Rapidin vivo analysis of mutant forms of the LAT adaptor usingPax5-Lat double-deficient pro-B?cells

Serine residues in the LAT adaptor are essential for TCR-dependent signal transduction

The adaptor protein LAT has a prominent role in the transduction of intracellular signals elicited by the TCR/CD3 complex. Upon TCR engagement, LAT becomes tyrosine-phosphorylated and thereby, recruits to the membrane several proteins implicated in the activation of downstream signaling pathways. However, little is known about the role of other conserved motifs present in the LAT sequence. Here, we report that the adaptor LAT contains several conserved serine-based motifs, which are essential for proper signal transduction through the TCR. Mutation of these serine motifs in the human T cell line Jurkat prevents proper calcium influx, MAPK activation, and IL-2 production in response to TCR/CD3 stimulation. Moreover, this mutant form of LAT has a reduced ability to bind to PLC-γ1 and SLP-76, although phosphorylation of tyrosine residues 132, 171, and 191 is not decreased, raising a possible role for the serine-based motifs of LAT for the binding of important partners. The functional role of LAT serine-based motifs in signal transduction could be mediated by an effect on tyrosine phosphorylation, as their mutation significantly diminishes the phosphorylation of tyrosine residue 226. In addition, these serine motifs seem to have a regulatory role, given that upon their mutation, ZAP-70 shows enhanced phosphorylation. Therefore, the LAT serine-based motifs likely regulate signaling pathways that are essential for T cell physiology.

TCR-beta chains derived from peripheral gammadelta T cells can take part in alphabeta T-cell development

Between 10 and 20% of the peripheral gammadelta T cells express cytoplasmic TCR-beta proteins, but whether such TCR-beta chains can partake in alphabeta T-cell development has never been systematically investigated. Therefore, we reconstituted the T-cell compartment of CD3epsilon-deficient mice with Pax5-TCR-beta deficient proB cells expressing, via a retroviral vector, TCR-beta chains from either peripheral gammadelta or alphabeta T cells. Recipient thymi reconstituted with proB cells containing empty vector were small (<15x10(6) cells), contained few gammadelta T but no alphabeta T cells. In contrast, thymi from mice receiving proB cells containing gammadelta or alphabeta T-cell-derived TCR-beta chains contained 80-130x10(6) cells, and showed a normal CD4, CD8 and alphabeta TCR expression pattern. However, regardless of the source of TCR-beta chain, reconstituted mice rapidly showed signs of autoimmunity dying 5-15 wk following reconstitution. Autoimmune disease induction could be prevented by co-transfer of Treg cells thereby allowing the functionality of the generated T cells to be assessed. Results obtained show that TCR-beta chains from gammadelta T cells can efficiently take part in alphabeta T-cell development. The implications of these findings for gammadelta T-cell development will be discussed.