Abstract
The majority (>95%) of thymocytes undergo apoptosis during selection in the thymus. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain how apoptosis of thymocytes that are not positively selected occurs; however, it is unknown whether thymocytes die purely by "neglect" or whether signaling through a cell-surface receptor initiates an apoptotic pathway. We have previously demonstrated that on double positive thymocytes the ligation of CD8 in the absence of TCR engagement results in apoptosis and have postulated this is a mechanism to remove thymocytes that have failed positive selection. On mature single positive T cells CD8 acts as a co-receptor to augment signaling through the TCR that is dependent on the phosphorylation of the adaptor protein, linker for activation of T cells (LAT). Here, we show that during CD8-mediated apoptosis of double positive thymocytes there is an increase in the association of CD8 with LAT and an increase in LAT tyrosine phosphorylation. Decreasing LAT expression and mutation of tyrosine residues of LAT reduced apoptosis upon crosslinking of CD8. Our results identify novel functions for both CD8 and LAT that are independent of TCR signal transduction and suggest a mechanism for signal transduction leading to apoptosis upon CD8 crosslinking.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
MeSH terms
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / physiology*
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Animals
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Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
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Apoptosis / drug effects
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Apoptosis / immunology*
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CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
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CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / physiology
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CD8 Antigens / physiology*
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CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
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CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / physiology*
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Cell Line, Tumor
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Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) / antagonists & inhibitors
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Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) / metabolism
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Membrane Proteins / physiology*
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Mice, Knockout
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Phosphoproteins / physiology*
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Phosphorylation / drug effects
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
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Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics
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RNA Interference
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / physiology
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Signal Transduction / immunology*
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Tyrosine / metabolism
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ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase / genetics
Substances
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
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Antibodies, Monoclonal
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CD8 Antigens
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CD8 antigen, alpha chain
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CD8alphabeta antigen
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Cd8b1 protein, mouse
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Lat protein, mouse
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Membrane Proteins
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Phosphoproteins
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
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Tyrosine
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Tec protein-tyrosine kinase
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Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
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Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck)
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ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase
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emt protein-tyrosine kinase