Mechanistic basis of pre-T cell receptor-mediated autonomous signaling critical for thymocyte development

Sho Yamasaki, Eri Ishikawa, Machie Sakuma, Koji Ogata, Kumiko Sakata-Sogawa, Michio Hiroshima, David L. Wiest, Makio Tokunaga, Takashi Saito

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

131 Scopus citations

Abstract

The pre-T cell receptor (TCR) is crucial for early T cell development and is proposed to function in a ligand-independent way. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the autonomous signals remains elusive. Here we show that the pre-TCR complex spontaneously formed oligomers. Specific charged residues in the extracellular domain of the pre-TCR α-chain mediated formation of the oligomers in vitro. Alteration of these residues eliminated the ability of the pre-TCR α-chain to support pre-TCR signaling in vivo. Dimerization but not raft localization of CD3ε was sufficient to simulate pre-TCR function and promote β-selection. These results suggest that the pre-TCR complex can deliver its signal autonomously through oligomerization of the pre-TCR α-chain mediated by charged residues.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)67-75
Number of pages9
JournalNature Immunology
Volume7
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2006

Keywords

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation/immunology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells/cytology
  • Humans
  • Membrane Glycoproteins/chemistry
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/chemistry
  • Signal Transduction/immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes/cytology

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