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Published on: March 22, 2012
The SLAM family of immune-cell receptors
André Veillette1, Sylvain Latour
1Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada. veillea@ircm.qc.ca
The 'signalling lymphocyte activation molecule' (SLAM) family is a newly appreciated group of immune-cell specific receptors that has the ability to regulate the function of several immune cell types. Recent studies show that the SLAM-related receptors mediate intracellular protein tyrosine phosphorylation signals. This property is dependent on the aptitude of SLAM-family receptors to bind with high affinity to SAP and/or EAT-2, two small adaptor molecules composed almost exclusively of a Src homology 2 domain. SAP is mutated in X-linked lymphoproliferative disease, a human immune dysfunction characterised by an inappropriate response to Epstein-Barr virus infection, thereby suggesting that the SLAM-related receptors may be critical for a normal immune response. The existence of the SLAM family broadens the spectrum of receptors known to be involved in immunomodulation.
The 'signalling lymphocyte activation molecule' (SLAM) family is a newly appreciated group of immune-cell specific receptors that has the ability to regulate the function of several immune cell types. Recent studies show that the SLAM-related receptors mediate intracellular protein tyrosine phosphorylation signals. This property is dependent on the aptitude of SLAM-family receptors to bind with high affinity to SAP and/or EAT-2, two small adaptor molecules composed almost exclusively of a Src homology 2 domain. SAP is mutated in X-linked lymphoproliferative disease, a human immune dysfunction characterised by an inappropriate response to Epstein-Barr virus infection, thereby suggesting that the SLAM-related receptors may be critical for a normal immune response. The existence of the SLAM family broadens the spectrum of receptors known to be involved in immunomodulation.
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