The adhesion- and degranulation-promoting adaptor protein and its role in the modulation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Adaptor proteins mediate protein-protein interactions in signal transduction cascades. These signaling molecules are organized in multimolecular complexes that translate information from cell surface receptors into cellular responses. The cytosolic adhesion- and degranulation-promoting adaptor protein (ADAP) is expressed in T cells, natural killer cells, myeloid cells, and platelets. Here we summarize the data about the function of ADAP in these cells with respect to their contribution to the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. We discuss possible mechanisms of strongly attenuated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in ADAP-deficient mice.