Abstract
Polarization of the T cell microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) toward the antigen-presenting cell (APC) is driven by the accumulation of diacylglycerol (DAG) at the immunological synapse (IS). The mechanisms that couple DAG to the MTOC are not known. By single-cell photoactivation of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR), we found that three distinct isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC) were recruited by DAG to the IS in two steps. PKC-ɛ and PKC-η accumulated first in a broad region of membrane, whereas PKC-θ arrived later in a smaller zone. Functional experiments indicated that PKC-θ was required for MTOC reorientation and that PKC-ɛ and PKC-η operated redundantly to promote the recruitment of PKC-θ and subsequent polarization responses. Our results establish a previously uncharacterized role for PKC proteins in T cell polarity.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Antigen-Presenting Cells / cytology
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Antigen-Presenting Cells / enzymology
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Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology
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Cell Polarity / immunology*
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Cytoskeleton / enzymology*
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Cytoskeleton / immunology
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Diglycerides / immunology
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Immunological Synapses / enzymology
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Immunological Synapses / immunology
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Isoenzymes / immunology*
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Mice
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Mice, Transgenic
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Protein Kinase C / immunology*
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Protein Kinase C-epsilon / immunology*
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Protein Kinase C-theta
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology
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Single-Cell Analysis
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T-Lymphocytes / cytology
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T-Lymphocytes / enzymology*
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T-Lymphocytes / immunology
Substances
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Diglycerides
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Isoenzymes
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
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protein kinase C eta
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Prkcq protein, mouse
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Protein Kinase C
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Protein Kinase C-epsilon
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Protein Kinase C-theta