IL-7 Induces an Epitope Masking of ?c Protein in IL-7 Receptor Signaling Complex.

ABSTRACT: IL-7 signaling via IL-7R? and common ?-chain (?c) is necessary for the development and homeostasis of T cells. Although the delicate mechanism in which IL-7R? downregulation allows the homeostasis of T cell with limited IL-7 has been well known, the exact mechanism behind the interaction between IL-7R? and ?c in the absence or presence of IL-7 remains unclear. Additionally, we are still uncertain as to how only IL-7R? is separately downregulated by the binding of IL-7 from the IL-7R?/?c complex. We demonstrate here that 4G3, TUGm2, and 3E12 epitope masking of ?c protein are induced in the presence of IL-7, indicating that the epitope alteration is induced by IL-7 binding to the preassembled receptor core. Moreover, the epitope masking of ?c protein is inversely correlated with the expression of IL-7R? upon IL-7 binding, implying that the structural alteration of ?c might be involved in the regulation of IL-7R? expression. The conformational change in ?c upon IL-7 binding may contribute not only to forming the functional IL-7 signaling complex but also to optimally regulating the expression of IL-7R?.

SUBMITTER: Goh TS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5240581 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature