Source: Interfolio F180
![](http://www.scripps.edu/_faculty/headshots/300x300_luc_teyton.jpg)
Luc Teyton, MD, PhD
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
M.D. (Medicine), University of Caen Lower Normandy, 1980Ph.D. (Immunology), University of Paris (Paris VI), 1987
Awards & Professional Activities
1980 Lauréat of the Medical School, Caen Medical School, France1984 Fellowship, Fondation pour La Recherche Médicale
1985 Top Honor for Medical Residency, Gold Medal, Public Health System, France
1986 Fellowship, Fondation pour La Recherche Médicale
1987 Special Honors from the Ph.D Jury, Paris VI University, France
1987 Fellowship, Association pour la Recherche contre le Cancer (Paris)
1987 Fellowship Lavoisier, Foreign Affairs Ministry
1987 Fellowship, Philippe Foundation
1987 Special Honors from the Medical School Jury and National Prize of Thesis, Paris VI University, France
1991 John Satterfield Investigator Award, American College of Rheumatology
2020 Elected Member, The Henry Kunkel Society
Selected Publications
Teyton, Luc; Wilson, Ian A.; Garcia, K.C. Structural basis of immune recognition. Ann.Rev.Immunol. 1999.
Teyton, Luc; Wilson, Ian A.; Corper, A.L.; Apostolopoulos, T.; Scott, V.; Garcia, K.C.; Kamg, A. A structural framework for deciphering the link between I-Ag7 and murine autoimmune diabetes. Science 2000.
Teyton, Luc; Oldstone, M. B.; Homann, D. Differential regulation of antiviral T-cell immunity results in stable CD8+ but declining CD4+ T-cell memory. Nat Med 2001.
Teyton, Luc; Benlagha, K.; Beavis, A.; Bendelac, A. A thymic precursor to the NKT cell lineage. Science.