First Author | Dower NA | Year | 2000 |
Journal | Nat Immunol | Volume | 1 |
Issue | 4 | Pages | 317-21 |
PubMed ID | 11017103 | Mgi Jnum | J:65115 |
Mgi Id | MGI:1891792 | Doi | 10.1038/79766 |
Citation | Dower NA, et al. (2000) RasGRP is essential for mouse thymocyte differentiation and TCR signaling. Nat Immunol 1(4):317-21 |
abstractText | The Ras signaling pathway plays a critical role in thymopoiesis and T cell activation, but the mechanism of Ras regulation is controversial. At least one mode of Ras regulation in T cells involves the messenger diacylglycerol (DAG). RasGRP, a Ras activator with a DAG-binding C1 domain, is expressed in T cells and thymocytes. Here we show that thymi of RasGRP-null mutant mice have approximately normal numbers of immature thymocytes but a marked deficiency of mature, single-positive (CD4+CD8- and CD4-CD8+) thymocytes. In Ras signaling and proliferation assays, mutant thymocytes showed a complete lack of response to DAG analogs or T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation by antibodies. Thus, TCR and DAG are linked through RasGRP to Ras signaling. |