The CARMA1 signalosome links the signalling machinery of adaptive and innate immunity in lymphocytes

The recognition of antigen by B- or T-cell receptors initiates an intracellular signalling cascade that results in the nuclear translocation and activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B). NF-kappa B is an important regulator of lymphocyte development and function, and its dysregulation is associated with many immune disorders. Defining the mechanisms that transmit signals from the antigen receptor to NF-kappa B is therefore an important goal for immunologists. In this Review, we merge information gleaned from research of the innate immune system with what we know about antigen-receptor signals in the adaptive immune system, to propose a cohesive model of how antigen receptors activate NF-kappa B.