T cells are thought to integrate information from multiple encounters with antigen-presenting cells to become activated. To explore how the dynamics of T cell receptor signaling influence such a process, Harris et al. developed an optically controlled chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that allowed signaling to be abruptly terminated by light pulses onto cultured cells. Signals were rapidly damped and effectively lost within 15 minutes after signal termination. This appeared to limit the window within which stimulatory signals were integrated. Nevertheless, it was possible to augment CAR-T cell activation with properly timed pulsatile stimulation of the receptors.
Mol. Syst. Biol. 17, e10091 (2021).
