Exposed region is indispensable
Research team explains important step in the activation of T-cells in the immune system
The team led by Alarcón changed the receptors in mice by removing the proline-rich region. Dr. Aldo Borroto in Madrid and Dr. Elaine P. Dopfer in Freiburg determined that the TCR no longer functions correctly without this region, as it is no longer phosphorylated. In a receptor that has not been changed, however, the proline-rich region binds to the adapter protein Nck after the region has been exposed. Dopfer performed an in vitro reconstruction of this interaction, thus providing quantitative evidence for the study. This was done within the EU consortium SYBILLA “Systems biology on T-cell activation”, where Schamel and Alarcón are partners.
Through their joint research, the scientists in Freiburg and Madrid verified that the presence and exposure of the proline-rich region is of fundamental significance for activating the TCR, and consequently the immune defense. This finding will enable scientists to reach a more complete understanding of the process, from the binding of a foreign substance to the response from the immune system. It will now be possible to elucidate the subsequent steps, which have not yet been analyzed.
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