Transmembrane adaptor proteins are molecules specialized in recruiting cytoplasmic proteins to the proximity of the cell membrane as part of the signal transduction process. A member of this family, SLP65/SLP76, Csk-interacting membrane protein (SCIMP), recruits a complex of SLP65/SLP76 and Grb2 adaptor proteins, known to be involved in the activation of PLCγ1/2, Ras, and other pathways. SCIMP expression is restricted to antigen-presenting cells. In a previous cell line-based study, it was shown that, in B cells, SCIMP contributes to the reverse signaling in the immunological synapse, downstream of MHCII glycoproteins. There it mainly facilitates the activation of ERK MAP kinases. However, its importance for MHCII glycoprotein-dependent ERK signaling in primary B cells has not been analyzed. Moreover, its role in macrophages and dendritic cells has remained largely unknown. Here we present the results of our analysis of SCIMP-deficient mice. In these mice, we did not observe any defects in B cell signaling and B cell-dependent responses. On the other hand, we found that, in dendritic cells and macrophages, SCIMP expression is up-regulated after exposure to GM-CSF or the Dectin-1 agonist zymosan. Moreover, we found that SCIMP is strongly phosphorylated after Dectin-1 stimulation and that it participates in signal transduction downstream of this important pattern recognition receptor. Our analysis of SCIMP-deficient dendritic cells revealed that SCIMP specifically contributes to sustaining long-term MAP kinase signaling and cytokine production downstream of Dectin-1 because of an increased expression and sustained phosphorylation lasting at least 24 h after signal initiation.

From the Laboratories of Leukocyte Signaling and

Molecular Immunology Institute of Molecular Genetics Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic 14220 Prague Czech Republic and

the Centre d'Immunophénomique PHENOMIN CIPHE Aix Marseille Université UM2 INSERM US012 CNRS UMS3367 13288 Marseille France

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