T cell receptor signaling precedes immunological synapse formation.
The area of contact between a T cell and an antigen-presenting cell (APC) is known as the immunological synapse. Although its exact function is unknown, one model suggests that it allows for T cell receptor (TCR) clustering and for sustained signaling in T cells for many hours. Here we demonstrate that TCR-mediated tyrosine kinase signaling in naïve T cells occurred primarily at the periphery of the synapse and was largely abated before mature immunological synapses had formed. These data suggest that many hours of TCR signaling are not required for T cell activation. These observations challenge current ideas about the role of immunological synapses in T cell activation.
Lee
Kyeong-Hee
KH
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid, Box 8118, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Holdorf
Amy D
AD
Dustin
Michael L
ML
Chan
Andrew C
AC
Allen
Paul M
PM
Shaw
Andrey S
AS
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004705:Endocytosis; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011940:Receptor Aggregation; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase
D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D010455:Peptides; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck); D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; C497262:Zap70 protein, mouse