Figure 1.

Following activation of T cells, two distinct PKC-θ signaling complexes are initiated, either at the plasma membrane or in the nucleus. The complex at the immunological synapse is formed rapidly within minutes by the transient association of numerous signaling molecules, such as those depicted in this figure, using the lipid rafts as an anchoring platform. Incontrast, an independent nuclear PKC-θ signaling complex associated with the active transcription apparatus is formed at gene-specific loci using chromatin as the docking platform. Here, it is proposed that this nuclear signaling complex is formed by the association of distinct proteins, compared to that at the plasma membrane. Different stimuli contribute to the formation of each of these signaling complexes, possibly attributing to the more delayed nuclear PKC-θ assembly kinetics that can be detected by ChIP up to 24 h post-stimulation.