Blocked Ras Activation in Anergic CD4+ T Cells

PE Fields, TF Gajewski, FW Fitch - Science, 1996 - science.org
Science, 1996science.org
T cell anergy is a state of functional unresponsiveness characterized by the inability to
produce interleukin-2 (IL-2) upon T cell receptor stimulation. The mitogen-activated protein
kinases ERK-1 and ERK-2 and the guanosine triphosphate-binding protein p21Ras were
found to remain unactivated upon stimulation of anergic murine T helper cell 1 clones. The
inability to activate the Ras pathway did not result from a defect in association among Shc,
Grb-2, and murine Son of Sevenless, nor from a defect in their tyrosine phosphorylation. This …
T cell anergy is a state of functional unresponsiveness characterized by the inability to produce interleukin-2 (IL-2) upon T cell receptor stimulation. The mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK-1 and ERK-2 and the guanosine triphosphate-binding protein p21Ras were found to remain unactivated upon stimulation of anergic murine T helper cell 1 clones. The inability to activate the Ras pathway did not result from a defect in association among Shc, Grb-2, and murine Son of Sevenless, nor from a defect in their tyrosine phosphorylation. This block in Ras activation may lead to defective transactivation at activator protein 1 sites in anergic cells and may enable T cells to shut down IL-2 production selectively during anergy.
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