Effect of adhesion force-induced trogocytic molting on T cell in immune response

Abstract

Trogocytic molting, a process involving the shedding of microvilli-derived immunological synaptosomes (TIS), plays a critical role in T cell activation and immune synapse formation. This study demonstrates that during immune synapse maturation and the subsequent kinapse phase, T cells release TIS enriched with T cell receptors (TCRs). We identified that adhesion forces, primarily mediated by LFA-1, drive this molting process, facilitating TCR-dependent T cell proliferation. Moreover, trogocytic molting significantly enhances T cell activation by activating the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway and boosting cellular metabolic activity. These findings reveal trogocytic molting as a crucial mechanism for efficient immune responses, linking adhesion dynamics to metabolic reprogramming in T cells.