PDGF-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation stimulates production of novel polyphosphoinositides in intact cells

A phosphatidylinositol (PI) kinase activity associated with certain protein tyrosine kinases important in cell proliferation phosphorylates the 3' hydroxyl position of PI to produce phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI-3-P). Here we report that, in addition to PI-3' kinase activity, anti-phosphotyrosine (alpha-P-tyr) immunoprecipitates from platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-stimulated smooth muscle cells (SMC) contain lipid kinase activities that utilize the substrates phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI-4-P) and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PI-4,5-P2). These activities are absent in alpha-P-tyr immunoprecipitates from quiescent SMC. The product of PI-4-P phosphorylation appears to be phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate (PI-3,4-P2), a lipid not previously reported. The product of PI-4,5-P2 phosphorylation is phosphatidylinositol-trisphosphate (PIP3). PI-3-P was detected in quiescent SMC and increased only slightly in response to PDGF. PIP3 and the putative PI-3,4-P2 appeared only after the addition of mitogen. Both the temporal production of these novel phospholipids after PDGF stimulation and the observation of the enzymatic activities that produce them in alpha-P-tyr immunoprecipitates suggest that these phospholipids are excellent candidates for mediators of the PDGF mitogenic response.     

SYK is upstream of phosphoinositide 3-kinase in B cell receptor signaling.

We have recently demonstrated that the D3-phosphoinositide phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns-3,4,5-P(3)) is critical for producing sustained calcium signals through its role in promoting the function of TEC family tyrosine kinases such as Bruton's tyrosine kinase. Although PtdIns-3,4,5-P(3) can potentially be synthesized by any of several types of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks), B cell receptor (BCR)-induced PtdIns-3,4,5-P(3) production is thought to occur primarily through the activation of the class Ia (p85/p110) PI3Ks. This process has been proposed to be mediated by an interaction between the Src family kinase LYN and the p85 subunit of PI3K and/or through p85 membrane recruitment mediated by CBL and/or CD19. However, calcium signaling and other PI3K-dependent signals are relatively preserved in a LYN kinase-deficient B lymphocyte cell line, suggesting that an alternative pathway for PI3K activation exists. As SYK/ZAP70 kinases are upstream from many BCR-initiated signaling events, we directly analyzed SYK-dependent accumulation of both PtdIns-3,4,5-P(3) and PtdIns-3,4-P(2) in B cell receptor signaling using both dominant negative and genetic knockout approaches. Both methods indicate that SYK is upstream of, and necessary for, a significant portion of BCR-induced PtdIns-3,4, 5-P(3) production. Whereas CD19 does not appear to be involved in this SYK-dependent pathway, the SYK substrate CBL is likely involved as the dominant negative SYK markedly attenuates CBL tyrosine phosphorylation and completely blocks the BCR-dependent association of CBL with p85 PI3K.     

Production of novel polyphosphoinositides in vivo is linked to cell transformation by polyomavirus middle T antigen.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase associates with the polyomavirus middle T antigen (PyMTAg)-pp60c-src complex in polyomavirus-transformed cells. Here we show that anti-PyMTAg immunoprecipitates from PyMTAg-transformed NIH 3T3 cells have lipid kinase activities that phosphorylate phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol-4-bisphosphate, and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate at the D-3 position of the inositol ring to produce three new polyphosphoinositides: phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI-3-P), phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate (PI-3,4-P2), and phosphatidylinositol trisphosphate (PIP3), respectively. PI-3-P was detected in intact parental and PyMTAg-transformed NIH 3T3 fibroblasts at both low and high cell densities. However, parental NIH 3T3 fibroblasts produced no detectable PI-3,4-P2 or PIP3 at high density. In contrast, growing, subconfluent cells and wild-type PyMTAg-transformed cells at high density had greatly enhanced incorporation of [3H]-inositol into these highly phosphorylated lipids. Cells transfected with a transformation-defective mutant of PyMTAg had undetectable levels of PI-3,4-P2 and PIP3 at high density. Thus, the synthesis of novel polyphosphoinositides by lipid kinase activity associated with PyMTAg correlates with cell growth and transformation.     

Anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitation of phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase activity in different cell types after exposure to epidermal growth factor.

In previous studies from this laboratory, it was shown that mouse epidermal growth factor (mEGF) or insulin increased the labeling of phosphaditylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate (PI-3,4-P2) in MA-10 cells prelabeled with different radioactive precursors (Pignataro, O.P., and Ascoli, M. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 1718-1723 and Mol. Endocrinol. (1990) 4, 758-765). In order to further characterize this phenomenon we sought to determine if we could use anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies to immunoprecipitate a phosphatidylinositol (PI) kinase activity from MA-10 cells treated with mEGF or insulin. Our data indicate that this is indeed the case, and that the PI kinase precipitated is a PI-3' kinase. A second cell type, A431 cells, in which we were unable to detect an increase in PI-3,4-P2 labeling when stimulated with mEGF or insulin, was also studied. It was found that, as in MA-10 cells, A431 cells also contain an immunoprecipitable PI-3' kinase activity that is increased in response to mEGF or insulin.     

Inportance of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate in sporulation of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Pik3p phosphorylates phosphatidylinositol (PI) to produce PI 3-P, which is further phosphorylated by Ste12p to yield PI 3,5-P2. Pik3p is required for both conjugation and sporulation. To test which of PI 3-P and PI 3,5-P2 is required for sporulation, diploid cells defective in production of PI 3,5-P2 were used. They underwent sporulation almost normally provided that the osmotic pressure of the medium was controlled, suggesting that not PI 3,5-P2 but PI 3-P was important. Electron microscopic analysis confirmed normal sporulation in the absence of PI 3,5-P2 although the forespore membrane was found to be less dense in these cells.     

Ceramide induces the dephosphorylation and inhibition of constitutively activated Akt in PTEN negative U87mg cells

In the present study, treatment of the PTEN negative U87MG human glioblastoma cell line with C2-ceramide resulted in a dose- and time-dependent decrease in the constitutive phosphorylation of Akt at threonine 308 and serine 473. The C2-ceramide induced dephosphorylation of Akt correlated with a 90-95% reduction in the Akt kinase activity. Exposure to C2-ceramide did not affect the basal or PDGF activated levels PtdIns-3,4-P(2) and PtdIns-3,4,5-P(3), indicating PI3-K activity was not inhibited. Additionally, treatment of cells with the PI3-K inhibitor wortmannin and C2-ceramide resulted in an enhanced rate of Akt dephosphorylation versus either agent alone. Finally, treatment of cells with the phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid or calyculin A prevented the C2-ceramide induced dephosphorylation and inhibition of Akt activity. These data demonstrate the ability of C2-ceramide to inhibit the constitutive phosphorylation and activity of Akt in U87MG cells and implicate the activation of ceramide activated protein phosphatase, rather than decreased PI3-K activity, as the mechanism of inhibition.     

PIKfyve, a mammalian ortholog of yeast Fab1p lipid kinase, synthesizes 5-phosphoinositides. Effect of insulin.

One or more free hydroxyls of the phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) head group undergo enzymatic phosphorylation, yielding phosphoinositides (PIs) with key functions in eukaryotic cellular regulation. Two such species, PtdIns 5-P and PtdIns 3,5-P(2), have now been identified in mammalian cells, but their biosynthesis remains unclear. We have isolated a novel mammalian PI kinase, p235, whose exact substrate specificity remained to be determined (Shisheva, A., Sbrissa, D., and Ikonomov, O. (1999) Mol. Cell. Biol. 19, 623-634). Here we report that recombinant p235 expressed in COS cells, like the authentic p235 in adipocytes, displays striking specificity for PtdIns over PI substrates and generates two products identified as PtdIns 5-P and PtdIns 3,5-P(2) by HPLC analyses. Synthetic PtdIns 3-P substrates were also converted to PtdIns 3,5-P(2) but to a substantially lesser extent than PtdIns isolated from natural sources. Important properties of the p235 PI 5-kinase include high sensitivity to nonionic detergents and relative resistance to wortmannin and adenosine. By analyzing deletion mutants in a heterologous cell system, we determined that in addition to the predicted catalytic domain other regions of the molecule are critical for the p235 enzymatic activity. HPLC resolution of monophosphoinositide products, generated by p235 immune complexes derived from lysates of 3T3-L1 adipocytes acutely stimulated with insulin, revealed essentially the same PtdIns 5-P levels as the corresponding p235 immune complexes of resting cells. However, the acute insulin action resulted in an increase of a wortmannin-sensitive PtdIns 3-P peak, suggestive of a plausible recruitment of wortmannin-sensitive PI 3-kinase(s) to p235. In conclusion, mouse p235 (renamed here PIKfyve) displays a strong in vitro activity for PtdIns 5-P and PtdIns 3,5-P(2) generation, implying PIKfyve has a key role in their biosynthesis.     

Transient increase in phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate and phosphatidylinositol trisphosphate during activation of human neutrophils

We recently showed that phosphatidylinositol trisphosphate (PIP3) was present in a unique lipid fraction generated in neutrophils during activation. Here, we demonstrate that the band containing this fraction isolated from thin layer chromatography consists primarily of PIP3 and that only small amounts of radiolabeled PIP3 exist prior to activation. In addition, high performance liquid chromatography of deacylated phospholipids from stimulated cells reveals an increase in a fraction eluting ahead of glycerophosphoinositol 4,5-P2. After removal of the glycerol we found that it coeluted with inositol 1,3,4-P3 when resubjected to high performance liquid chromatography. Thus, we have detected a second, novel form of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate in activated neutrophils, PI-(3,4)P2. The elevation of PIP3 through the formyl peptide receptor is blocked by pretreatment with pertussis toxin, implicating mediation of the increase in PIP3 by a guanosine triphosphate-binding (G) protein. The rise in PIP3 is not secondary to calcium elevation. Buffering the rise in intracellular calcium did not diminish the increase in PIP3. The elevation of PIP3 appears to occur during activation with physiological agonists, its level varying with the degree of activation. Leukotriene B4, which elicits many of the same responses as stimulation of the formyl peptide receptor but with minimal oxidant production, stimulates a much attenuated rise in PIP3. Isoproterenol, which inhibits oxidant production also reduces the rise in PIP3. Hence formation of PI(3,4)P2 and PIP3 (presumed to be PI(3,4,5)P3) correlates closely with the early events of neutrophil activation.     

A novel mode of action for a microbial-derived immunotoxin: the cytolethal distending toxin subunit B exhibits phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate phosphatase activity

The Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans cytolethal distending toxin (Cdt) is a potent immunotoxin that induces G(2) arrest in human lymphocytes. We now show that the CdtB subunit exhibits phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3,4,5-triphosphate phosphatase activity. Breakdown product analysis indicates that CdtB hydrolyzes PI-3,4,5-P(3) to PI-3,4-P(2) and therefore functions in a manner similar to phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphatases. Conserved amino acids critical to catalysis in this family of enzymes were mutated in the cdtB gene. The mutant proteins exhibit reduced phosphatase activity along with decreased ability to induce G(2) arrest. Consistent with this activity, Cdt induces time-dependent reduction of PI-3,4,5-P(3) in Jurkat cells. Lymphoid cells with defects in SHIP1 and/or ptase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) (such as Jurkat, CEM, Molt) and, concomitantly, elevated PI-3,4,5-P(3) levels were more sensitive to the toxin than HUT78 cells which contain functional levels of both enzymes and low levels of PI-3,4,5-P(3). Finally, reduction of Jurkat cell PI-3,4,5-P(3) synthesis using the PI3K inhibitors, wortmannin and LY290004, protects cells from toxin-induced cell cycle arrest. Collectively, these studies show that the CdtB not only exhibits PI-3,4,5-P(3) phosphatase activity, but also that toxicity in lymphocytes is related to this activity.     

Restructuring of focal adhesion plaques by PI 3-kinase. Regulation by PtdIns (3,4,5)-p(3) binding to alpha-actinin

Focal adhesions are an elaborate network of interconnecting proteins linking actin stress fibers to the extracellular matrix substrate. Modulation of the focal adhesion plaque provides a mechanism for the regulation of cellular adhesive strength. Using interference reflection microscopy, we found that activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) by PDGF induces the dissipation of focal adhesions. Loss of this close apposition between the cell membrane and the extracellular matrix coincided with a redistribution of alpha-actinin and vinculin from the focal adhesion complex to the Triton X-100-soluble fraction. In contrast, talin and paxillin remained localized to focal adhesions, suggesting that activation of PI 3-kinase induced a restructuring of the plaque rather than complete dispersion. Furthermore, phosphatidylinositol (3,4, 5)-trisphosphate (PtdIns (3,4,5)-P(3)), a lipid product of PI 3-kinase, was sufficient to induce restructuring of the focal adhesion plaque. We also found that PtdIns (3,4,5)-P(3) binds to alpha-actinin in PDGF-treated cells. Further evidence demonstrated that activation of PI 3-kinase by PDGF induced a decrease in the association of alpha-actinin with the integrin beta subunit, and that PtdIns (3,4,5)-P(3) could disrupt this interaction in vitro. Modification of focal adhesion structure by PI 3-kinase and its lipid product, PtdIns (3,4,5)-P(3), has important implications for the regulation of cellular adhesive strength and motility.     

Regulation of PDGF-stimulated SHIP2 tyrosine phosphorylation and association with Shc in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes

In 3T3-L1 and human preadipocytes, insulin results in the isolated rise in phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3,4,5-P3, whereas PDGF produces PI(3,4)P2 in addition to PI(3,4,5)P3. SH2 domain-containing inositol 5-phosphatase 2 (SHIP2) converts PI(3,4,5)P3 into PI(3,4)P2. PDGF, but not insulin, stimulates SHIP2 tyrosine phosphorylation and its association with Shc in human and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. We now demonstrate that SHIP2 tyrosine phosphorylation and association with Shc in PDGF-treated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was reduced by bisindolylmaleimide I (BisI), an inhibitor of conventional/novel protein kinase C (PKC). However, the production of PI(3,4)P2 and PI(3,4,5)P3 by PDGF was unaffected by BisI. Activation of PKC by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was not sufficient to induce SHIP2 tyrosine phosphorylation. Furthermore, we identified threonine 958 (T958) as a novel PDGF-responsive SHIP2 phosphorylation site. Mutation of T958 to alanine reduced PDGF-stimulated SHIP2 tyrosine phosphorylation and association with Shc, but did not alter its anti-proliferative effect on preadipocytes. This study demonstrates that SHIP2 tyrosine phosphorylation and Shc association can be regulated by serine/threonine signaling pathways, either indirectly (via PKC), or directly (via T958). Interestingly, the anti-proliferative effect of SHIP2 T958A, as well as another SHIP2 mutant (Y986F, Y987F) that also displays defective tyrosine phosphorylation and Shc association, does not depend on these molecular events.     

Different subcellular localization and phosphoinositides binding of insulin receptor substrate protein pleckstrin homology domains

Insulin evokes diverse biological effects through receptor-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins. Here, we show that, in vitro, the IRS-1, -2 and -3 pleckstrin homology (PH) domains bind with different specificities to the 3-phosphorylated phosphoinositides. In fact, the IRS-1 PH domain binds preferentially to phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns-3,4,5-P3), the IRS-2 PH domain to phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate (PtdIns-3,4-P2), and the IRS-3 PH domain to phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate. When expressed in NIH-IR fibroblasts and L6 myocytes, the IRS-1 and -2 PH domains tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP) are localized exclusively in the cytoplasm. Stimulation with insulin causes a translocation of the GFP-IRS-1 and -2 PH domains to the plasma membrane within 3-5 min. This translocation is blocked by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002, suggesting that this event is PI 3-K dependent. Interestingly, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) did not induce translocation of the IRS-1 and -2 PH domains to the plasma membrane, indicating the existence of specificity for insulin. In contrast, the GFP-IRS-3 PH domain is constitutively localized to the plasma membrane. These results reveal a differential regulation of the IRS PH domains and a novel positive feedback loop in which PI 3-K functions as both an upstream regulator and a downstream effector of IRS-1 and -2 signaling.     

Phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)P3 is essential but not sufficient for protein kinase B (PKB) activation; phosphatidylinositol (3,4)P2 is required for PKB phosphorylation at Ser-473: studies using cells from SH2-containing inositol-5-phosphatase knockout mice.

Using bone marrow derived mast cells from SH2-containing inositol-5-phosphatase (SHIP) +/+ and minus sign/minus sign mice, we found that the loss of SHIP leads to a dramatic increase in Steel Factor (SF)-stimulated phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P(3)), a substantial reduction in PI(3,4)P(2), and no change in PI(4,5)P(2) levels. We also found that SF-induced activation of protein kinase B (PKB) is increased and prolonged in SHIP -/- cells, due in large part to more PKB associating with the plasma membrane in these cells. Pretreatment of SHIP -/- cells with 25 microm LY294002 resulted in complete inhibition of SF-induced PI(3,4)P(2), while still yielding PI(3,4,5)P(3) levels similar to those achieved in SHIP+/+ cells. This offered a unique opportunity to study the regulation of PKB by PI(3,4,5)P(3), in the absence of PI(3,4)P(2). Under these conditions, PKB activity was markedly reduced compared with that in SF-stimulated SHIP+/+ cells, even though more PKB localized to the plasma membrane. Although phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 mediated phosphorylation of PKB at Thr-308 was unaffected by LY294002, phosphorylation at Ser-473 was dramatically reduced. Moreover, intracellular delivery of PI(3,4)P(2) to LY294002-pretreated, SF-stimulated SHIP -/- cells increased phosphorylation of PKB at Ser-473 and increased PKB activity. These results are consistent with a model in which SHIP serves as a regulator of both activity and subcellular localization of PKB.     

Intracellular segregation of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate by insulin-dependent actin remodeling in L6 skeletal muscle cells

Insulin stimulates glucose uptake by recruiting glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) from an intracellular pool to the cell surface through a mechanism that is dependent on phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase (PI3-K) and cortical actin remodeling. Here we test the hypothesis that insulin-dependent actin filament remodeling determines the location of insulin signaling molecules. It has been shown previously that insulin treatment of L6 myotubes leads to a rapid rearrangement of actin filaments into submembrane structures where the p85 regulatory subunit of PI3-K and organelles containing GLUT4, VAMP2, and the insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP) colocalize. We now report that insulin receptor substrate-1 and the p110alpha catalytic subunit of PI3-K (but not p110beta) also colocalize with the actin structures. Akt-1 was also found in the remodeled actin structures, unlike another PI3-K effector, atypical protein kinase C lambda. Transiently transfected green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged pleckstrin homology (PH) domains of general receptor for phosphoinositides-1 (GRP1) or Akt (ligands of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate [PI-3,4,5-P(3)]) migrated to the periphery of the live cells; in fixed cells, they were detected in the insulin-induced actin structures. These results suggest that PI-3,4,5-P(3) is generated on membranes located within the actin mesh. Actin remodeling and GLUT4 externalization were blocked in cells highly expressing GFP-PH-GRP1, suggesting that PI-3,4,5-P(3) is required for both phenomena. We propose that PI-3,4,5-P(3) leads to actin remodeling, which in turn segregates p85alpha and p110alpha, thus localizing PI-3,4,5-P(3) production on membranes trapped by the actin mesh. Insulin-stimulated actin remodeling may spatially coordinate the localized generation of PI-3,4,5-P(3) and recruitment of Akt, ultimately leading to GLUT4 insertion at the plasma membrane.     

Phosphoinositide-specific inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase IV inhibits Akt/protein kinase B phosphorylation and leads to apoptotic cell death.

Phosphoinositide-specific inositol polyphosphate 5- phosphatase IV has the affinity for PI(3,4,5)P(3) (K(m) = 0.65 microM) that is approximately 10-fold greater than the other inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatases, which use this substrate including SHIP, OCRL, and 5ptase II, suggesting that it may be important in controlling intracellular levels of this metabolite. We created cell lines stably expressing the enzyme to study its effect on cell function. We found that overexpression of 5ptase IV in 293 cells caused the rapid depletion of both PI(4,5)P(2) and PI(3,4,5)P(3) in cells with corresponding increases in the products, PI(4)P and PI(3,4)P(2), changing the balance of two phosphoinositol products of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, PI(3,4)P(2) and PI(3,4,5)P(3), in the cell. One of the targets of these phosphoinositides is the serine/threonine kinase Akt, which plays an important role in the control of apoptosis. We were able to address the relative roles of PI(3,4)P(2) and PI(3,4,5)P(3) in the activation of Akt by selective depletion of these phosphoinositides in cells stably transfected with 5ptase IV and inositol polyphosphate 4-phosphatase (4ptase I). In cells transfected with 4ptase I, the level of PI(3,4)P(2) was reduced, and PI(3,4,5)P(3) was increased. Expression of the two enzymes had the opposite effect on the phosphorylation of Akt in response to stimulation with growth factors or heat shock. Akt phosphorylation was inhibited in cells expressing 5ptase IV but increased in 4ptase I cells and correlated with the intracellular level of PI(3,4,5)P(3) and not that of PI(3,4)P(2). The inhibition of Akt phosphorylation in cells expressing 5ptase IV makes them highly susceptible to FAS-induced apoptosis, whereas overexpressing of the 4ptase I protects cells from apoptosis. Our results place 5ptase IV as a relevant biological regulator of PI3K/Akt pathway in cells.     

Studies with insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I show that the increased labeling of phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate is not sufficient to elicit the diverse actions of epidermal growth factor on MA-10 Leydig tumor cells

In a recent publication we showed that addition of mouse epidermal growth factor (mEGF) to MA-10 Leydig tumor cells rapidly leads to an increase in the incorporation of [3H]inositol-derived radioactivity into an unusual lipid that was identified as phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate (PI-3,4-P2). Other ligands that are known to bind to MA-10 cells, such as hCG and arginine vasopressin, however, did not elicit this effect. Inasmuch as mEGF modulates the differentiated functions of MA-10 cells in a number of ways, our findings raised the possibility that PI-3,4-P2 may be an intracellular mediator of these actions of mEGF. In an attempt to answer this question, we set out to determine if other ligands increase the labeling of PI-3,4-P2 in MA-10 cells prelabeled with [3H]inositol, and if such ligands mimic the diverse biological actions of mEGF on these cells. The experiments presented herein show that insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I, and transforming growth factor-alpha increase the labeling of PI-3,4-P2 in MA-10 cells, but only transforming growth factor-alpha mimics the actions of mEGF on the differentiated functions of MA-10 cells. We conclude that an increase in the labeling of PI-3,4-P2 is not sufficient to elicit these actions of mEGF.     

Deficiency of PTEN in Jurkat T cells causes constitutive localization of Itk to the plasma membrane and hyperresponsiveness to CD3 stimulation

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domain binding to D3-phosphorylated phosphatidylinositides (PI) provides a reversible means of recruiting proteins to the plasma membrane, with the resultant change in subcellular localization playing a key role in the activation of multiple intracellular signaling pathways. Previously we found that the T-cell-specific PH domain-containing kinase Itk is constitutively membrane associated in Jurkat T cells. This distribution was unexpected given that the closely related B-cell kinase, Btk, is almost exclusively cytosolic. In addition to constitutive membrane association of Itk, unstimulated JTAg T cells also exhibited constitutive phosphorylation of Akt on Ser-473, an indication of elevated basal levels of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) products PI-3,4-P(2) and PI-3,4,5-P(3) in the plasma membrane. Here we describe a defect in expression of the D3 phosphoinositide phosphatase, PTEN, in Jurkat and JTAg T cells that leads to unregulated PH domain interactions with the plasma membrane. Inhibition of D3 phosphorylation by PI3K inhibitors, or by expression of PTEN, blocked constitutive phosphorylation of Akt on Ser-473 and caused Itk to redistribute to the cytosol. The PTEN-deficient cells were also hyperresponsive to T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation, as measured by Itk kinase activity, tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1, and activation of Erk compared to those in PTEN-replete cells. These data support the idea that PH domain-mediated association with the plasma membrane is required for Itk activation, provide evidence for a negative regulatory role of PTEN in TCR stimulation, and suggest that signaling models based on results from Jurkat T-cell lines may underestimate the role of PI3K in TCR signaling.