Studies on nuclear signaling proteins required for T cell development

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25460606
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Immunology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo (2014-2015); 独立行政法人国立国際医療研究センター (2013)
• Principal Investigator: Nitta Takeshi 東京大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (30373343)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OKADA Toshiyuki 国立国際医療研究センター, 研究所, 研究員 (10607328) ; TAMEHIRO Norimasa 国立国際医療研究センター, 研究所, 上級研究員 (80597881)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: T細胞 / 胸腺 / TCR / シグナル伝達 / 核 / Themis / Grb2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Themis is a newly identified protein that localizes in cytoplasm and nucleus and is essential for inducing T cell development in the thymus. Here we found that Themis binds the adaptor protein Grb2 in the nuclei of T cells and regulates nuclear protein levels of Grb2 in T cells, and that nuclear Themis-Grb2 interaction is required for T cell development. However, the nuclear localization of Themis is dispensable for cytokine production by peripheral T cells, suggesting that Themis has different functions in the thymus and periphery. Our results also show that two CABIT domains in Themis are both required for T cell development and that each of the CABIT domains exerts distinct functions during T cell development.

Free Research Field

免疫学