Overview:

ITK is a member of the TEC family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases. ITK is expressed in T-cells and is important for T-cell development and activation through the antigen receptor. ITK requires prior activation of LCK, ZAP70 and PI3-kinase for efficient activation and shares major substrates with both LCK and ZAP70 (1). ITK knockout mice show multiple effects on T cell development, cytokine production and T-helper cell differentiation. T cells that lack or express mutant versions of ITK show impaired TCR-induced actin polymerization, cell polarization and regulation of the signaling events involved in cytoskeletal reorganization (2).

Gene Aliases:

EMT; LYK; PSCTK2; MGC126257; MGC126258

Genbank Number:

NM_005546

References:

1. August, A. et al: The Tec family of tyrosine kinases in T cells, amplifiers of T cell receptor signals. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2002 Oct;34(10):1184-9.

2. Finkelstein, L D. et al: Tec kinases: shaping T-cell activation through actin. Trends Cell Biol. 2004 Aug;14(8):443-51.