title: Small molecule inhibition of Csk alters affinity recognition by T cells.
abstract: The C-terminal Src kinase (Csk), the primary negative regulator of Src-family kinases (SFK), plays a crucial role in controlling basal and inducible receptor signaling. To investigate how Csk activity regulates T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signaling, we utilized a mouse expressing mutated Csk (Csk(AS)) whose catalytic activity is specifically and rapidly inhibited by a small molecule. Inhibition of Csk(AS) during TCR stimulation led to stronger and more prolonged TCR signaling and to increased proliferation. Inhibition of Csk(AS) enhanced activation by weak but strictly cognate agonists. Titration of Csk inhibition revealed that a very small increase in SFK activity was sufficient to potentiate T cell responses to weak agonists. Csk plays an important role, not only in basal signaling, but also in setting the TCR signaling threshold and affinity recognition.
authors: Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.
authors: Boryana N
authors: BN
authors: Manz
authors: Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.
authors: Ying Xim
authors: YX
authors: Tan
authors: Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.
authors: Adam H
authors: AH
authors: Courtney
authors: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.
authors: Florentine
authors: F
authors: Rutaganira
authors: Departments of Biomedicine and Nephrology, University Hospital Basel, University of basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Ed
authors: E
authors: Palmer
authors: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.
authors: Kevan M
authors: KM
authors: Shokat
authors: Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.
authors: Arthur
authors: A
authors: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000081247:CSK Tyrosine-Protein Kinase; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D000081247:CSK Tyrosine-Protein Kinase; D019061:src-Family Kinases
keywords: Src kinases; cell biology; immunology; lymphocyte; mouse; receptors; signal transduction; tyrosine phosphorylation