E-cadherin in developing murine T cells controls spindle alignment and differentiation during β-selection

Abstract

A critical stage of T cell development is {beta}-selection; at this stage the TCR{beta} chain is generated and the developing T cell starts to acquire antigenic specificity. Progression through {beta}-selection is assisted by a low affinity interaction between the nascent TCR{beta} chain and peptide presented on stromal MHC and external cues provided by the niche, including Notch and CXCR4. In this study, we reveal the importance of a new cue within the murine developing T cell niche which is critical for T cell development. E-cadherin mediates cell-cell interactions and influences cell fate in many developmental systems. In developing T cells E-cadherin contributed to the formation of an immunological synapse and the alignment of the mitotic spindle with the polarity axis during division, which facilitated subsequent T cell development. Collectively, these data highlight a new aspect of the developing T cell niche and provide insights into the role of E-cadherin in the {beta}-selection stage of T cell development.