Blas-Rus, NoeliaBustos-Moran, EugenioPerez de Castro, Ignaciode Carcer Diez, GuillermoBorroto, AldoCamafeita, EmilioJorge, InmaculadaVazquez, JesusAlarcón, BalbinoMalumbres Martinez, MarcosMartin-Cofreces, Noa B.Sanchez-Madrid, Francisco2017-10-302017-10-302016Nat Commun. 2016; 7:113892041-1723http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/5241Aurora A is a serine/threonine kinase that contributes to the progression of mitosis by inducing microtubule nucleation. Here we have identified an unexpected role for Aurora A kinase in antigen-driven T-cell activation. We find that Aurora A is phosphorylated at the immunological synapse (IS) during TCR-driven cell contact. Inhibition of Aurora A with pharmacological agents or genetic deletion in human or mouse T cells severely disrupts the dynamics of microtubules and CD3z-bearing vesicles at the IS. The absence of Aurora A activity also impairs the activation of early signalling molecules downstream of the TCR and the expression of IL-2, CD25 and CD69. Aurora A inhibition causes delocalized clustering of Lck at the IS and decreases phosphorylation levels of tyrosine kinase Lck, thus indicating Aurora A is required for maintaining Lck active. These findings implicate Aurora A in the propagation of the TCR activation signal.engVoRhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/IMMUNOLOGICAL SYNAPSEIMMUNE SYNAPSETIRF MICROSCOPYCENTROSOME MATURATIONANTIGEN RECEPTORTYROSINE KINASEA KINASEIN-VIVOLCKACTINAtribución 4.0 Internacional27091106710.1038/ncomms11389Nature Communicationsopen access