The Yin and Yang of Protein Kinase C-theta (PKCθ): A Novel Drug Target for Selective Immunosuppression.

The Yin and Yang of Protein Kinase C-theta (PKCθ): A Novel Drug Target for Selective Immunosuppression. Adv Pharmacol. 2013;66:267-312 Authors: Zhang EY, Kong KF, Altman A Abstract Protein kinase C-theta (PKCθ) is a protein kinase C (PKC) family member expressed predominantly in T lymphocytes, and extensive studies addressing its function have been conducted. PKCθ is the only T cell-expressed PKC that localizes selectively to the center of the immunological synapse (IS) following conventional T cell antigen stimulation, and this unique localization is essential for PKCθ-mediated downstream signaling. While playing a minor role in T cell development, early in vitro studies relying, among others, on the use of PKCθ-deficient (Prkcq(-/-)) T cells revealed that PKCθ is required for the activation and proliferation of mature T cells, reflecting its importance in activating the transcription factors nuclear factor kappa B, activator protein-1, and nuclear factor of activated T cells, as well as for the survival of activated T cells. Upon subsequent analysis of in vivo immune responses in Prkcq(-/-) mice, it became clear that PKCθ has a selective role in the immune system: it is required for experimental Th2- and Th17-mediated allergic and autoimmune diseases, respectively, and for alloimmune responses, but is dispensable for protective responses against pathogens and for graft-versus-leukemia responses. Surprisingly, PKCθ was recently foun...
Source: Advances in Pharmacology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Adv Pharmacol Source Type: research