ERM-Dependent Movement of CD43 Defines a Novel Protein Complex Distal to the Immunological Synapse

• Published in: Immunity (Cambridge, Mass.) Mass.), 2001-11, Vol.15 (5), p.739-750
• Main Authors: Allenspach, Eric J., Cullinan, Patrick, Tong, Jiankun, Tang, Qizhi, Tesciuba, Amanda G., Cannon, Judy L., Takahashi, Stephenie M., Morgan, Renell, Burkhardt, Janis K., Sperling, Anne I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adaptor proteins; Animals; Antigen Presentation; Antigen-Presenting Cells - immunology; Antigens, CD; CD43 antigen; CD69 antigen; Cell Communication - immunology; Cytoskeletal Proteins - immunology; ERM protein; g-Interferon; Intercellular Junctions - immunology; Leukosialin; Mice; mucin; Sialoglycoproteins - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - ultrastructure
• ISSN: 1074-7613; 1097-4180
• DOI: 10.1016/S1074-7613(01)00224-2

The large mucin CD43 is actively excluded from T cell/APC interaction sites, concentrating in a membrane domain distal to the site of TCR engagement. The cytoplasmic region of CD43 was necessary and sufficient for this antipodal movement. ERM cytoskeletal adaptor proteins colocalized with CD43 in this domain. An ERM dominant-negative mutant blocked the distal accumulation of CD43 and another known ERM binding protein, Rho-GDI. Inhibition of ERM function decreased the production of IL-2 and IFNγ, without affecting PKCθ focusing or CD69 upregulation. These results indicate that ERM proteins organize a complex distal to the T cell/APC interaction site and provide evidence that full T cell activation may involve removal of inhibitory proteins from the immunological synapse.