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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
09:14
Static Adhesion Assay for the Study of Integrin Activation in T Lymphocytes
Published on: June 13, 2014
T-cell receptor signaling to integrins
Brandon J Burbach1, Ricardo B Medeiros, Kristen L Mueller
1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Immunological Reviews
|July 13, 2007
Summary
T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling rapidly enhances integrin function, crucial for T-cell activation and tissue trafficking. This review details the molecular pathways, from initial signals to cytoskeletal changes, that boost integrin activity.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Integrin adhesion receptors are vital for T-cell antigen recognition and tissue homing.
- T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling rapidly modulates integrin function, promoting T-cell activation through stable cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the molecular mechanisms linking TCR signaling to integrin activation.
- To present a model detailing the key signaling events involved in TCR-mediated integrin enhancement.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on TCR signaling pathways and integrin regulation.
- Integration of data to propose a mechanistic model of TCR-integrin crosstalk.
Main Results:
- TCR signaling initiates via the linker for activated T cells (LAT) signalosome, involving key proteins like Itk and Vav1.
- Signal transmission to integrins involves protein kinase C (PKC) and adhesion and degranulation-promoting adapter protein (ADAP).
- Integrin activation involves Rap1 GTPase, talin, and cytoskeletal remodeling by WAVE2, leading to enhanced integrin function.
Conclusions:
- TCR stimulation orchestrates a multi-step signaling cascade to enhance integrin conformation and clustering.
- This coordinated process is essential for T-cell adhesion, activation, and migration into tissues.
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