Signal transduction articles from across Nature Portfolio

We show that multivalent epitope display on the surface of viral-sized particles functions as a ‘stand-alone’ danger signal by evading inhibitory pathways to trigger a unique mode of B cell receptor signaling. The activation, survival and proliferation of B cells stimulated with particulate antigen is highly enhanced compared with those stimulated with soluble antigen, and does not require co-stimulation from T cells.

Wartewig et al. show that PDCD1 in T cell lymphoma restricts glycolytic energy and acetyl-CoA production. Inhibition of PD-1 signaling enforces ACLY activity and generates extramitochondrial acetyl-CoA for histone acetylation to enable AP-1 hyperactivation.

MAVS is an adapter protein involved in RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) signaling. Here, the authors show how MAVS link RLR-mediated signaling and glucose metabolism, employing distinct mechanisms in different organelles.

Zikherman and colleagues uncover a new mechanism by which B cells recognize virus-like antigen display as a stand-alone danger signal (independent of nucleic acid cargo) that does not rely exclusively on avidity and BCR cross-linking.

The TNF–TNF receptor signalling network has pleiotropic effects that can both promote and protect against immune-mediated diseases. Modulation of this network through the use of TNF receptor-targeting biologic drugs holds promise for treating various diseases, including TNF inhibitor-refractory diseases.

We show that multivalent epitope display on the surface of viral-sized particles functions as a ‘stand-alone’ danger signal by evading inhibitory pathways to trigger a unique mode of B cell receptor signaling. The activation, survival and proliferation of B cells stimulated with particulate antigen is highly enhanced compared with those stimulated with soluble antigen, and does not require co-stimulation from T cells.

At high doses, the dietary sweetener sucralose interferes with T cell receptor signalling, impairing antitumour and antibacterial T cell responses in mice.

Interactions between the T cell co-receptors CD4 or CD8 and the kinase Lck safeguard T cell activation by low-affinity ligands. Meanwhile, ‘free’ Lck — which cannot bind co-receptors — elicits efficient anti-viral and anti-tumor responses by CD8⁺ T cells in vivo.

PTEN, a tumour suppressor, also regulates T cell activation. A new study reports that PTEN acts as a cell-intrinsic rheostat linking TCR- and IL-23-mediated signalling to regulate development of type-17 innate-like T cells in the thymus. This work may have important implications for treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

A key biochemical event that enables T cells to discriminate between TCR antigens of varying affinities and to respond only to high-affinity antigens is full activation of the kinase ZAP70.