Role of Nck in T Cell Receptor Activation

        The non-catalytic region of tyrosine kinase (Nck) is an important regulator of the cytoskeletal reorganization and of the formation of the immune synapse between T cells and antigen presenting cells (APCs). Nck acts as a link between the TCR:CD3 complex and signaling molecules that mediate cytoskeleton rearrangement and T cell activation. The intracellular T cell signaling both in an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-requiring mechanism and in a non-ITAM-requiring mechanism may be regulated by Nck. Therefore, this review attempts to summarise the critical role of Nck in T cell receptor activation. The subsequent applications may contribute to the usage of Nck as a target for pharmacological modulation of the immunopathologic conditions.

Keywords: Nck, adaptor protein, TCR activation, T cells