Membrane Organisation by Tetraspanins and Small Multi-transmembrane

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We request partial funding for a FASEB conference on "Membrane Organization by Tetraspanins and Small Multi-transmembrane Proteins" to be held at Omni Tucson National Golf Resort and Spa, Tucson, Arizona, July 22-27 2006. A major theme in this tetraspanin conference is the roles of these proteins in the immune system. Tetraspanins, including CD9, CD37, CD53, CD63, CD81, CD82, CD151 and TSSC6, are involved in all the major cells and processes of the immune system. Thus, they have a role in regulating humoral immunity, B cell migration, plasma cell establishment, T cell receptor signaling and costimulatory signals, antigen presentation, adhesion and migration of neutrophils, and leukocyte transendothelial migration. These tetraspanin functions have implications for immunity problems including autoimmune diseases, blood cell neoplasm, allergen-induced hypersensitivity, inflammation, and autoimmune manifestations associated with hepatitis C. Many tetraspanins can regulate the signaling and membrane compartmentalization of their partner proteins, which include integrins, T cell receptor, and growth factor receptors. In addition, tetraspanins play a role in the development and function of neural cells, and they can serve as the receptors for viral and bacterial pathogen. Therefore, tetraspanins play a role not only in the immune system, but also in cancer, neurological and infectious diseases. Mechanistic understanding of tetraspanin function is only recently becoming evident. One exciting new understanding is that tetraspanins form unique membrane microdomains analogous to the glycosphingolipid enriched "rafts" which serve to partition membrane components and proteins. In addition, growing evidence suggests that these microdomains may mediate membrane fusion events. This truly unique FASEB conference will bring together researchers from a rich diversity of specializations to present and discuss the latest advances in tetraspanin research. The attending investigators generally do not encounter one another at meetings within their disciplines and there is no other venue at which this highly interdisciplinary subject is addressed. This conference will provide a unique opportunity for the exchange of ideas, reagents and discoveries across disciplinary boundaries and is expected to foster collaborations, which form the basis of significant advances in understanding tetraspanin biology.