Martin
M
M
Mangeat
P
P
Acuto
O
O
Dautry-Varsat
A
A
Alcover
A
A
D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D000099149:Ezrin
D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D000099149:Ezrin