Lipid rafts and T-lymphocyte function: Implications for autoimmunity

Experimental evidence indicates that the mammalian cell membrane is compartmentalized. A structural feature that supports membrane segmentation implicates assemblies of selected lipids broadly referred to as lipid rafts. In T-lymphocytes, lipid rafts are implicated in signalling from the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) and in localization and function of proteins residing proximal to the receptor. This review summarizes the current literature that deals with lipid raft involvement in T-cell activation and places particular emphasis in recent studies investigating lipid rafts in autoimmunity. The potential of lipid rafts as targets for the development of a new class of immune-modulating compounds is discussed.