Activating TCR Signaling to Thwart T-ALL

Thymic negative selection is a process that aims to eliminate autoreactive T cells by inducing the apoptosis of thymocytes expressing a T-cell receptor (TCR) with high affinity for self-MHC. In this issue, Trin-quand and colleagues demonstrate that TCR engagement or anti-CD3 stimulation of TCR-expressing T acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells results in their apoptosis. This cell death is reminiscent of thymic negative selection and has the potential for therapeutic exploitation. (C) 2016 AACR.