Abstract The effects of a pan-CD45 mAb (CD45.2) on TCR-mediated signaling pathways were investigated in Jurkat T cells. The simultaneous addition of CD45 mAb with an activating OKT3 mAb had little effect on TCR-stimulated signals. However, when Jurkat cells were exposed to the CD45 mAb for 10 to 20 min before the addition of OKT3, a partial uncoupling of the TCR from intracellular signals was observed. The maximal increase in intracellular calcium was inhibited 47 +/- 10% (n = 11, range 33-67%), whereas no inhibition of inositol trisphosphate production was detected. The transient TCR-mediated activation of the Ca2+/calmodulin-activated kinase IV/Gr was also inhibited by the CD45 mAb, and this was reflected in a 50 to 60% inhibition in the TCR-stimulated generation of the p21 and p23 phosphoisomers of oncoprotein 18, a Ca2+/calmodulin-activated kinase IV/Gr substrate recently implicated in cell cycle regulatory events. Oncoprotein 18 is also a substrate for mitogen- activated protein kinase, but no inhibition by the CD45 mAb of TCR-triggered mitogen-activated protein kinase activation was observed. The CD45 mAb was therefore selective in causing the uncoupling of the TCR from calcium signals and calcium-regulated events without promoting a general inhibition of all TCR-mediated signals. Confocal microscopy revealed that binding of the CD45 mAb caused patching of CD45 molecules at the cell surface and, unexpectedly, a marked redistribution of intracellular CD45. However, no change was observed in the total level of CD45 expressed at the cell surface. Aggregation of CD45 at the cell surface may result in its sequestration from its tyrosine kinase substrates, with a consequent selective uncoupling of the TCR from intracellular signaling pathways.