Ca2+-dependent protein acyltransferase DHHC21 controls activation of CD4+ T cells

Shayahati Bieerkehazhi, Ying Fan, Savannah J. West, Ritika Tewari, Junsuk Ko, Tingting Mills, Darren Boehning, Askar M. Akimzhanov

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Despite the recognized significance of reversible protein lipidation (S-acylation) for T cell receptor signal transduction, the enzymatic control of this post-translational modification in T cells remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that DHHC21 (also known as ZDHHC21), a member of the DHHC family of mammalian protein acyltransferases, mediates T cell receptor-induced S-acylation of proximal T cell signaling proteins. Using Zdhhc21dep mice, which express a functionally deficient version of DHHC21, we show that DHHC21 is a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent enzyme critical for activation of naïve CD4+ T cells in response to T cell receptor stimulation. We find that disruption of the Ca2+/calmodulin-binding domain of DHHC21 does not affect thymic T cell development but prevents differentiation of peripheral CD4+ T cells into Th1, Th2 and Th17 effector T helper lineages. Our findings identify DHHC21 as an essential component of the T cell receptor signaling machinery and define a new role for protein acyltransferases in regulation of T cell-mediated immunity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numberjcs258186
JournalJournal of cell science
Volume135
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Cell Biology

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