Abstract

Immune synapses form between T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Increasing evidence suggests synapses must form flexibly to accommodate ongoing motility and displacement of the synapse. Here, time-lapse total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy showed that signaling via the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) occurred during synapse translation. TCR microclusters in motile synapses did not flow directly into supramolecular activating complexes (SMACs) but were directed, independently of myosin II contractility, toward an F-actin-poor 'sink' region. Inward microcluster flow often followed collapse of the leading edge, which suggested that actin depolymerization regulated microcluster flow and the formation of SMACs. The coordination of TCR movement with the translocation of this 'sink' shows how T cells coordinate TCR signaling and microcluster flow in dynamic physiological synapses.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Beemiller P, Jacobelli J, Krummel MF

Institution

Department of Pathology, University of California-San Francisco, CA, USA.

Source

Nature immunology 13:8 2012 pg 787-95

MeSH

Actins
Animals
Antigen-Presenting Cells
Cell Communication
Cell Membrane
Cell Movement
Cells, Cultured
Immunological Synapses
Lipid Bilayers
Lymphocyte Activation
Mice
Mice, Transgenic
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Myosin Type II
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
Signal Transduction
T-Lymphocytes

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22751140