Luc Teyton, MD, PhD
Scripps Research Joint Appointments
Research Focus
Structural Studies of T Cell Functions and Dysfunction
My laboratory is trying to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which the ligation of the T cell receptor to its ligand, an MHC-peptide complex, activates T cells. To this aim we have crystallized and solved the structure of two TCR/pMHC complexes. No conformational changes were evidenced in these complexes. We are trying now to reconstruct a larger TCR complex including CD3 dimers and CD4/CD8 molecules. Similar studies are carried out on TCR/pMHC pairs involved in autoimmune diseases with two additional goals. First, identify self-peptides involved in autoimmunity. Secondly, measure the affinity of self MHC-self pMHC complexes and determine if pathogenic T cells arise from escaping negative selection or breakage of peripheral tolerance. The corollary question is to determine if autoimmunity is a deviance of a normal immune response or the innate property of a T cell response against a self antigen. The answers to these questions will be determinant in choosing new therapeutic strategies.
Education
Ph.D. (Immunology), University of Paris Diderot (Paris VII), 1987M.D. (Medicine), University of Caen Lower Normandy, School of Medicine, 1980
Professional Experience
2013-2017 Professor, Immunology and Microbial Science (IMS), Scripps ResearchSelected References
Garcia, K.C., L.Teyton, and I.A.Wilson 1999, Structural basis of immune recognition, Ann.Rev.Immunol., 17:369-397
Corper, A.L., Stratmann, T., Apostolopoulos, V., Scott, C.A., Garcia, K.C., Kang, A., Wilson, I.A., and Teyton, L. 2000. A structural framework for deciphering the link between I-Ag7 and murine autoimmune diabetes. Science. 288:505-511
Homann, D., Teyton, L., Oldstone, M.B. 2001. Differential regulation of antiviral T-cell immunity results in stable CD8+ but declining CD4+ T-cell memory. Nat Med. 7: 913-919
Benlagha, K., , Kyin, T., Beavis, A., Teyton, L., Bendelac, A. 2002. A thymic precursor to the NKT cell lineage. Science, 296: 553-555