title: Embracing the Enemy: Cell-to-Cell Force Transmission Enhances Cytotoxicity.
abstract: Cells respond to the mechanical properties of their environment, but how biomechanics contributes to intercellular signaling remains unclear. Reporting in Cell, Basu et al. (2016) showed that forces exerted by cytotoxic T lymphocytes enhance the function of the pore-forming protein perforin, thereby leading to more effective target cell killing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: jburkhar@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Janis K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
mesh_terms: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D054353:Perforin; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D054353:Perforin