PKCθ signals activation versus tolerance in vivo

Understanding the pathways that signal T cell tolerance versus activation is key to regulating immunity. Previous studies have linked CD28 and protein kinase C-theta (PKCtheta) as a potential signaling pathway that influences T cell activation. Therefore, we have compared the responses of T cells deficient for CD28 and PKCtheta in vivo and in vitro. Here, we demonstrate that the absence of PKCtheta leads to the induction of T cell anergy, with a phenotype that is comparable to the absence of CD28. Further experiments examined whether PKCtheta triggered other CD28-dependent responses. Our data show that CD4 T cell-B cell cooperation is dependent on CD28 but not PKCtheta, whereas CD28 costimulatory signals that augment proliferation can be uncoupled from signals that regulate anergy. Therefore, PKCtheta relays a defined subset of CD28 signals during T cell activation and is critical for the induction of activation versus tolerance in vivo.