Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on October 1, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Lipid Signaling in T-Cell Development and Function Yina H. Huang1 and Karsten Sauer2 1Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110 2Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037 Correspondence:
[email protected] Second messenger molecules relay, amplify, and diversify cell surface receptor signals. Two important examples are phosphorylated D-myo-inositol derivatives, such as phosphoinosi- tide lipids within cellular membranes, and soluble inositol phosphates. Here, we review how phosphoinositide metabolism generates multiple second messengers with important roles in T-cell development and function. They include soluble inositol(1,4,5)trisphosphate, long known for its Ca2þ-mobilizing function, and phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)trisphosphate, whose generation by phosphoinositide 3-kinase and turnover by the phosphatases PTEN and SHIP control a key “hub” of TCR signaling. More recent studies unveiled important second messenger functions for diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, and soluble inositol(1,3,4,5)tetra- kisphosphate (IP4) in immune cells. Inositol(1,3,4,5)tetrakisphosphate acts as a soluble phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)trisphosphate analog to control protein membrane recruitment. We propose that phosphoinositide lipids and soluble inositol phosphates (IPs) can act as complementary partners whose interplay could have broadly important roles in cellular signaling. econd messenger molecules relay, amplify, phosphoinositides and soluble IPs. Many of Sand diversify signals perceived by cell surface these regulate distinct and overlapping down- receptors. One important second messenger stream effectors (Irvine and Schell 2001; Alca- family is comprised of the phosphorylated der- zar-Roman and Wente 2008; Resnick and ivatives of the small cyclic poly-alcohol D- Saiardi 2008; Sauer et al.