Maintenance of human T cell anergy: blocking of IL-2 gene transcription by activated Rap1

Science. 1997 Oct 3;278(5335):124-8. doi: 10.1126/science.278.5335.124.

Abstract

In the absence of costimulation, T cells activated through their antigen receptor become unresponsive (anergic) and do not transcribe the gene encoding interleukin-2 (IL-2) when restimulated with antigen. Anergic alloantigen-specific human T cells contained phosphorylated Cbl that coimmunoprecipitated with Fyn. The adapter protein CrkL was associated with both phosphorylated Cbl and the guanidine nucleotide-releasing factor C3G, which catalyzes guanosine triphosphate (GTP) exchange on Rap1. Active Rap1 (GTP-bound form) was present in anergic cells. Forced expression of low amounts of Rap1-GTP in Jurkat T cells recapitulated the anergic defect and blocked T cell antigen receptor (TCR)- and CD28-mediated IL-2 gene transcription. Therefore, Rap1 functions as a negative regulator of TCR-mediated IL-2 gene transcription and may be responsible for the specific defect in IL-2 production in T cell anergy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing*
  • CD28 Antigens / immunology
  • Clonal Anergy*
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors
  • Guanosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics*
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-cbl
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic*
  • Transfection
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases*
  • rap GTP-Binding Proteins
  • ras Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors
  • ras Proteins / metabolism
  • src Homology Domains

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • CD28 Antigens
  • CRKL protein
  • Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors
  • Interleukin-2
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • ras Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors
  • Guanosine Triphosphate
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-cbl
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • FYN protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • rap GTP-Binding Proteins
  • ras Proteins
  • CBL protein, human