The mammalian organism contains millions of distinct T cells, each with their own unique specificity. T cells are essential components of the adaptive immune response, being critical to the defense of our bodies against foreign pathogens and tumors that create cellular alterations. The T cell receptor (TCR), a multimeric transmembrane complex, is highly adaptive, capable of distinguishing foreign peptides bound to self- major histocompatibility complex molecules (pMHC) displayed on the surface of altered cells. External flags in the form of these presented peptides displayed on antigen presenting cells are sensed and transmitted into the T cell during its process of immune surveillance. Once recognized by the T cell, immune activation is initiated to destroy the non-self invader. How recognition of ths peptide by a weakly interacting specific receptor on the T cell surface evokes signaling remains an undefined, longstanding, biological question. Our preliminary studies identified via focused experimentation the importance of physical forces in activating T cells, providing a mechanical mechanism to answer the long standing biological question of how minute differences at the TCR pMHC interface lead to triggering. Our objective is to test the hypothesis that the TCR acts as an anisotropic mechanosensor. The concept that mechanical force plays a role in TCR activation will be explored across physiologically relevant model cell-based systems as well as be adapted to classical single molecule assay design. We combine single molecule methods, structure function mutational analysis, and recombinant protein expression specifically targeted to the T cell triggering event. First, we determine the physical and chemical requirements for TCR triggering on cells. Second, we develop a single molecule assay for probing the strength of the TCR-pMHC bond across a range of loads with peptides exhibiting varying potencies. Third, we determine the role of the stalk domain as a force transducer for T cell triggering in live T cells. Outcome of this work will provide a clearer understanding for the temporal, chemical, spatial and physical inputs to TCR mechanosensing. Our project includes training of personnel at levels ranging from undergraduates to faculty with crucial interdisciplinary overlap between labs founded in single molecule measurement and immunology disciplines.

Public Health Relevance

A deeper understanding of the adaptive immune response is critical to understanding how our bodies recognize and destroy foreign pathogens and tumors. Our work combines single molecule methods, structure function mutational analysis, and recombinant protein expression for investigating immune activation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI100643-04
Application #
8887297
Study Section
Macromolecular Structure and Function C Study Section (MSFC)
Program Officer
Mallia, Conrad M
Project Start
2012-08-23
Project End
2017-07-31
Budget Start
2015-08-01
Budget End
2017-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department
Engineering (All Types)
Type
Biomed Engr/Col Engr/Engr Sta
DUNS #
004413456
City
Nashville
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
37240
Brazin, Kristine N; Mallis, Robert J; Boeszoermenyi, Andras et al. (2018) The T Cell Antigen Receptor ? Transmembrane Domain Coordinates Triggering through Regulation of Bilayer Immersion and CD3 Subunit Associations. Immunity 49:829-841.e6
Feng, Yinnian; Reinherz, Ellis L; Lang, Matthew J (2018) ?? T Cell Receptor Mechanosensing Forces out Serial Engagement. Trends Immunol 39:596-609
Mallis, Robert J; Arthanari, Haribabu; Lang, Matthew J et al. (2018) NMR-directed design of pre-TCR? and pMHC molecules implies a distinct geometry for pre-TCR relative to ??TCR recognition of pMHC. J Biol Chem 293:754-766
Feng, Yinnian; Brazin, Kristine N; Kobayashi, Eiji et al. (2017) Mechanosensing drives acuity of ?? T-cell recognition. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:E8204-E8213
Mallis, Robert J; Reinherz, Ellis L; Wagner, Gerhard et al. (2016) Backbone resonance assignment of N15, N30 and D10 T cell receptor ? subunits. Biomol NMR Assign 10:35-9
Das, Dibyendu Kumar; Mallis, Robert J; Duke-Cohan, Jonathan S et al. (2016) Pre-T Cell Receptors (Pre-TCRs) Leverage V? Complementarity Determining Regions (CDRs) and Hydrophobic Patch in Mechanosensing Thymic Self-ligands. J Biol Chem 291:25292-25305
Das, Dibyendu Kumar; Feng, Yinnian; Mallis, Robert J et al. (2015) Force-dependent transition in the T-cell receptor ?-subunit allosterically regulates peptide discrimination and pMHC bond lifetime. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112:1517-22
Mallis, Robert J; Bai, Ke; Arthanari, Haribabu et al. (2015) Pre-TCR ligand binding impacts thymocyte development before ??TCR expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112:8373-8
Brazin, Kristine N; Mallis, Robert J; Li, Chen et al. (2014) Constitutively oxidized CXXC motifs within the CD3 heterodimeric ectodomains of the T cell receptor complex enforce the conformation of juxtaposed segments. J Biol Chem 289:18880-92
Wang, Jia-Huai; Reinherz, Ellis L (2013) Revisiting the putative TCR C? dimerization model through structural analysis. Front Immunol 4:16