UC San Diego

Rap1-interacting adaptor molecule (RIAM) is a Rap1 effector that mediates the recruitment of talin to integrins, thereby supporting their activation. In this study, we investigated the role of RIAM in an adoptive transfer model for type I diabetes and report that RIAM expression in T cells is necessary for diabetes development. Loss of RIAM did not prevent lymphocyte recruitment to draining lymph nodes 24 h after transfer, but it was required for Ag-driven proliferation and cytotoxic killing. RIAM is recruited to immune synapses along with talin and LFA-1, and loss of RIAM profoundly suppresses Ag-dependent conjugate formation in primary naive and effector T cells. These data identify the requirement of RIAM for formation of immunological synapses and in resulting T cell functions in autoimmunity. Moreover, because RIAM-null mice are healthy, fertile, and display no bleeding abnormalities, our results identify RIAM and its regulators as potential targets for therapies of T cell-mediated autoimmunity.