Syk and Bruton's tyrosine kinase are required for B cell antigen receptor-mediated activation of the kinase Akt.

Activation of Akt by multiple stimuli including B cell antigen receptor (BCR) engagement requires phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and regulates processes including cell survival, proliferation, and metabolism. BCR cross-linking activates three families of non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and these are transducers of signaling events including phospholipase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation; however, the relative roles of PTKs in BCR-mediated Akt activation are unknown. We examined Akt activation in Lyn-, Syk- and Btk-deficient DT40 cells and B cells from Lyn(-/-) mice. BCR-mediated Akt activation required Syk and was partially dependent upon Btk. Increased BCR-induced Akt phosphorylation was observed in Lyn-deficient DT40 cells and Lyn(-/-) mice compared with wild-type cells suggesting that Lyn may negatively regulate Akt function. BCR-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit was abolished in Syk-deficient cells consistent with a receptor-proximal role for Syk in BCR-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation; in contrast, it was maintained in Btk-deficient cells, suggesting Btk functions downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Calcium depletion did not influence BCR-induced Akt phosphorylation/activation, showing that neither Syk nor Btk mediates its effects via changes in calcium levels. Thus, BCR-mediated Akt stimulation is regulated by multiple non-receptor PTK families which regulate Akt both proximal and distal to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation.     

Nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of the Syk protein tyrosine kinase

The protein tyrosine kinase Syk couples the B-cell receptor (BCR) for antigen to multiple intracellular signaling pathways and also modulates cellular responses to inducers of oxidative stress in a receptor-independent fashion. In B cells, Syk is found in both the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments but contains no recognizable nuclear localization or export signals. Through the analysis of a series of deletion mutants, we identified the presence of an unconventional shuttling sequence near the junction of the catalytic domain and the linker B region that accounts for Syk's subcellular localization. This localization is altered following prolonged engagement of the BCR, which causes Syk to be excluded from the nucleus. Nuclear exclusion requires the receptor-mediated activation of protein kinase C and new protein synthesis. Both of these processes also potentiate the activation of caspase 3 in cells in response to oxidative stress in a manner that is dependent on the localization of Syk outside of the nucleus. In contrast, restriction of Syk to the nucleus greatly diminishes the stress-induced activation of caspase 3.     

The tyrosine kinase Syk regulates TPL2 activation signals

Tpl2/Cot is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a key physiological role in the regulation of immune responses to pro-inflammatory stimuli, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha stimulates the JNK, ERK, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases and the NF-kappaB pathway by recruiting RIP1 and TRAF2 to the TNF receptor 1. Here we showed that Tpl2 activation by TNF-alpha signals depends on the integrity of the Tpl2-interacting proteins RIP1 and TRAF2, which are required for the engagement of the ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. However, neither RIP1 nor TRAF2 overexpression was sufficient to activate Tpl2 and ERK. We also showed that Tpl2 activation by TNF-alpha depends on a tyrosine kinase activity that is detected in TNF-alpha-stimulated cells. Based on both genetic and biochemical evidence, we concluded that in a variety of cell types, Syk is the tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in the activation of Tpl2 upstream of ERK. These data therefore dissect the TNF receptor 1 proximal events that regulate Tpl2 and ERK and highlight a role for RIP1, TRAF2, and Syk in this pathway.     

Redundant role of the Syk protein tyrosine kinase in mouse NK cell differentiation.

Syk and ZAP-70 subserve nonredundant functions in B and T lymphopoiesis. In the absence of Syk, B cell development is blocked, while T cell development is arrested in the absence of ZAP-70. The receptors and the signaling molecules required for differentiation of NK cells are poorly characterized. Here we investigate the role of the Syk protein tyrosine kinase in NK cell differentiation. Hemopoietic chimeras were generated by reconstituting alymphoid (B-, T-, NK-) recombinase-activating gene-2 x common cytokine receptor gamma-chain double-mutant mice with Syk-/- fetal liver cells. The phenotypically mature Syk-/- NK cells that developed in this context were fully competent in natural cytotoxicity and in calibrating functional inhibitory receptors for MHC molecules. Syk-deficient NK cells demonstrated reduced levels of Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Nevertheless, Syk-/- NK cells could signal through NK1. 1 and 2B4 activating receptors and expressed ZAP-70 protein. We conclude that the Syk protein tyrosine kinase is not essential for murine NK cell development, and that compensatory signaling pathways (including those mediated through ZAP-70) may sustain most NK cell functions in the absence of Syk.     

The Fc receptor gamma-chain and the tyrosine kinase Syk are essential for activation of mouse platelets by collagen.

Activation of mouse platelets by collagen is associated with tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins including the Fc receptor gamma-chain, the tyrosine kinase Syk and phospholipase Cgamma2, suggesting that collagen signals in a manner similar to that of immune receptors. This hypothesis has been tested using platelets from mice lacking the Fc receptor gamma-chain or Syk. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk and phospholipase Cgamma2 by collagen stimulation is absent in mice lacking the Fc receptor gamma-chain. Tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase Cgamma2 by collagen stimulation is also absent in mice platelets which lack Syk, although phosphorylation of the Fc receptor gamma-chain is maintained. In contrast, tyrosine phosphorylation of platelet proteins by the G protein-coupled receptor agonist thrombin is maintained in mouse platelets deficient in Fc receptor gamma-chain or Syk. The absence of Fc receptor gamma-chain or Syk is accompanied by a loss of secretion and aggregation responses in collagen- but not thrombin-stimulated platelets. These observations provide the first direct evidence of an essential role for the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) in signalling by a non-immune receptor stimulus.     

The Syk protein tyrosine kinase can function independently of CD45 or Lck in T cell antigen receptor signaling.

The protein tyrosine phosphatase CD45 is a critical component of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signaling pathway, acting as a positive regulator of Src family protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) such as Lck. Most CD45-deficient human and murine T cell lines are unable to signal through their TCRs. However, there is a CD45-deficient cell line that can signal through its TCR. We have studied this cell line to identify a TCR signaling pathway that is independent of CD45 regulation. In the course of these experiments, we found that the Syk PTK, but not the ZAP-70 PTK, is able to mediate TCR signaling independently of CD45 and of Lck. For this function, Syk requires functional kinase and SH2 domains, as well as intact phosphorylation sites in the regulatory loop of its kinase domain. Thus, differential expression of Syk is likely to explain the paradoxical phenotypes of different CD45-deficient T cells. Finally, these results suggest differences in activation requirements between two closely related PTK family members, Syk and ZAP-70. The differential activities of these two kinases suggest that they may play distinct, rather than completely redundant, roles in lymphocyte signaling.     

TULA proteins regulate activity of the protein tyrosine kinase Syk

TULA belongs to a two-member family: TULA (STS-2) is a lymphoid protein, whereas STS-1/TULA-2 is expressed ubiquitously. TULA proteins were implicated in the regulation of signaling mediated by protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs). The initial experiments did not fully reveal the molecular mechanism of these effects, but suggested that both TULA proteins act in a similar fashion. It was shown recently that STS-1/TULA-2 dephosphorylates PTKs. In this study, we analyzed the effects of TULA proteins on Syk, a PTK playing an important role in lymphoid signaling. First, we have shown that TULA-2 decreases tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk in vivo and in vitro and that the intact phosphatase domain of TULA-2 is essential for this effect. We have also shown that TULA-2 exhibits a certain degree of substrate specificity. Our results also indicate that inactivated TULA-2 increases tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk in cells co-transfected to overexpress these proteins, thus acting as a dominant-negative form that suppresses dephosphorylation of Syk caused by endogenous TULA-2. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that phosphatase activity of TULA is negligible as compared to that of TULA-2 and that this finding correlates with an increase in Syk tyrosine phosphorylation in cells overexpressing TULA. This result is consistent with the dominant-negative effect of inactivated TULA-2, arguing that TULA acts in this system as a negative regulator of TULA-2-dependent dephosphorylation. To summarize, our findings indicate that TULA proteins may exert opposite effects on PTK-mediated signaling and suggest that a regulatory mechanism based on this feature may exist.     

Negative regulation of receptor tyrosine kinase signals

In Metazoans a number of cellular functions are controlled by receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) during development and in postnatal life. The execution of these programs requires that signals of adequate strength are delivered for the appropriate time within precise spatial boundaries. Several RTK inhibitors have been identified in invertebrate and mammalian organisms. Because they are involved in tuning and termination of receptor signals, negative regulators of RTK activity fulfill a fundamental function in the control of receptor signaling.     

Ly-6A is required for T cell receptor expression and protein tyrosine kinase fyn activity.

To characterize the function of the Ly-6A antigen in T cell activation, antisense Ly-6 RNA was expressed in a stably transfected antigen-specific T cell clone. Reduced Ly-6A expression results in inhibition of responses to antigen, anti-TCR (anti-T cell receptor) crosslinking and concanavalin A plus recombinant interleukin 1 and causes impairment of in vitro fyn tyrosine kinase activity. More substantial reduction of Ly-6A results in reduction of TCR expression. Analysis of mRNA species indicates that the reduction is specific for the TCR beta chain. These data demonstrate that Ly-6A may regulate TCR expression and may be involved in early events of T cell activation via regulation of fyn tyrosine kinase activity.     

Characterization of the protein apparently responsible for the elevated tyrosine protein kinase activity in LSTRA cells.

The LSTRA murine thymoma cell line contains an elevated level of tyrosine protein kinase activity. When a microsomal preparation from these cells is incubated in vitro with ATP, the principal tyrosine protein kinase substrate is a 56,000-dalton protein, p56. We have found that an activity phosphorylating p56 on tyrosine can also be detected at low levels in microsomes from most, but not all, T lymphoma cell lines and from normal thymic tissue. Only 1 of 30 other lymphoma cell lines was found to contain an elevated level of such a tyrosine protein kinase. An activity that phosphorylated p56 in vitro was not detectable in the cells of other hematopoietic lineages. Anti-peptide antibodies reactive with the site of in vitro tyrosine phosphorylation of p56 allowed us to determine that the apparent abundance of the p56 polypeptide parallels closely the level of the tyrosine protein kinase activity in the cell lines examined. This suggests that p56 is the protein kinase responsible for the elevated tyrosine protein kinase activity in LSTRA cells and that the phosphorylation of p56 observed in vitro results from autophosphorylation. Two-dimensional tryptic peptide mapping revealed that p56 is distinct from the proteins encoded by the cellular genes which are the progenitors of retroviral tyrosine protein kinases, src, yes, fgr, abl, fes, and ros. Additionally, none of these proto-oncogenes was found to be transcribed at elevated levels in LSTRA or Thy19 cells. Like the catalytic subunit of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, the cellular and viral forms of p60src, and the protein phosphatase calcineurin B, p56 contains covalently bound fatty acid.     

Activation of Syk protein tyrosine kinase through interaction with integrin beta cytoplasmic domains.

Syk protein tyrosine kinase is essential for immune system development and function [1]and for the maintenance of vascular integrity [2,3]. In leukocytes, Syk is activated by binding to diphosphorylated immune receptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (pITAMs)[1]. Syk can also be activated by integrin adhesion receptors [4,5], but the mechanism of its activation is unknown. Here we report a novel mechanism for Syk's recruitment and activation, which requires that Syk bind to the integrin beta3 cytoplasmic tail. We found that both Syk and the related kinase ZAP-70 bound the beta3 cytoplasmic tail through their tandem SH2 domains. However, unlike Syk binding to pITAMs, this interaction was independent of tyrosine phosphorylation and of the phosphotyrosine binding function of Syk's tandem SH2 domains. Deletion of the four C-terminal residues of the beta3 cytoplasmic tail [beta3(759X)] decreased Syk binding and disrupted its physical association with integrin alphaIIbbeta3. Furthermore, cells expressing alphaIIbbeta3(759X) failed to exhibit Syk activation or lamellipodia formation upon cell adhesion to the alphaIIbbeta3 ligand, fibrinogen. In contrast, FAK phosphorylation and focal adhesion formation were unimpaired by this mutation. Thus, the direct binding of Syk kinase to the integrin beta3 cytoplasmic tail is a novel and functionally significant mechanism for the regulation of this important non-receptor tyrosine kinase.     

Differential activation of the Ras/extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase pathway is responsible for the biological consequences induced by the Axl receptor tyrosine kinase.

To understand the mechanism of Axl signaling, we have initiated studies to delineate downstream components in interleukin-3-dependent 32D cells by using a chimeric receptor containing the recombinant epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor extracellular and transmembrane domains and the Axl kinase domain (EAK [for EGF receptor-Axl kinase]). We have previously shown that upon exogenous EGF stimulation, 32D-EAK cells are capable of proliferation in the absence of interleukin-3. With this system, we determined that EAK-induced cell survival and mitogenesis are dependent upon the Ras/extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) cascade. Although the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase pathway is activated upon EAK signaling, it appears to be dispensable for the biological actions of the Axl kinase. Furthermore, we demonstrated that different threshold levels of Ras/ERK activation are needed to induce a block to apoptosis or proliferation in 32D cells. Recently, we have identified an Axl ligand, GAS6. Surprisingly, GAS6-stimulated 32D-Axl cells exhibited no blockage to apoptosis or mitogenic response which is correlated with the absence of Ras/ERK activation. Taken together, these data suggest that different extracellular domains dramatically alter the intracellular response of the Axl kinase. Furthermore, our data suggest that the GAS6-Axl interaction does not induce mitogenesis and that its exact role remains to be determined.     

Human spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) recombinant expression systems for high-throughput assays

Spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) is an important non-receptor tyrosine kinase and its aberrant regulation is associated with a variety of allergic disorders and autoimmune diseases. To identify small molecule inhibitors of Syk in high-throughput assays, recombinant Syk protein is needed in bulk quantity. We studied the expression of recombinant human Syk in three heterologous systems: E. coli, baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS), and the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd). Syk activity was higher in the BEVS as compared to the Dd expression host, whereas in E. coli, no activity was observed under our assay conditions. Purified Syk kinase domain protein from BEVS showed concentration dependent inhibition with OXSI-2, a known Syk inhibitor. Molecular modeling and docking studies were performed to understand the binding mode and critical interactions of the inhibitor with catalytic domain of Syk. The BEVS generated Syk kinase domain showed stability upon multiple freeze-thaw cycles and exhibited significantly higher levels of tyrosine phosphorylation at pTyr⁵²⁵/Tyr⁵²⁶ in the Syk activation loop. Based on our data, we conclude that BEVS is the ideal host to produce an active and stable enzyme, which can be successfully employed for screening of Syk inhibitors in a high-throughput system.     

Phospholipase C-gamma 1 and phospholipase C-gamma 2 are substrates of the B cell antigen receptor associated protein tyrosine kinase.

Cross-linking the antigen receptor on B cells results in a rapid increase in protein tyrosine kinase activity as detected by increased phosphorylation on tyrosine residues of multiple proteins. Although the identity of most of this substrates remains unknown, some have been proposed. One possible substrate of the antigen receptor-associated kinase is phospholipase C (PLC). Since multiple isoforms of PLC have been identified, we have studied which isoforms are targets of the antigen receptor. PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2 but not PLC-beta 1 or PLC-delta 1 were detected in human B cells. Immunoprecipitation with antibodies against PLC-gamma 1 or PLC-gamma 2 and subsequent Western blotting with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies revealed that both PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2 are tyrosine phosphorylated in stimulated but not in resting B cells. This was confirmed by experiments whereby B cell lysates were immunoprecipitated with anti-phosphotyrosine antibody and subsequently blotted with antibodies against PLC-gamma 1 or PLC-gamma 2. Further, the specific protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors, tyrphostins, which block phospholipase-C activation and proliferation of B cells also inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation on both PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2. We conclude that both isoforms PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2 are targets of the antigen receptor-associated protein tyrosine kinase.     

Syk tyrosine kinase mediates Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2A-induced cell migration in epithelial cells

Although spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) is known to be important in hematopoietic cell development, the roles of Syk in epithelial cells have not been well studied. Limited data suggest that Syk plays alternate roles in carcinogenesis under different circumstances. In breast cancer, Syk has been suggested to be a tumor suppressor. In contrast, Syk is essential for murine mammary tumor virus-mediated transformation. However, the roles of Syk in tumor migration are still largely unknown. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, an unusually highly metastatic tumor, expresses Epstein-Barr virus LMP2A (latent membrane protein 2A) in most clinical specimens. Previously, we demonstrated LMP2A triggers epithelial cell migration. LMP2A contains an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif, which is important for Syk kinase activation in B cells. In this study, we explored whether Syk is important for LMP2A-mediated epithelial cell migration. We demonstrate that LMP2A expression can activate endogenous Syk activity. The activation requires the tyrosine residues in LMP2A ITAM but not YEEA motif, which is important for Syk activation by Lyn in B cells. LMP2A interacts with Syk as demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy. Furthermore, LMP2A-induced cell migration is inhibited by a Syk inhibitor and short interfering RNA. Tyrosines 74 and 85 in the LMP2A immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif are essential for both Syk activation and LMP2A-mediated cell migration, indicating the involvement of Syk in LMP2A-triggered cell migration. The LMP2A-Syk pathway may provide suitable drug targets for treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.     

A critical role for Syk protein tyrosine kinase in Fc receptor-mediated antigen presentation and induction of dendritic cell maturation

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the only APCs capable of initiating adaptive immune responses. The initiation of immune responses requires that DCs 1) internalize and present Ags; and 2) undergo a differentiation process, called "maturation", which transforms DCs into efficient APCs. DC maturation may be initiated by the engagement of different surface receptors, including certain cytokine receptors (such as TNFR), Toll-like receptors, CD40, and FcRs. The early activation events that link receptor engagement and DC maturation are not well characterized. We found that FcR engagement by immune complexes induced the phosphorylation of Syk, a protein tyrosine kinase acting immediately downstream of FcRs. Syk was dispensable for DC differentiation in vitro and in vivo, but was strictly required for immune complexes internalization and subsequent Ag presentation to T lymphocytes. Importantly, Syk was also required for the induction of DC maturation and IL-12 production after FcR engagement, but not after engagement of other surface receptors, such as TNFR or Toll-like receptors. Therefore, protein tyrosine phosphorylation by Syk represents a novel pathway for the induction of DC maturation.     

The non-receptor tyrosine kinase Syk is a target of Cbl-mediated ubiquitylation upon B-cell receptor stimulation.

The negative regulator Cbl functions as a ubiquitin ligase towards activated receptor tyrosine kinases and facilitates their transport to lysosomes. Whether Cbl ubiquitin ligase activity mediates its negative regulatory effects on cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases of the Syk/ZAP-70 family has not been addressed, nor is it known whether these kinases are regulated via ubiquitylation during lymphocyte B-cell receptor engagement. Here we show that B-cell receptor stimulation in Ramos cells induces the ubiquitylation of Syk tyrosine kinase which is inhibited by a dominant-negative mutant of Cbl. Intact tyrosine kinase-binding and RING finger domains of Cbl were found to be essential for Syk ubiquitylation in 293T cells and for in vitro Syk ubiquitylation. These same domains were also essential for Cbl-mediated negative regulation of Syk as measured using an NFAT-luciferase reporter in a lymphoid cell. Association with Cbl did not alter the kinase activity of Syk. Altogether, our results support an essential role for Cbl ubiquitin ligase activity in the negative regulation of Syk, and establish that ubiquitylation provides a mechanism of Cbl-mediated negative regulation of cytoplasmic targets.     

Regulation of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling by protein tyrosine phosphatases

Signaling through receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) is a major mechanism for intercellular communication during development and in the adult organism, as well as in disease-associated processes. The phosphorylation status and signaling activity of RTKs is determined not only by the kinase activity of the RTK but also by the activities of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). This review discusses recently identified PTPs that negatively regulate various RTKs and the role of PTP inhibition in ligand-induced RTK activation. The contributions of PTPs to ligand-independent RTK activation and to RTK inactivation by other classes of receptors are also surveyed. Continued investigation into the involvement of PTPs in RTK regulation is likely to unravel previously unrecognized layers of RTK control and to suggest novel strategies for interference with disease-associated RTK signaling.     

Phosphatidylinositol kinase or an associated protein is a substrate for the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase.

The tyrosine kinase activity intrinsic to the insulin receptor is thought to be important in eliciting the intracellular responses to insulin; however, it has been difficult to determine the biochemical functions of the proteins which are substrates for this receptor. Treatment of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells overexpressing the human insulin receptor (CHO.T) with insulin results in a 38 +/- 11 (mean +/- S.E., n = 9)-fold increase in a phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) kinase activity in anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates of whole cell lysates. One minute of treatment of cells with insulin causes a dramatic increase in the PtdIns kinase activity in the anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates; the activity peaks within 5 min and remains elevated for at least 60 min after addition of insulin to the cells. This response is only slightly delayed compared with the time course we observe for activation of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase. The insulin dose-response curves are also very similar for the activation of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity and for the appearance of PtdIns kinase in the anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates. Stimulation of the endogenous insulin receptor of CHO cells also results in the association of PtdIns kinase activity with phosphotyrosine-containing proteins. However, CHO cells are less sensitive to insulin than CHO.T cells, and the maximal PtdIns kinase activity in antiphosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates from CHO cells is one-sixth that of CHO.T cells. In contrast, immunoprecipitates from CHO.T cells made with anti-insulin receptor antibodies do not contain significant levels of PtdIns kinase activity. This demonstrates that the PtdIns kinase is either a substrate for the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase or is tightly associated with another tyrosine phosphoprotein, which is not the insulin receptor.