title: Cutting edge: TCR ligation triggers digital activation of NF-kappaB.
abstract: TCR-mediated activation of the transcription factor NF-κB is required for T cell proliferation, survival, and effector differentiation. Although this pathway is the subject of intense study, it is not known whether TCR signaling to NF-κB is digital (switch-like) or analog in nature. Through analysis of the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα and the nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of the NF-κB subunit RelA, we show that TCR-directed NF-κB activation is digital. Furthermore, digitization occurs well upstream of the IκB kinase complex, as protein kinase C translocation to the immunologic synapse and activation-associated aggregation of Bcl10 and Malt1 also demonstrate both digital behavior and high correlation with RelA nuclear translocation. Thus, similar to the TCR-to-MAPK signaling cascade, analog Ag inputs are converted to digital activation outputs to NF-κB at an early step downstream of TCR ligation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Lara M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kingeter
authors.forename: Suman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Sean K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Maynard
authors.forename: Natalia G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Cartwright
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Schaefer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; C000606205:Nfkbia protein, mouse; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha