Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Characterization of Thymus-dependent and Thymus-independent Immunoglobulin Isotype Responses in Mice Using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay
06:15

Characterization of Thymus-dependent and Thymus-independent Immunoglobulin Isotype Responses in Mice Using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Published on: September 7, 2018

Antithymocyte globulin impairs T-cell/antigen-presenting cell interaction: disruption of immunological synapse and

Michael Haidinger1, René Geyeregger, Marko Poglitsch

  • 1Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Transplantation
|July 14, 2007
PubMed

Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) is employed for the treatment and prevention of acute organ rejection after transplantation. However, the mechanisms underlying its immunomodulatory capacities beyond cellular depletion remains ill defined. A stable interaction between T-cells and professional antigen-presenting cells (APC) and full T-cell stimulation requires a complex molecular rearrangement at the T-cell/APC interface, the so called immunological synapse. Here we investigated, whether ATG affects T-cell/APC interactions. ATG concentration and time-dependently inhibited relocalization of the T-cell receptor/CD3 complex as well as adhesion molecules and cytoskeletal proteins of human peripheral blood T-cells and a human T-cell line towards the APC contact site. Moreover, ATG-treated peripheral blood T-cells were incapable to form conjugates with APCs. In conclusion, ATG impairs T-cell/APC conjugate formation, a mechanism that may help to understand the functional inactivation of peripheral blood T-cells that have escaped cellular depletion after ATG treatment.

More Related Videos

Assessment of the Synaptic Interface of Primary Human T Cells from Peripheral Blood and Lymphoid Tissue06:27

Assessment of the Synaptic Interface of Primary Human T Cells from Peripheral Blood and Lymphoid Tissue

Published on: July 30, 2018

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse09:37

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse

Published on: December 26, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Cell-mediated Immune Responses01:40

Cell-mediated Immune Responses

Overview
Humoral Immune Responses01:36

Humoral Immune Responses

Overview
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
B Cell Activation and Differentiation01:24

B Cell Activation and Differentiation

The adaptive immune response, a sophisticated defense mechanism, relies on the activation and differentiation of B lymphocytes, or B cells. These processes enable our bodies to mount a tailored response against specific pathogens such as bacteria, free virus particles, toxins, and parasites.
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...