T cell immunotherapies teach a patient’s immune system to recognise and kill cancer cells. These treatments have worked well for some cancer types but not for others. One reason is that scientists did not fully understand how the T cell receptor (TCR) starts the activation signal.
Researchers used cryo-EM to image the TCR in a biochemical environment that copied its membrane. They put the multi-protein receptor into nanodiscs and used a lipid mix like the natural membrane. In this setup the receptor was closed at rest and opened when it met an antigen-presenting molecule. This finding may help scientists make the therapies work for more patients.
Difficult words
- immunotherapy — treatment that uses a person's immune systemimmunotherapies
- receptor — protein on a cell that receives signals
- activation — start of a process or response in cells
- cryo-EM — a method to image molecules at very low temperature
- nanodisc — small lipid disc used to hold proteinsnanodiscs
- antigen-presenting — molecule that shows foreign parts to immune cells
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Discussion questions
- Do you think this research could help more patients? Why or why not?
- What would you ask scientists about how the receptor opens?
- Have you heard of cryo-EM before? What do you think it does?
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