title: T-cell differentiation: MHC class I's sweet tooth lost on maturity.
abstract: The addition of sialic acid to O-linked glycans of the T-cell co-receptor CD8 is regulated during thymocyte differentiation. Two recent papers have shown that this glycosylation changes the avidity of the interaction between CD8 and MHC class I proteins, potentially altering signalling thresholds in thymocyte differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, IMM1, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. gascoigne@scripps.edu
authors.forename: Nicholas R J
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Gascoigne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006031:Glycosylation; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid