Clathrin mediates both internalization and vesicular release of triggered T cell receptor at the immunological synapse through distinct adaptors

Ligation of the T cell receptor (TCR) to peptide-MHC complexes initiates signaling leading to T cell activation. Regulation of T cell responses also requires mechanisms to stop this signaling and to downregulate surface expression of the receptor. T cells achieve this both by TCR internalization and by releasing TCR loaded vesicles directly from the plasma membrane. How these distinct fates are coordinated is unknown. Here we show that clathrin is recruited to TCR microclusters by HRS and STAM2 and that this process is essential for TCR release. Subsequently, EPN1 recruits clathrin to the remaining antigen conjugated TCRs to enable a late wave of TCR endocytosis. With these results we demonstrate two clathrin-dependent mechanisms and show how the clathrin machinery participates in membrane evagination and invagination depending upon the adaptor recruiting it. These sequential mechanisms mediate bi-directional membrane exchange at the immunological synapse, providing a scaffold for critical communication.