Abnormal mesoderm patterning in mouse embryos mutant for the SH2 tyrosine phosphatase Shp-2.

Shp-1, Shp-2 and corkscrew comprise a small family of cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatases that possess two tandem SH2 domains. To investigate the biological functions of Shp-2, a targeted mutation has been introduced into the murine Shp-2 gene, which results in an internal deletion of residues 46-110 in the N-terminal SH2 domain. Shp-2 is required for embryonic development, as mice homozygous for the mutant allele die in utero at mid-gestation. The Shp-2 mutant embryos fail to gastrulate properly as evidenced by defects in the node, notochord and posterior elongation. Biochemical analysis of mutant cells indicates that Shp-2 can function as either a positive or negative regulator of MAP kinase activation, depending on the specific receptor pathway stimulated. In particular, Shp-2 is required for full and sustained activation of the MAP kinase pathway following stimulation with fibroblast growth factor (FGF), raising the possibility that the phenotype of Shp-2 mutant embryos results from a defect in FGF-receptor signalling. Thus, Shp-2 modulates tyrosine kinase signalling in vivo and is crucial for gastrulation during mammalian development.     

Biased Suppression of Hematopoiesis and Multiple Developmental Defects in Chimeric Mice Containing Shp-2 Mutant Cells

Shp-2 is a cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase that contains two Src homology 2 (SH2) domains at the N terminus. Biochemical data suggests that Shp-2 acts downstream of a variety of receptor and cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases. A targeted deletion mutation in the N-terminal SH2 (SH2-N) domain results in embryonic lethality of homozygous mutant mice at midgestation. In vitro embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation assays suggest that Shp-2 might play an important role in hematopoiesis. By aggregating homozygous mutant (Shp-2^−/−) ES cells and wild-type (WT) embryos, we created Shp-2^−/−-WT chimeric animals. We report here an essential role of Shp-2 in the control of blood cell development. Despite the widespread contribution of mutant cells to various tissues, no Shp-2^−/− progenitors for erythroid or myeloid cells were detected in the fetal liver and bone marrow of chimeric animals by using the in vitro CFU assay. Furthermore, hematopoiesis was defective in Shp-2^−/− yolk sacs. In addition, the Shp-2 mutation caused multiple developmental defects in chimeric mice, characterized by short hind legs, aberrant limb features, split lumbar vertebrae, abnormal rib patterning, and pathological changes in the lungs, intestines, and skin. These results demonstrate a functional involvement of Shp-2 in the differentiation of multiple tissue-specific cells and in body organization. More importantly, the requirement for Shp-2 is more stringent in hematopoiesis than in other systems.     

Shp-2 positively regulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor-promoted survival of cultured ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons through a brain immunoglobulin-like molecule with tyrosine-based activation motifs/Shp substrate-1

To examine the roles of Shp-2, a cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase, in neuronal survival, we generated and used recombinant adenoviruses expressing wild type and phosphatase-inactive (C/S), phosphatase domain-deficient (delta P) and constitutively active (D61A and E76A) mutants of Shp-2. We found that wild-type Shp-2 enhanced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-promoted survival of cultured ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons. In contrast, the C/S and delta P mutants of Shp-2 did not affect survival. In addition, the constitutively active D61A and E76A mutants mimicked BDNF and promoted survival. Furthermore, to examine the effects of BIT/SHPS-1, a substrate of Shp-2, on the BDNF-promoted survival, we generated adenovirus vectors expressing wild-type BIT/SHPS-1 and its 4F mutant in which all tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic domain of BIT/SHPS-1 were replaced with phenylalanine. We found that BDNF-promoted survival of cultured mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons was enhanced by expression of the 4F mutant but not of wild-type BIT/SHPS-1. In addition, we found that co-expression of wild-type BIT/SHPS-1 with Shp-2 significantly enhanced the survival-promoting effect of BDNF on cultured mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons. These results indicated that Shp-2 positively regulates the survival-promoting effect of BDNF on cultured ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons. Dephosphorylation of BIT/SHPS-1 by Shp-2 may participate in BDNF-stimulated survival signaling.     

The protein tyrosine phosphatase Shp-2 regulates RhoA activity

Remodeling of filamentous actin into distinct arrangements is precisely controlled by members of the Rho family of small GTPases [1]. A well characterized member of this family is RhoA, whose activation results in reorganization of the cytoskeleton into thick actin stress fibers terminating in integrin-rich focal adhesions [2]. Regulation of RhoA is required to maintain adhesion in stationary cells, but is also critical for cell spreading and migration [3]. Despite its biological importance, the signaling events leading to RhoA activation are not fully understood. Several independent studies have implicated tyrosine phosphorylation as a critical event upstream of RhoA [4]. Consistent with this, our recent studies have demonstrated the existence of a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase), sensitive to the dipeptide aldehyde calpeptin, acting upstream of RhoA [5]. Here we identify the SH2 (Src homology region 2)-containing PTPase Shp-2 as a calpeptin-sensitive PTPase, and show that calpeptin interferes with the catalytic activity of Shp-2 in vitro and with Shp-2 signaling in vivo. Finally, we show that perturbation of Shp-2 activity by a variety of genetic manipulations results in raised levels of active RhoA. Together, these studies identify Shp-2 as a PTPase acting upstream of RhoA to regulate its activity and contribute to the coordinated control of cell movement.     

Shp-2 specifically regulates several tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling in cultured cerebral cortical neurons

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophins, promotes differentiation and survival and regulates plasticity of various types of neurons. BDNF binds to TrkB, a receptor tyrosine kinase, which results in the activation of a variety of signaling molecules to exert the various functions of BDNF. Shp-2, a Src homology 2 domain-containing cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase, is involved in neurotrophin signaling in PC12 cells and cultured cerebral cortical neurons. To examine the roles of Shp-2 in BDNF signaling in cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons, the wild-type and phosphatase-inactive mutant (C/S mutant) forms of Shp-2 were ectopically expressed in cultured neurons using recombinant adenovirus vectors. We found that several proteins tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to BDNF showed enhanced levels of tyrosine phosphorylation in cultured neurons infected with C/S mutant adenovirus in comparison with those infected with the wild-type Shp-2 adenovirus. In addition, in immunoprecipitates with anti-Shp-2 antibody, we also observed at least four proteins that displayed enhanced phosphorylation in response to BDNF in cultured neurons infected with the C/S mutant adenovirus. We found that the Shp-2-binding protein, brain immunoglobulin-like molecule with tyrosine-based activation motifs (BIT), was strongly tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to BDNF in cultured neurons expressing the C/S mutant of Shp-2. In contrast, the level of BDNF-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and coprecipitated proteins with anti-Trk and Grb2 antibodies did not show any difference between neurons infected with these two types of Shp-2. Furthermore, the survival effect of BDNF was enhanced by the wild type of Shp-2, although it was not influenced by the C/S mutant of Shp-2. These results indicated that in cultured cerebral cortical neurons Shp-2 is specifically involved in the regulation of several tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, including BIT, in the BDNF signaling pathway. In addition, the phosphatase Shp-2 may not influence the level of BDNF-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase in cultured cortical neurons. Further, Shp-2 may have potential to positively regulate BDNF-promoting neuronal survival.     

Phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase type Igamma directly associates with and regulates Shp-1 tyrosine phosphatase

Tyrosine phosphorylation plays a critical role in many regulatory aspects of cellular signaling, and dephosphorylation of phosphotyrosine residues is crucial for termination of signals initiated by tyrosine kinases. Previous work has shown that the tyrosine kinase Src phosphorylates Tyr644 on phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase type I (PIPKI) gamma661 in a focal adhesion kinase-dependent manner. Phosphorylation of this residue is essential for high affinity binding of PIPKI gamma661 to the focal adhesion protein talin and for targeting of PIPKI gamma661 to focal adhesions. A yeast two-hybrid screen performed with the C-terminal 178-amino acid tail of PIPKI gamma661 identified an interaction with the phosphatase domain of the tyrosine phosphatase Shp-1. The interaction between PIPKI gamma661 and Shp-1 was confirmed via co-immunoprecipitation from HEK293 cell lysates. In addition, Src-phosphorylated PIPKI gamma661 is a substrate for Shp-1, and Shp-1 modulates both the association between PIPKI gamma661 and talin and the targeting of PIPKI gamma661 to focal adhesions in mammalian cells. Finally, we showed that Shp-1 phosphatase activity is inhibited by the product of PIPKI gamma661, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, in vitro. These combined results suggest a model in which the reciprocal actions of Src tyrosine kinase and Shp-1 tyrosine phosphatase dynamically regulate the association between PIPKI gamma661 and talin.     

The SHP—2 tyrosine phosphatase：Signaling mechanisms and biological functions

Cellular biological avtivities are tightly controlled by intracellular signaling processes initiated by extracellular signals.Protein tyrosine phosphatases,which remove phosphate groups from phosphorylated signaling molecules,play equally important tyrosine roles as protein tyrosine kinases in signal transduction.SHP-2 a cytoplasmic SH2 domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase,is involved in the signaling pathways of a variety of growth factors and cytokines.Recent studies have clearly demonstrated that this phosphatase plays an important role in transducing signal relay from the cell surface to the nucleus,and is a critical intracellular regulator in mediating cell proliferation and differentiation.     

Molecular mechanism for the Shp-2 tyrosine phosphatase function in promoting growth factor stimulation of Erk activity

We have previously shown that activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) by epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment was significantly decreased in mouse fibroblast cells expressing a mutant Shp-2 molecule lacking 65 amino acids in the SH2-N domain, Shp-2(Delta46-110). To address the molecular mechanism for the positive role of Shp-2 in mediating Erk induction, we evaluated the activation of signaling components upstream of Erk in Shp-2 mutant cells. EGF-stimulated Ras, Raf, and Mek activation was significantly attenuated in Shp-2 mutant cells, suggesting that Shp-2 acts to promote Ras activation or to suppress the down-regulation of activated Ras. Biochemical analyses indicate that upon EGF stimulation, Shp-2 is recruited into a multiprotein complex assembled on the Gab1 docking molecule and that Shp-2 seems to exert its biological function by specifically dephosphorylating an unidentified molecule of 90 kDa in the complex. The mutant Shp-2(Delta46-110) molecule failed to participate in the Gab1-organized complex for dephosphorylation of p90, correlating with a defective activation of the Ras-Raf-Mek-Erk cascade in EGF-treated Shp-2 mutant cells. Evidence is also presented that Shp-2 does not appear to modulate the signal relay from EGF receptor to Ras through the Shc, Grb2, and Sos proteins. These results begin to elucidate the mechanism of Shp-2 function downstream of a receptor tyrosine kinase to promote the activation of the Ras-Erk pathway, with potential therapeutic applications in cancer treatment.     

Association of hematopoietic cell phosphatase with c-Kit after stimulation with c-Kit ligand.

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation have been implicated in the growth and functional responses of hematopoietic cells. Recent studies have identified a novel protein tyrosine phosphatase, termed hematopoietic cell phosphatase (HCP) or PTP1C, that is predominantly expressed in hematopoietic cells. HCP encodes a cytoplasmic phosphatase that contains two src homology 2 (SH2) domains. Since SH2 domains have been shown to target the association of signal-transducing molecules with activated growth factor receptors containing intrinsic protein kinase activity, we assessed the association of HCP with two hematopoietic growth factor receptors, c-Kit and c-Fms. The results demonstrate that HCP transiently associates with ligand-activated c-Kit but not c-Fms and that this association occurs through the SH2 domains. In both colony-stimulating factor 1- and stem cell factor-stimulated cells, there is a marginal increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of HCP. Lastly, HCP can dephosphorylate autophosphorylated c-Kit and c-Fms in in vitro reactions. The potential role of HCP in stem cell factor signal transduction is discussed.     

Shp-2 tyrosine phosphatase is required for hepatocyte growth factor-induced activation of sphingosine kinase and migration in embryonic fibroblasts

Shp-2, a ubiquitously expressed protein tyrosine phosphatase containing two Src homology 2 domains, plays an important role in integrating signaling from the cell surface receptors to intracellular signaling mechanisms. Previous studies have demonstrated that the Shp-2 is involved in hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced cell scattering. Here we report that Shp-2 is required for the HGF-induced activation of sphingosine kinase-1 (SPK1), a highly conserved lipid kinase that plays an important role in cell migration. Loss-of-function mutation of Shp-2 did not affect the expression of SPK1, but resulted in its inactivation and the blockage of HGF-induced migration in embryonic fibroblasts. Reintroduction of functional wild type (WT) Shp-2 into the mutant cells partially restored SPK1 activation, and overexpression of SPK1 in these mutant cells enhanced HGF-induced cell migration. Inhibition of expression or activity of SPK1 in WT cells markedly decreased intracellular S1P levels and HGF-induced cell migration. Furthermore, we found that Shp-2 co-immunoprecipitated with SPK1 and c-Met in embryonic fibroblasts. These studies suggest that Shp-2 is an SPK1-interacting protein and that it plays an indispensable role in HGF-induced SPK1 activation.     

SH2 domains prevent tyrosine dephosphorylation of the EGF receptor: identification of Tyr992 as the high-affinity binding site for SH2 domains of phospholipase C gamma.

Several cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases contain a conserved, non-catalytic stretch of approximately 100 amino acids called the src homology 2 (SH2) domain, and a region of approximately 50 amino acids called the SH3 domain. SH2/SH3 domains are also found in several other proteins, including phospholipase C-gamma (PLC gamma). Recent studies indicate that SH2 domains promote association between autophosphorylated growth factor receptors such as the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and signal transducing molecules such as PLC gamma. Because SH2 domains bind specifically to protein sequences containing phosphotyrosine, we examined their capacity to prevent tyrosine dephosphorylation of the EGF and other receptors with tyrosine kinase activity. For this purpose, various SH2/SH3 constructs of PLC gamma were expressed in Escherichia coli as glutathione-S-transferase fusion proteins. Our results show that purified SH2 domains of PLC gamma are able to prevent tyrosine dephosphorylation of the EGF receptor and other receptors with tyrosine activity. The inhibition of tyrosine dephosphorylation paralleled the capacity of various SH2-containing constructs to bind to the EGF receptor, suggesting that the tyrosine phosphatase and the SH2 domain compete for the same tyrosine phosphorylation sites in the carboxy-terminal tail of the EGF receptor. Analysis of the phosphorylation sites protected from dephosphorylation by PLC gamma-SH2 revealed substantial inhibition of dephosphorylation of Tyr992 at 1 microM SH2. This indicates that Tyr992 and its flanking sequence is the high-affinity binding site for SH2 domains of PLC gamma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Structural basis for the interaction of the free SH2 domain EAT-2 with SLAM receptors in hematopoietic cells.

The T and natural killer (NK) cell-specific gene SAP (SH2D1A) encodes a 'free SH2 domain' that binds a specific tyrosine motif in the cytoplasmic tail of SLAM (CD150) and related cell surface proteins. Mutations in SH2D1A cause the X-linked lymphoproliferative disease, a primary immunodeficiency. Here we report that a second gene encoding a free SH2 domain, EAT-2, is expressed in macrophages and B lympho cytes. The EAT-2 structure in complex with a phosphotyrosine peptide containing a sequence motif with Tyr281 of the cytoplasmic tail of CD150 is very similar to the structure of SH2D1A complexed with the same peptide. This explains the high affinity of EAT-2 for the pTyr motif in the cytoplasmic tail of CD150 but, unlike SH2D1A, EAT-2 does not bind to non-phosphorylated CD150. EAT-2 binds to the phosphorylated receptors CD84, CD150, CD229 and CD244, and acts as a natural inhibitor, which interferes with the recruitment of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2. We conclude that EAT-2 plays a role in controlling signal transduction through at least four receptors expressed on the surface of professional antigen-presenting cells.     

Epidermal Growth Factor Stimulates the Tyrosine Phosphorylation of SHPS-1 and Association of SHPS-1 with SHP-2, a SH2 Domain-Containing Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase

SHPS-1 is a 120 kDa glycosylated receptor-like protein that contains immunoglobulin-like domains in its extracellular region and four potential tyrosine phosphorylation for SH2 domain binding sites in its cytoplasmic region. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulated the rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of SHPS-1 and subsequent association of SHPS-1 with SHP-2, a protein tyrosine phosphatase containing SH2 domains, in Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing human EGF receptors. In the cells overexpressing SHPS-1, the tyrosine phosphorylation of SHPS-1 was more evident than that observed in parent cells. However, overexpression of SHPS-1 alone did not affect the activation of MAP kinase in response to EGF. These results suggest that SHPS-1 may be involved in the recruitment of SHP-2 from the cytosol to the plasma membrane in response to EGF.     

Pinpointing phosphotyrosine-dependent interactions downstream of the collagen receptor DDR1

Activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase DDR1 by collagen results in robust and sustained phosphorylation, however little is known about its downstream mediators. Using phosphopeptide mapping and site-directed mutagenesis, we here identified multiple tyrosine phosphorylation sites within DDR1. We found that Nck2 and Shp-2, two SH2 domain-containing proteins, bind to DDR1 in a collagen-dependent manner. The binding site of Shp-2 was mapped to tyrosine-740 of DDR1 within an ITIM-consensus sequence. Lastly, ablation of DDR1 in the mouse mammary gland resulted in delocalized expression of Nck2, suggesting that defects observed during alveologenesis are caused by the lack of the DDR1-Nck2 interaction.     

Systematic search for putative new domain families in Mycoplasma gallisepticum genome

Background

Stem cell factor (SCF) receptor c-Kit is recognized as a key signaling molecule, which transduces signals for the proliferation, differentiation and survival of stem cells. Binding of SCF to its receptor triggers transactivation, leading to the recruitment of kinases and phosphatases to the docking platforms of c-Kit catalytic domain. Tyrosine phosphatase-1 (Shp-1) deactivates/attenuates 'Kit' kinase activity. Whereas, Asp816Val mutation in the Kit activation loop transforms kinase domain to a constitutively activated state (switch off-to-on state), in a ligand-independent manner. This phenomenon completely abrogates negative regulation of Shp-1. To predict the possible molecular basis of interaction between c-Kit and Shp-1, we have performed an in silico protein-protein docking study between crystal structure of activated c-Kit (phosphorylated c-Kit) and full length crystal structure of Shp-2, a close structural counterpart of Shp-1.

Findings

Study revealed a stretch of conserved amino acids (Lys818 to Ser821) in the Kit activation domain, which makes decisive H-bonds with N-sh2 and phosphotyrosine binding pocket residues of the phosphatase. These H-bonds may impose an inhibitory steric hindrance to the catalytic domain of c-Kit, there by blocking further interaction of the activation loop molecules with incoming kinases. We have also predicted a phosphotyrosine binding pocket in SH2 domains of Shp-1, which is found to be predominantly closer to a catalytic groove like structure in c-Kit kinase domain.

Conclusions

This study predicts that crucial hydrogen bonding between N-sh2 domain of Shp-1 and Kit activation loop can modulate the negative regulation of c-Kit kinase by Shp-1. Thus, this finding is expected to play a significant role in designing suitable gain-of-function c-Kit mutants for inducing conditional proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells.     

The tyrosine phosphatase Shp-2 interacts with the dopamine D(1) receptor and triggers D(1) -mediated Erk signaling in striatal neurons

We report a novel mechanism for dopamine D(1) receptor (D(1) R)-mediated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (Erk) activation in rat striatum. Erk signaling depends on phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events mediated by specific kinases and phosphatases. The tyrosine phosphatase Shp-2, that is required for Erk activation by tyrosine kinase receptors, has been recently shown to regulate signaling downstream of few G protein-coupled receptors. We show that the D(1) R interacts with Shp-2, that D(1) R stimulation results in Shp-2 tyrosine phosphorylation and activation in primary striatal neuronal cultures and that D(1) R/Shp-2 interaction is required for transmitting D(1) R-dependent signaling to Erk1/2 activation. D(1) R-mediated Erk1/2 phosphorylation in cultured striatal neurons is in fact abolished by over-expression of the inactive Shp-2(C/S) mutant and by small interfering RNA-induced Shp-2 silencing. Moreover, by using selective inhibitors we show that both D(1) R-induced Shp-2 activation and Erk1/2 phosphorylation are dependent on the cyclic AMP/protein kinase A pathway and require Src. These results, which were substantiated also in transfected human embryonic kidney 293 cells, provide a novel mechanism by which to converge D(1) R signaling to the Erk pathway and suggest that Shp-2 or the D(1) R/Shp-2 interface could represent a potential drug target for disorders of dopamine transmission involving malfunctioning of D(1) R signaling.