| First Author | Herzog S | Year | 2007 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 178 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | 2336-43 |
| PubMed ID | 17277139 | Mgi Jnum | J:143982 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3829556 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.178.4.2336 |
| Citation | Herzog S, et al. (2007) The N terminus of the non-T cell activation linker (NTAL) confers inhibitory effects on pre-B cell differentiation. J Immunol 178(4):2336-43 |
| abstractText | SLP-65 and the linker for activation of T cells (LAT) are central adaptor proteins that link the activated pre-BCR to downstream events in pre-B cells. Recently, a new transmembrane adaptor called NTAL/LAB/LAT2 (hereafter called NTAL for non-T cell activation linker) with striking functional and structural similarity to LAT has been identified in B cells. In this study, we compare the function of NTAL and LAT in pre-BCR signaling and show that, in contrast to LAT, NTAL does not induce pre-BCR down-regulation, calcium flux, or pre-B cell differentiation. To test whether differences between NTAL-mediated and LAT-mediated signaling are caused by the missing phospholipase C (PLC)-gamma binding motif in NTAL, we inserted the PLC-gamma1/2 binding motif of LAT into NTAL. This insertion rendered NTAL capable of activating pre-BCR down-regulation and calcium flux. Unexpectedly however, the ability of NTAL to induce calcium flux was not sufficient to promote pre-B cell differentiation, suggesting that the PLC-gamma binding motif has only partial effects on NTAL-mediated pre-BCR signaling. By generating chimeric swap mutants, we identified the N terminus of NTAL as an inhibitory domain that prevents pre-B cell differentiation while allowing pre-BCR down-regulation and receptor-mediated calcium flux. Our data suggest that, in addition to the missing PLC-gamma1/2 binding motif, the N terminus is responsible for the functional differences between NTAL and LAT in pre-B cells. |
