title: T-cell-receptor-dependent actin regulatory mechanisms.
abstract: Following stimulation, T cells undergo marked changes in actin architecture that are required for productive immune responses. T-cell-receptor-dependent reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton is necessary for the formation of the immunological synapse at the T-cell-antigen-presenting-cell contact site and the distal pole complex at the opposite face of the T cell. Convergence of specific signaling molecules within these two plasma membrane domains facilitates downstream signaling events leading to full T-cell activation. Recent studies have identified many of the relevant actin-regulatory proteins, and significant progress has been made in our understanding of how these proteins choreograph molecular movements associated with T-cell activation. Proteins such as WASp, WAVE2, HS1 and cofilin direct the formation of a cortical actin scaffold at the immune synapse, while actin-binding proteins such as ezrin and moesin direct binding of signaling molecules to actin filaments within the distal pole complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 816D Abramson Research Center, 3615 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Janis K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
mesh_terms: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D051300:Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein Family / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors; D000199:Actins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D051300:Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein Family; C071058:moesin