The role of the dendritic cell cytoskeleton in T cell activation

Dendritic cells are specialized immune system cells which play an important role in the most immune system responses including the rejection of organ transplants. Dendritic cells from the transplant make contact with the recipient¿s white blood cells and stimulate them to seek out and attack the transplant. We have recently shown that dendritic cells must change the shape of their cell skeleton in order to activate this anti-transplant response. When the dendritic cell is activating the recipient¿s white blood cell it changes its cell skeleton to make better contact with the white blood cell. This results in the dendritic cell having a tighter hold on the white blood cell resulting in stronger stimulation. The experiments proposed in this application will allow us to understand the way in which the dendritic cell changes the shape of its skeleton and how this stimulates the recipient's white blood cells to attack the transplant. This will lead to new therapies where we prevent the dendritic cell from changing its shape to prevent rejection in organ transplantation.