2. Academic Validation
  3. Tespa1 is involved in late thymocyte development through the regulation of TCR-mediated signaling

Tespa1 is involved in late thymocyte development through the regulation of TCR-mediated signaling

  • Nat Immunol. 2012 May 6;13(6):560-8. doi: 10.1038/ni.2301.
Di Wang 1,  Mingzhu Zheng,  Lei Lei,  Jian Ji,  Yunliang Yao,  Yuanjun Qiu,  Lie Ma,  Jun Lou,  Chuan Ouyang,  Xue Zhang,  Yuewei He,  Jun Chi,  Lie Wang,  Ying Kuang,  Jianli Wang,  Xuetao Cao,  Linrong Lu
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Institute of Immunology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
PMID: 22561606 DOI: 10.1038/ni.2301
Abstract

Signaling via the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) during the CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive developmental stage determines thymocyte selection and lineage commitment. Here we describe a previously uncharacterized T cell-expressed protein, Tespa1, with critical functions during the positive selection of thymocytes. Tespa1(-/-) mice had fewer mature thymic CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, which reflected impaired thymocyte development. Tespa1 associated with the TCR signaling components PLC-γ1 and Grb2, and Tespa1 deficiency resulted in attenuated TCR signaling, as reflected by defective activation of the Erk-AP-1 and CA(2+)-NFAT pathways. Our findings demonstrate that Tespa1 is a component of the TCR signalosome and is essential for T cell selection and maturation through the regulation of TCR signaling during T cell development.

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