A Single Cell Approach to TCR Signal Strength

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a key role in the cell-mediated immune response against virally-infected and tumourigenic cells, killing their targets through the release of cytolytic granules. T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of foreign peptides presented by Class I MHC molecules stimulates naïve CD8+ T cell differentiation to effector cells and triggers the cytolytic activity of effector CTLs. Signal transduction downstream of the TCR is a highly diverse and coordinated network of post-translational protein modifications that ultimately drive transcriptional, translational, metabolic and cytoskeletal changes in the cell. How cytotoxic T cells coordinate their molecular machinery in response to strong versus weak stimuli remains unclear. Utilising single-cell methods including mass cytometry and single-cell RNA-sequencing, this study demonstrates how naïve and restimulated cytotoxic T cells coordinate their responses against peptides of differing stimulation strengths.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Ma, Claire

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Griffiths, Gillian

• CTL
• Cytof
• Cytotoxic T cells
• mass cytometry
• signal strength
• signalling
• single cell
• TCR

Licence

• https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/f9954baa-dff3-438d-9095-6871deb0a5bb/download
• http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved

Language dc:language

eng

Author Identifier

0000-0002-4244-7535

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/365177