Regulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation state by sphingosine in A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells

The regulation of protein phosphorylation by sphingosine in A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells was examined. Sphingosine is a competitive inhibitor of phorbol ester binding to protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme) and potently inhibits phosphotransferase activity in vitro. Addition of sphingosine to intact A431 cells caused an inhibition of the phorbol ester-stimulated phosphorylation of two protein kinase C substrates, epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor threonine 654 and transferrin receptor serine 24. We conclude that sphingosine inhibits the activity of protein kinase C in intact A431 cells. However, further experiments demonstrated that sphingosine-treatment of A431 cells resulted in the regulation of the EGF receptor by a mechanism that was independent of protein kinase C. First, sphingosine caused an increase in the threonine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor on a unique tryptic peptide. Second, sphingosine caused an increase in the affinity of the EGF receptor in A431 and in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing wild-type (Thr654) and mutated (Ala654) EGF receptors. Sphingosine was also observed to cause an increase in the number of EGF-binding sites expressed at the surface of A431 cells. Examination of the time course of sphingosine action demonstrated that the effects on EGF binding were rapid (maximal at 2 mins) and were observed prior to the stimulation of receptor phosphorylation (maximal at 20 mins). We conclude that sphingosine is a potently bioactive molecule that modulates cellular functions by: 1) inhibiting protein kinase C; 2) stimulating a protein kinase C-independent pathway of protein phosphorylation; and 3) increasing the affinity and number of cell surface EGF receptors.     

Independent mechanisms account for the regulation by protein kinase C of the epidermal growth factor receptor affinity and tyrosine-protein kinase activity

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is a substrate for phosphorylation by the calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) at Thr654. The hypothesis that this phosphorylation is causally related to the regulation of the functional properties of the EGF receptor was tested by substitution of Thr654 with an alanine residue. Activation of protein kinase C using phorbol ester caused a decrease in the high affinity binding of EGF to Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing wild-type [Thr654]EGF receptors. Similar results were obtained with cells expressing mutated [Ala654]EGF receptors. The regulation of the protein kinase activity of the EGF receptor by protein kinase C was examined using a synthetic peptide substrate for tyrosine phosphorylation. Protein kinase C caused a Ca2+-dependent decrease in the tyrosine-protein kinase activity of the wild-type [Thr654]EGF receptor. In contrast, no inhibition of the tyrosine-protein kinase activity of the mutated [Ala654]EGF receptor caused by protein kinase C was detected. In further experiments, the desensitization of EGF action caused by the activation of protein kinase C was examined by investigating the regulation of the transferrin receptor by EGF. Phorbol ester was observed to cause the desensitization of signaling by the wild-type [Thr654] and mutated [Ala654]EGF receptors. These data are consistent with a role for the phosphorylation of EGF receptor Thr654 in the regulation of the receptor tyrosine-protein kinase activity. However, the inhibition of the high affinity binding of EGF to cell-surface receptors caused by protein kinase C does not require Thr654. It is concluded that independent mechanisms account for the regulation by protein kinase C of the EGF receptor affinity and tyrosine-protein kinase activity.     

Mechanism of phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor at threonine 669

The major site of phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor after treatment of cells with EGF is threonine 669. Phosphorylation of this site is also associated with the transmodulation of the EGF receptor caused by platelet-derived growth factor and phorbol ester. A distinctive feature of the primary sequence surrounding threonine 669 is the proximity of 2 proline residues (-Pro-Leu-Thr669-Pro-). This site is not a substrate for phosphorylation by protein kinase C. To investigate the mechanism of the increased phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at threonine 669, in vitro assays were used to measure protein kinase and protein phosphatase activities present in homogenates prepared from cells treated with and without EGF. No evidence for the regulation of protein phosphatase activity was obtained in experiments using the [32P]phosphate-labeled EGF receptor as a substrate. A synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 663-681 of the EGF receptor was used as a substrate for protein kinase assays. Incubation of murine 3T3 L1 pre-adipocytes and human WI-38 fibroblasts with EGF caused a rapid increase (3-10-fold) in the level of threonine protein kinase activity detected in cell homogenates. Similar results were obtained after EGF treatment of Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing wild-type (Thr669) and mutated (Ala669) human EGF receptors. Activation of the threonine protein kinase activity was also observed in cells treated with platelet-derived growth factor, serum, and phorbol ester. Insulin-like growth factor-1 caused no significant change in protein kinase activity. Together these data indicate a role for the regulation of the activity of a threonine protein kinase in the control of the phosphorylation state of the EGF receptor at threonine 669. The significance of the identification of a growth factor-stimulated threonine protein kinase to the mechanism of signal transduction is discussed.     

Stimulation of epidermal growth factor receptor threonine 654 phosphorylation by platelet-derived growth factor in protein kinase C-deficient human fibroblasts

We have tested the hypothesis that the mechanism of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and phorbol diester action to decrease the apparent affinity of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is the phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at the Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) phosphorylation site, threonine 654. Protein kinase C-deficient cells were prepared by prolonged incubation of human fibroblasts with phorbol diester. Addition of phorbol diesters to these cells fails to regulate EGF receptor affinity or threonine 654 phosphorylation. In contrast, PDGF treatment of both control and protein kinase C-deficient fibroblasts causes a decrease in the apparent affinity of the EGF receptor and an increase in threonine 654 phosphorylation. Thus, the ability of PDGF or phorbol diester to modulate EGF receptor affinity occurs only when threonine 654 phosphorylation is increased. The stoichiometry of threonine 654 phosphorylation associated with a 50% decrease in the binding of 125I-EGF to high affinity sites was 0.15 versus 0.3 mol of phosphate per mole of EGF receptor when 32P-labeled fibroblasts are treated with PDGF or phorbol diester, respectively. It is concluded that EGF receptor phosphorylation at threonine 654 can be regulated by PDGF independently of protein kinase C, substoichiometric phosphorylation of the total EGF receptor pool at threonine 654 is caused by maximally effective concentrations of PDGF, and different extents of phosphorylation of EGF receptors at threonine 654 are observed for maximally effective concentrations of PDGF and phorbol diester, respectively. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that a specific subpopulation of EGF receptors that exhibit high affinity for EGF are regulated by threonine 654 phosphorylation.     

Epidermal growth factor receptor threonine and serine residues phosphorylated in vivo

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is regulated by EGF-stimulated autophosphorylation and by phorbol ester-stimulated, protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme) mediated phosphorylation at identified sites. The EGF receptor contains additional phosphorylation sites including a prominent phosphothreonine and several phosphoserines which account for the majority of phosphate covalently bound to the receptor in vivo. We have identified three of these sites in EGF receptor purified from 32P-labeled A431 cells. The major phosphothreonine was identified as threonine 669 in the EGF receptor sequence. Phosphoserine residues were identified as serines 671 and 1046/1047 of the EGF receptor. Two other phosphoserine residues were localized to tryptic peptides containing multiple serine residues located carboxyl-terminal to the conserved protein kinase domain. The amino acid sequences surrounding the three identified phosphorylation sites are highly conserved in the EGF receptor and the protein products of the v-erb B and neu oncogenes. Analysis of predicted secondary structure of the EGF receptor reveals that all of the phosphorylation sites are located near beta turns. In A431 cells phosphorylation of the serine residues was dependent upon serum. In mouse B82 L cells transfected with a wild type human EGF receptor. EGF increased the 32P content in all tryptic phosphopeptides. A mutant EGF receptor lacking protein tyrosine kinase activity was phosphorylated only at threonine 669. Regulated phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at these threonine and serine residues may influence aspects of receptor function.     

Reconstitution of epidermal growth factor receptor transmodulation by platelet-derived growth factor in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) causes an acute decrease in the high affinity binding of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to cell surface receptors and an increase in the phosphorylation state of the EGF receptor at threonine654. The hypothesis that PDGF action to regulate the EGF receptor is mediated by the activation of protein kinase C and the subsequent phosphorylation of EGF receptor threonine654 was tested. The human receptors for PDGF and EGF were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells that lack expression of endogenous receptors for these growth factors. The heterologous regulation of the EGF receptor by PDGF was reconstituted in cells expressing [Thr654]EGF receptors or [Ala654]EGF receptors. PDGF action was also observed in phorbol ester down-regulated cells that lack detectable protein kinase C activity. Together these data indicate that neither protein kinase C nor the phosphorylation of EGF receptor threonine654 is required for the regulation of the apparent affinity of the EGF receptor by PDGF.     

Release of a phorbol ester-induced mitogenic block by mutation at Thr-654 of the epidermal growth factor receptor.

The tumor promoter phorbol ester (TPA) modulates the binding affinity and the mitogenic capacity of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. Moreover, TPA-induced kinase C phosphorylation occurs mainly on Thr-654 of the EGF receptor, suggesting that the phosphorylation state of this residue regulates ligand-binding affinity and kinase activity of the EGF receptor. To examine the role of this residue, we prepared a Tyr-654 EGF receptor cDNA construct by in vitro site-directed mutagenesis. Like the wild-type receptor, the mutant receptor exhibited typical high- and low-affinity binding sites when expressed on the surface of NIH 3T3 cells. Moreover, TPA regulated the affinity of both wild-type and mutant receptors and stimulated receptor phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues other than Thr-654. The addition of TPA to NIH 3T3 cells expressing a wild-type human EGF receptor blocked the mitogenic capacity of EGF. However, this inhibition did not occur in cells expressing the Tyr-654 EGF receptor mutant. In the latter cells, EGF was able to stimulate DNA synthesis even in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of TPA. While phosphorylation of sites other than Thr-654 may regulate ligand-binding affinity, the phosphorylation of Thr-654 by kinase C appears to provide a negative control mechanism for EGF-induced mitogenesis in mouse NIH 3T3 fibroblasts.     

Effects of substitution of threonine 654 of the epidermal growth factor receptor on epidermal growth factor-mediated activation of phospholipase C

Addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to many cell types activates phospholipase C resulting in increased levels of diacylglycerol and intracellular Ca2+ which may lead to activation of protein kinase C. EGF treatment of cells can also lead to phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at threonine 654 (a protein kinase C phosphorylation site) which appears to attenuate some aspects of receptor signaling. Thus, a feedback loop involving the EGF receptor, phospholipase C, and protein kinase C may regulate EGF receptor function. In this report, the role of phosphorylation of threonine 654 of the EGF receptor in regulation of EGF-stimulated activation of phospholipase C was investigated. NIH-3T3 cells expressing the normal human EGF receptor or expressing EGF receptor in which an alanine residue had been substituted at residue 654 of the receptor were used. Addition of EGF to cells expressing wild-type receptor induced a rapid, but transient, increase in phosphorylation of threonine 654. EGF addition also caused the rapid accumulation of inositol phosphates in these cells. EGF-stimulated accumulation of inositol phosphates was significantly higher in cells expressing Ala-654 receptors compared to control cells. Treatment of cells with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), which stimulated phosphorylation of threonine 654 to a greater degree than EGF, completely inhibited EGF-dependent inositol phosphate accumulation in cells expressing wild-type receptor, but caused only a 20-30% inhibition in Ala-654 expressing cells. EGF stimulated phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma on serine and tyrosine residues in cells expressing wild-type of Ala-654 receptors. However, TPA treatment of cells inhibited EGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma only in cells expressing wild-type receptors. Similarly, TPA inhibited tyrosine-specific autophosphorylation of the EGF receptor and tyrosine phosphorylation of several other proteins in wild-type receptor cells, but not in Ala-654 cells. TPA treatment abolished high affinity binding of EGF to cells expressing wild-type receptors, while decreasing the number of high affinity binding sites 20-30% in Ala-654 cells. These data suggest that phosphorylation of threonine 654 can regulate early events in EGF receptor signal transduction such as phosphoinositide turnover, probably through a feedback mechanism involving protein kinase C. Subsequent dephosphorylation of threonine 654 could reactivate the EGF receptor for participation in later signaling events.     

Epidermal growth factor receptors: function modulation by phosphorylation and glycosylation interplay

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins induce structural and functional changes that are most often transitory and difficult to follow and investigate in vivo. In silico prediction procedures for PTMs are very valuable to foresee and define such transitory changes responsible for the multifunctionality of proteins. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is such a multifunctional transmembrane protein with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity that is regulated primarily by ligand-stimulated transphosphorylation of dimerized receptors. In human EGFR, potential phosphorylation sites on Ser, Thr and Tyr residues including five autophosphorylation sites on Tyr were investigated using in silico procedures. In addition to phosphorylation, O-GlcNAc modifications and interplay between these two modifications was also predicted. The interplay of phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc modification on same or neighboring Ser/Thr residues is termed as Yin Yang hypothesis and the interplay sites are named as Yin Yang sites. Amongst these modification sites, one residue is localized in the juxtamembrane (Thr 654) and two are found in the catalytic domain (Ser 1046/1047) of the EGFR. We propose that, when EGFR is O-GlcNAc modified on Thr 654, EGFR may be transferred from early to late endosomes, whereas when EGFR is O-GlcNAc modified on Ser 1046/1047 desensitization of the receptor may be prevented. These findings suggest a complex interplay between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc modification resulting in modulation of EGFR's functionality.     

Calphostin-C stimulates epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation and internalization via light-dependent mechanism

Calphostin-C with perylenequinone structure is known to bind the regulatory domain of protein kinase C (PKC) and to inhibit kinase activity in vitro in a light-dependent fashion. We have found that calphostin-C induces substantial serine and threonine phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor in a light-dependent fashion in the EGF receptor-hyperproducing squamous carcinoma cell line NA. Tryptic phospho-peptide mapping and phospho-amino acid analysis revealed that calphostin-C–-enhanced phosphorylation was on threonine 669, serine 671, serine 1046/1047, and serine 1166. However, caiphostin-C did not inhibit phosphorylation of the 80 K protein, a cytosolic major substrate of PKC (MARCKS). Staurosporine, a potent PKC inhibitor with affinity for the catalytic domain of PKC, inhibited phosphorylation of the 80 K protein and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-phorbol acetate induction of EGF receptor phosphorylation but did not inhibit the calphostin-C induction of the EGF receptor phosphorylation. These results suggest that the target of calphostin-C in vivo is different from that of staurosporine and thus calphostin-C in vivo does not inhibit PKC. Furthermore, calphostin-C enhanced the internalization of phosphorylated EGF receptor. Thus, calphostin-C apparently activates a novel signal transduction pathway which involves phosphorylation and internalization of the EGF receptor via light-dependent mechanism. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Protein kinase C phosphorylation at Thr 654 of the unoccupied EGF receptor and EGF binding regulate functional receptor loss by independent mechanisms

To test the functional consequence of phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at Thr 654 by protein kinase C, the normal Thr 654 human EGF receptor cDNA or a mutant encoding an Ala 654 were expressed in heterologous cells. In cell lines expressing both the Thr 654 and Ala 654 receptors, functional cell-surface Thr 654 receptors were reduced or were totally lost, but were not degraded, following activation of protein kinase C by phorbol esters (TPA), whereas Ala 654 receptors were unaffected. These data suggest that protein kinase C regulates ligand-independent receptor binding and internalization via phosphorylation of Thr 654 of the EGF holoreceptor. Because EGF induces internalization and degradation of the Ala 654 EGF receptor, at least two independent mechanisms can serve to signal loss of functional EGF receptors.     

Phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor at threonine 654 inhibits ligand-induced internalization and down-regulation

To assess the functional significance of phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor at Thr654, we compared the effects of 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA) on ligand-induced internalization and down-regulation between wild-type and mutant receptors that contain an alanine substitution at position 654. Activation of protein kinase C with TPA blocked EGF-induced internalization and down-regulation of Thr654 receptors and inhibited in vivo tyrosine kinase activity by 80%. TPA did not inhibit transferrin receptor internalization or constitutive EGF receptor internalization, suggesting that protein kinase C activation inhibits only the ligand-induced process. Inhibition by TPA of induced internalization, down-regulation, and kinase activity required threonine at position 654 since full-length Ala654 EGF receptors were significantly resistant to TPA inhibition of these ligand-induced activities. However, C'-terminal truncation further enhanced this resistance to TPA inhibition. The EGF-dependent internalization of kinase-inactive receptors truncated at residue 1022 was also impaired by TPA in Thr654 receptors, but not in Ala654 receptors, indicating that phosphorylation at Thr654 also interferes with tyrosine kinase-independent receptor activities. We conclude that the dominant regulatory effect of protein kinase C on the EGF receptor is mediated through phosphorylation at Thr654 which effectively inactivates the receptor. The submembrane region of the EGF receptor appears to regulate transmission of conformational information from the extracellular ligand-binding site to the cytoplasmic kinase and regulatory domains.     

Effects of protein kinase C activation after epidermal growth factor binding on epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation

The possible role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor phosphorylation at threonine 654 in modulating the protein-tyrosine kinase activity of EGF-treated A431 cells has been studied. It has been suggested that EGF could indirectly activate a protein-serine/threonine kinase, protein kinase C, that can phosphorylate the EGF receptor at threonine 654. Protein kinase C is known to be activated, and threonine 654 is phosphorylated, when A431 cells are exposed to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The protein-tyrosine kinase activity of EGF receptors is normally evidenced in EGF-treated cells by phosphorylation of the receptor at tyrosine. This is inhibited when TPA-treated cells are exposed to EGF. We now show that receptor phosphorylation at threonine 654 can also be detected in EGF-treated A431 cells, presumably due to indirect stimulation of protein kinase C or a similar kinase. Some receptor molecules are phosphorylated both at threonine 654 and at tyrosine. Since prior phosphorylation at threonine 654 inhibits autophosphorylation, we propose that protein kinase C can phosphorylate the threonine 654 of autophosphorylated receptors. This provides evidence for models in which protein kinase C activation, consequent upon EGF binding, could reduce the protein-tyrosine kinase activity of the EGF receptor. Indeed, we find that 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, added 10 min after EGF, further increases threonine 654 phosphorylation and induces the loss of tyrosine phosphate from A431 cell EGF receptors.     

Modulation of tyrosine, serine, and threonine phosphorylation and intracellular processing of the epidermal growth factor receptor by antireceptor monoclonal antibody.

To investigate the functional significance of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor phosphorylation, experimental systems were explored in which receptor phosphorylation on tyrosine and serine/threonine could be differentially stimulated. Exposure of A431 cells to 20 nM EGF at 37 degrees C results in phosphorylation of serine, threonine, and tyrosine sites on the receptor. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 225 binds to the EGF receptor with affinity comparable to EGF and competes with the binding of EGF. Exposure of A431 cells to 20 nM EGF in the presence of 300 nM anti-EGF receptor mAb 225 (15-fold excess) selectively activated serine and threonine phosphorylation of the receptor, but not tyrosine phosphorylation. This observation indicates that EGF-mediated receptor phosphorylation on tyrosine and on serine/threonine residues is dissociable. The intracellular fate of the EGF receptor was examined under conditions that produce different phosphorylation states of receptor amino acids. Exposure of A431 cells to EGF decreased the half-life (T1/2) of the receptor from 17.8 h to 5.6 h, with activation of tyrosine, serine, and threonine phosphorylation. Incubation with mAb 225 augmented the degradation rate (T1/2 = 8.5 h) without activation of receptor phosphorylation. Concurrent exposure to EGF (20 nM) and mAb 225 (300 nM) resulted in comparable enhanced degradation (T1/2 = 9.5 h), with increased phosphorylation only on serine and threonine residues. These results suggest that serine/threonine phosphorylation is irrelevant to the augmentation of receptor degradation. Methylamine, an inhibitor of lysosomal function that did not affect phosphorylation of the EGF receptor, completely protected EGF receptors from rapid degradation induced by EGF, but it only slightly altered the rate of EGF receptor degradation elicited by mAb 225 or by EGF plus 15-fold excess mAb 225. In contrast, mAb 455, which binds to the receptor but does not inhibit EGF binding and EGF-induced activation of phosphorylation on tyrosine, serine, and threonine residues, did not influence EGF-induced rapid, methylamine sensitive degradation of EGF receptor. The results suggest that when EGF receptors are internalized under conditions that do not activate the receptor tyrosine kinase, they are sorted into a nonlysosomal pathway that differs from the methylamine-sensitive lysosomal pathway traversed following activation by EGF. The data indicate the possibility of a function for tyrosine kinase activation and tyrosine autophosphorylation in determining the lysosomal intracellular pathway of EGF receptor processing and degradation.     

Positive and negative regulatory role of insulin receptor substrate 1 and 2 (IRS-1 and IRS-2) serine/threonine phosphorylation

Insulin receptor substrates (IRS) 1 and 2 are phosphorylated on serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) residues in quiescent cells (basal phosphorylation), and phosphorylation on both Ser/Thr and tyrosine residues is increased upon insulin stimulation. To determine whether basal Ser/Thr phosphorylation of IRS proteins influences insulin receptor catalyzed tyrosine phosphorylation, recombinant FLAG epitope-tagged IRS-1 (F-IRS-1) and IRS-2 (F-IRS-2) were expressed, purified, and subjected to both dephosphorylation and hyperphosphorylation prior to phosphorylation by the insulin receptor kinase. As expected, hyperphosphorylation of F-IRS-1 and F-IRS-2 by GSK3beta decreased their subsequent phosphorylation on tyrosine residues by the insulin receptor. Surprisingly, however, dephosphorylation of the basal Ser/Thr phosphorylation sites impaired subsequent phosphorylation on tyrosine, suggesting that basal Ser/Thr phosphorylation of F-IRS-1 and F-IRS-2 plays a positive role in phosphorylation by the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase. Dephosphorylation of basal Ser/Thr sites on F-IRS-1 also significantly reduced tyrosine phosphorylation by the IGF-1 receptor. However, dephosphorylation of F-IRS-2 significantly increased phosphorylation by the IGF-1 receptor, suggesting that basal phosphorylation of IRS-2 has divergent effects on its interaction with the insulin and IGF-1 receptors. Phosphorylation of endogenous IRS-1 and IRS-2 from 3T3-L1 adipocytes was modulated in a similar manner. IRS-1 and IRS-2 from serum-fed cells were hyperphosphorylated, and dephosphorylation induced either by serum deprivation or by alkaline phosphatase treatment after immunoprecipitation led to an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation by the insulin receptor. Dephosphorylation of IRS-1 and IRS-2 immunoprecipitated from serum-deprived cells, however, resulted in inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation by the insulin receptor. These data suggest that Ser/Thr phosphorylation can have both a positive and a negative regulatory role on tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and IRS-2 by insulin and IGF-1 receptors.     

Down-modulation of epidermal growth factor receptor affinity in fibroblasts treated with interleukin 1 or tumor necrosis factor is associated with phosphorylation at a site other than threonine 654.

Interleukin 1 or tumor necrosis factor alpha can cause a transient down-modulation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding to quiescent fibroblast monolayers; the effect results from a reduction in EGF receptor (EGF-R) affinity and appears to be mediated by a protein kinase C (PKC)-independent mechanism. Here we show transient increases in EGF-R serine/threonine phosphorylation which are temporally coordinated with the effects on EGF binding; we also demonstrate that the cytokine-mediated phosphorylations, unlike those caused by PKC activators, have little discernible effect upon intrinsic EGF-R-associated tyrosine kinase activity. Cytokine-mediated EGF-R phosphorylation is resistant to staurosporine, an extremely potent inhibitor of PKC. Analysis of tryptic 32P-phosphopeptides reveals that Thr654, the unique site of PKC-mediated phosphorylation, is not phosphorylated in cytokine-treated cells, but a different, relatively acidic, peptide containing phosphoserine can be detected instead.     

Diacylglycerol modulates binding and phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor

Tumor promoters cause a variety of effects in cultured cells, at least some of which are thought to result from activation of the Ca2+-phospholipid-stimulated protein kinase C. One action of tumor promoters is the modulation of the binding and phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor in A431 cells. To determine if these compounds act on the EGF receptor by substituting for the endogenous activator of C kinase, diacylglycerol, we compared the effects of the potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) with those of the synthetic diacylglycerol analog 1-oleyl 2-acetyl diglycerol (OADG). When A431 cells were treated with TPA, the subcellular distribution of C kinase activity shifted from a predominantly cytosolic location to a membrane-associated state; OADG also caused the disappearance of cytosolic C kinase activity. The shift in the subcellular distribution of C kinase, caused by TPA or OADG, correlated with changes in binding and phosphorylation of the EGF receptor. OADG, like TPA, caused loss of binding to an apparent high affinity class of receptors, blocked EGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor, and stimulated phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at both serine and threonine residues. No difference between the phosphopeptide maps of receptors from cells treated with OADG or TPA was observed. Thus, it appears that tumor promoters can exert their effects on the EGF receptors by substituting for diacylglycerol, presumably by activating protein kinase C. Further, these results suggest that endogenously produced diacylglycerol may have a role in normal growth regulatory pathways.     

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) promotes phosphorylation at threonine-654 of the EGF receptor: possible role of protein kinase C in homologous regulation of the EGF receptor

Treatment of cells with tumor-promoting phorbol diesters, which causes activation of protein kinase C, leads to phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor at threonine-654. Addition of phorbol diesters to intact cells causes inhibition of the EGF-induced tyrosine-protein kinase activity of the EGF receptor and it has been suggested that this effect of phorbol diesters is mediated by the phosphorylation of the receptor by protein kinase C. We measured the activity of protein kinase C in A431 cells by determining the incorporation of [32P]phosphate into peptides containing threonine-654 obtained by trypsin digestion of EGF receptors. After 3 h of exposure to serum-free medium, A431 cells had no detectable protein kinase C activity. Addition of EGF to these cells resulted in [32P] incorporation into threonine-654 as well as into tyrosine residues. This indicates that EGF promotes the activation of protein kinase C in A431 cells. The phosphorylation of threonine-654 induced by EGF was maximal after only 5 min of EGF addition and the [32P] incorporation into threonine-654 reached 50% of the [32P] in a tyrosine-containing peptide. This indicates that a significant percentage of the total EGF receptors are phosphorylated by protein kinase C. A variety of external stimuli activate Na+/H+ exchange, including EGF, phorbol diesters, and hypertonicity. To ascertain whether activation of protein kinase C is an intracellular common effector of all of these systems, we measured the activity of protein kinase C after exposure of A431 cells to hyperosmotic conditions and observed no effect on phosphorylation of threonine-654, therefore, activation of Na+/H+ exchange by hypertonic medium is independent of protein kinase C activity. Since stimulation of protein kinase C by phorbol diesters results in a decrease in EGF receptor activity, the stimulation of protein kinase C activity by addition of EGF to A431 cells contributes to a feedback mechanism which results in the attenuation of EGF receptor function.     

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II phosphorylates the epidermal growth factor receptor on multiple sites in the cytoplasmic tail and serine 744 within the kinase domain to regulate signal generation.

Down-regulation of receptor tyrosine kinase activity plays an essential role in coordinating and controlling cellular growth/differentiation. Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaM kinase II)-mediated phosphorylation of threonine 1172 in the cytoplasmic tail of HER2/c-erbB2 can modulate tyrosine kinase activity and consensus phosphorylation sites are also found at serines 1046/1047 in the structurally related epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We show that serines 1046/1047 are sites for CaM kinase II phosphorylation, although there is a preference for serine 1047, which resides within the consensus -R-X-X-S-. In addition, we have identified major phosphorylation sites at serine 1142 and serine 1057, which lie within a novel -S-X-D- consensus. Mutation of serines 1046/1047 in full-length EGFR enhanced both fibroblast transformation and tyrosine autokinase activity that was significantly potentiated by additional mutation of serines 1057 and 1142. A single CaM kinase II site was also identified at serine 744 within sub-kinase domain III, and autokinase activity was significantly affected by mutation of this serine to an aspartic acid making this site appear constitutively phosphorylated. We have addressed the mechanism by which CaM kinase II phosphorylation of the EGFR might regulate receptor autokinase activity and show that this modification can hinder association of the cytoplasmic tail with the kinase domain to prevent an enzyme-substrate interaction. We postulate that the location and greater number of CaM kinase II phosphorylation sites in the EGFR compared with HER-2/c-erbB2, leading to differential regulation of autokinase activity, contributes to differences in the strength of downstream signaling events and may explain the higher relative transforming potential of HER-2/cerbB2.