SAP facilitates recruitment and activation of LCK at NTB-A receptors during restimulation-induced cell death

J Immunol. 2014 May 1;192(9):4202-9. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1303070. Epub 2014 Mar 31.

Abstract

Upon TCR restimulation, activated, cycling T cells can undergo a self-regulatory form of apoptosis known as restimulation-induced cell death (RICD). We previously demonstrated that RICD is impaired in T cells from patients with X-linked lymphoproliferative disease, which lack SLAM-associated protein (SAP) expression. Both SAP and the specific SLAM receptor NK, T, and B cell Ag (NTB-A) are required for RICD, but the mechanism by which these molecules promote a strong, proapoptotic signal through the TCR remains unclear. In this article, we show that the Src-family kinase LCK, but not FYN, associates with NTB-A in activated human T cells. This association increased after TCR restimulation in a SAP-dependent manner, requiring both immunoreceptor tyrosine-based switch motifs in the NTB-A cytoplasmic tail. Both NTB-A-associated LCK phosphorylation and kinase activity were enhanced in restimulated T cells, amplifying proximal TCR signaling. In contrast, TCR-induced LCK association with NTB-A, as well as phosphorylation and kinase activity, was reduced in T cells from patients with X-linked lymphoproliferative disease or normal T cells transfected with SAP-specific small interfering RNA, consistent with RICD resistance. Collectively, our data reveal how SAP nucleates a previously unknown signaling complex involving NTB-A and LCK to potentiate RICD of activated human T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, CD / immunology*
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Apoptosis / immunology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / immunology*
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) / immunology*
  • Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / immunology*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / immunology
  • Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Associated Protein
  • Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family
  • Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Member 1
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • SH2D1A protein, human
  • SLAMF6 protein, human
  • Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Associated Protein
  • Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family
  • Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Member 1
  • Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck)