ZAP70

ZAP70 (zeta-chain-associated protein kinase of 70 kDa) is the T-cell counterpart of SYK and the indispensable signal transducer of the T-cell antigen receptor. Its tandem SH2 domains bind doubly phosphorylated ITAMs of the CD3 and zeta chains after LCK phosphorylation, releasing ZAP70 autoinhibition and enabling phosphorylation of LAT and SLP-76, which assemble the LAT signalosome driving thymocyte development and T-cell activation. Human ZAP70 deficiency causes a form of severe combined immunodeficiency with absent CD8 T cells. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, leukemic B cells aberrantly express ZAP70, exploiting it as a surrogate kinase for their dysfunctional B-cell receptor, and high ZAP70 marks aggressive disease and BCR-signaling competence.