Cholesterol and sphingomyelin drive ligand-independent T-cell antigen receptor nanoclustering
22.10.2012
Molnár E, Swamy M, Holzer M, Beck-García K, Worch R, Thiele C, Guigas G, Boye K, Luescher IF, Schwille P, Schubert R, Schamel WW.
J Biol Chem. 2012;287(51):42664-74
This is a BIOSS publication that we did in collaboration between the Schamel and the Schubert groups, reconstruction TCR nanoclusters in biomimetic membranes. We showed that the mechanism of the antigen?independent nanoclustering of the T?cell antigen receptor (TCR) is cholesterol?dependent, and cholesterol binds to the TCR? chain in living T cells. When reconstituted in liposomes containing cholesterol and sphingomyelin, the TCR forms dimers even though it is localized in the liquid disordered phase. We propose that in memory T cells the binding of cholesterol and sphingomyelin to the TCR? chain causes TCR dimerization increasing the avidity to the antigen.
