Scalable signaling mediated by T cell antigen receptor-CD3 ITAMs ensures effective negative selection and prevents autoimmunity.

Publication/Presentation Date

6-1-2008

Abstract

The T cell antigen receptor (TCR)-CD3 complex is unique in having ten cytoplasmic immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs). The physiological importance of this high TCR ITAM number is unclear. Here we generated 25 groups of mice expressing various combinations of wild-type and mutant ITAMs in TCR-CD3 complexes. Mice with fewer than seven wild-type CD3 ITAMs developed a lethal, multiorgan autoimmune disease caused by a breakdown in central rather than peripheral tolerance. Although there was a linear correlation between the number of wild-type CD3 ITAMs and T cell proliferation, cytokine production was unaffected by ITAM number. Thus, high ITAM number provides scalable signaling that can modulate proliferation yet ensure effective negative selection and prevention of autoimmunity.

Volume

9

Issue

6

First Page

658

Last Page

666

ISSN

1529-2916

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

18469818

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article

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