Garcia K C, Teyton L
Department of Molecular Biology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 1998 Aug;9(4):338-43. doi: 10.1016/s0958-1669(98)80004-9.
Fifteen years have passed since T-cell receptor (TCR) genes were identified (reviewed in [1]). Unlike the situation for antibodies, no direct structural information on the TCR proteins has been available for most of this time. Recently, however, the crystal structures of isolated alpha and beta chains were determined, shortly followed by the determination of the structure of an alpha beta heterodimer. Subsequently, the structures of two TCR peptide-MHC (pMHC) complexes have been reported. The windfall of this, and other more recent structural information, has elucidated some generalizations for TCR binding and recognition of pMHC. The crystal structures have, however, given us very little insight into the mechanisms of signal transduction by the TCR complex and the subsequent events which lead to activation of a T cell. Ultimately, the crystallographio results will be reconciled with experiments from other disciplines for a complete understanding of the molecular events of T cell activation.
自T细胞受体（TCR）基因被鉴定以来，已经过去了15年（相关综述见[1]）。与抗体的情况不同，在这段时间的大部分时间里，都没有关于TCR蛋白的直接结构信息。然而，最近确定了分离的α链和β链的晶体结构，随后不久又确定了αβ异二聚体的结构。随后，又报道了两种TCR肽 - 主要组织相容性复合体（pMHC）复合物的结构。这些以及其他最新结构信息的意外收获，阐明了TCR结合和识别pMHC的一些普遍规律。然而，晶体结构让我们对TCR复合物的信号转导机制以及随后导致T细胞激活的事件了解甚少。最终，晶体学结果将与其他学科的实验结果相结合，以全面了解T细胞激活的分子事件。
