Activation of tyrosine kinase p60fyn following T cell antigen receptor cross-linking.

Activation of T cells by specific antigens in the context of major histocompatibility complex encoded proteins is mediated by the T cell antigen receptor (TcR), consisting of a variable (Ti) and an invariant (CD3) subunits. Tyrosine phosphorylation is considered to be one of the earliest steps in TcR-mediated signal transduction. There are indications that the p60fyn protein tyrosine kinase is involved in signaling via TcR. However, enzymatic activation of the Src-related tyrosine kinases upon TcR triggering has not been shown yet, therefore the identity of TcR-activated tyrosine kinase(s) remains unclear. We demonstrate that cross-linking of CD3 activates p60fyn and induces tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins in human T cells (resting peripheral T cells, a helper T cell clone, a helper T cell clone immortalized with Herpesvirus saimiri, and a leukemic T cell line). Activation of p60fyn was fast, and its maximum (2-4-fold activation as compared with the basal activity) was followed by a decline. The amount of p60fyn in the cells remained unchanged. None of the other T cell Src-related tyrosine kinases was activated after cross-linking of CD3. Activation of p60fyn was induced by anti-CD3, but not by anti-CD4, anti-CD2, or anti-CD28. The activation was correlated with an increase of the phosphotyrosine content of p60fyn. These studies provide direct proof for the functional association between p60fyn and the TcR.     

T cell antigen receptor phosphorylation induced by an anti-receptor antibody

In previous studies we demonstrated that the antigen receptor complex on murine T cells is phosphorylated after antigen or mitogen activation. After the clonotypic structures bind antigen, the invariant subunits or CD3 molecules are the target of dual kinase activation. The antigen receptor CD3-gamma-chain subunit is phosphorylated on serine residues by activated protein kinase C and the p21 subunit is phosphorylated by a tyrosine kinase. Herein we demonstrate that another mechanism of receptor activation by the stimulatory monoclonal antibody 145-2C11, which binds the CD3-epsilon chain, results in a similar pattern of kinase activation and receptor phosphorylation.     

6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase regulates tumor cell migration in vitro by regulating receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met

6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) is the third enzyme in the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Recently, we reported that knockdown of 6PGD inhibited lung tumor growth in vitro and in a xenograft model in mice. In this study, we continued to examine the functional role of 6PGD in cancer. We show that 6PGD expression positively correlates with advancing stage of lung carcinoma. In search of functional signals related to 6PGD, we discovered that knockdown of 6PGD significantly inhibited phosphorylation of c-Met at tyrosine residues known to be critical for activity. This downregulation of c-Met phosphorylation correlated with inhibition of cell migration in vitro. Overexpression of a constitutively active c-Met specifically rescued the migration but not proliferation phenotype of 6PGD knockdown. Therefore, 6PGD appears to be required for efficient c-Met signaling and migration of tumor cells in vitro.     

Capicua regulates cell proliferation downstream of the receptor tyrosine kinase/ras signaling pathway

Signaling via the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)/Ras pathway promotes tissue growth during organismal development and is increased in many cancers [1]. It is still not understood precisely how this pathway promotes cell growth (mass accumulation). In addition, the RTK/Ras pathway also functions in cell survival, cell-fate specification, terminal differentiation, and progression through mitosis [2-7]. An important question is how the same canonical pathway can elicit strikingly different responses in different cell types. Here, we show that the HMG-box protein Capicua (Cic) restricts cell growth in Drosophila imaginal discs, and its levels are, in turn, downregulated by Ras signaling. Moreover, unlike normal cells, the growth of cic mutant cells is undiminished in the complete absence of a Ras signal. In addition to a general role in growth regulation, the importance of cic in regulating cell-fate determination downstream of Ras appears to vary from tissue to tissue. In the developing eye, the analysis of cic mutants shows that the functions of Ras in regulating growth and cell-fate determination are separable. Thus, the DNA-binding protein Cic is a key downstream component in the pathway by which Ras regulates growth in imaginal discs.     

Genetic evidence for the involvement of the lck tyrosine kinase in signal transduction through the T cell antigen receptor.

Signaling through the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) results both in rapid increases in tyrosine phosphorylation on a number of proteins and in the activation of the phosphatidylinositol pathway. It is not clear how stimulation of the TCR leads to these signaling events. Mutants of the Jurkat T cell line have been previously isolated that fail to show increases in calcium following receptor stimulation. Analysis of one of these mutants, JCaM1, which is defective in the induction of tyrosine phosphorylation, revealed a defect in the expression of functional lck tyrosine kinase. The lack of lck activity was caused in part by a splicing defect. Expression of the lck cDNA in JCaM1 restores the ability of the cell to respond to TCR stimulation. These results indicate that lck is required for normal signal transduction through the TCR.     

Intracellular calcium regulates the tyrosine kinase receptor encoded by the MET oncogene.

Previous work (Gandino, L., Di Renzo, M. F., Giordano, S., Bussolino, F., and Comoglio, P.M. (1990) Oncogene 5, 721-725) has shown that the tyrosine kinase activity of the receptor encoded by the MET protooncogene is negatively modulated by protein kinase C (PKC). We now show that an increase of intracellular Ca2+ has a similar inhibitory effect in vivo, via a PKC-independent mechanism. In GTL-16 cells the p145MET kinase is overexpressed and constitutively phosphorylated on tyrosine. A rapid and reversible decrease of p145MET tyrosine phosphorylation was induced by treatment with the calcium ionophores A23187 or ionomycin. Experiments performed with the ionophores in absence of extracellular calcium showed that a rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration to 450 nM (due to release from intracellular stores) resulted in a similar effect. These Ca2+ concentrations had no effect on p145MET autophosphorylation in an in vitro kinase assay. This suggests that the effect of Ca2+ on p145MET tyrosine phosphorylation is not direct but may be mediated by Ca(2+)-activated proteins(s). Involvement of Ca(2+)-dependent tyrosine phosphatases was ruled out by experiments carried out in presence of Na2VO4. In vivo labeling with [32P]orthophosphate showed that the rise of intracellular Ca2+ induces serine phosphorylation of p145MET on a specific phosphopeptide. This suggests that Ca2+ negatively modulates p145MET kinase through the phosphorylation of a critical serine residue by a Ca(2+)-activated serine kinase distinct from PKC.     

The T cell antigen receptor zeta chain is tyrosine phosphorylated upon activation

The T cell antigen receptor is composed of at least seven chains derived from six different gene products. Upon stimulation, several chains can be phosphorylated. Two of these, CD3-gamma and CD3-epsilon are phosphorylated on serine residues. In addition, a 21-kDa nonglycosylated receptor component is phosphorylated, upon activation, on tyrosine residues. We have referred to this phosphoprotein as p21 because we have previously not been able to assign the tyrosine phosphorylation to any of the described receptor subunits (Samelson, L. E., Patel, M. D., Weissman, A. M., Harford, J. B., and Klausner, R. D. (1986) Cell 46, 1083-1090). In this paper, we demonstrate that it is the 16-kDa zeta chain which is the tyrosine phosphorylated subunit, and thus the p21 nomenclature can be replaced. This phosphorylation results in a shift of the apparent Mr of zeta to 21 kDa. Proof that p21 is tyrosine phosphorylated zeta was afforded by a number of approaches. Specific anti-zeta antibodies directly precipitated phospho-p21. Metabolically labeled protein corresponding to p21 could only be observed after activation. When this 21-kDa band was isolated after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and reanalyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after treatment with alkaline phosphatase, its migration was identical with that of zeta. Furthermore, peptide mapping of metabolically labeled p21 (after gel isolation and dephosphorylation) showed it to be indistinguishable from p21. Thus, one of the early events of T cell activation is the tyrosine phosphorylation of the zeta chain of the T cell antigen receptor.     

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen destabilizes c-Abl tyrosine kinase and regulates cell apoptosis in response to DNA damage

The tyrosine kinase, c-Abl, plays important roles in many aspects of cellular function. The activity of c-Abl is tightly controlled, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Recent studies suggest that c-Abl function is regulated by distinct lipids in different cell types. In the present study, we show that the DNA replication factor, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), interacts with c-Abl and destabilizes c-Abl by promoting its polyubiquitination and degradation. Moreover, deletion of a domain in c-Abl, the PIP box, disrupts its interaction with PCNA, abolishes the PCNA-induced degradation of nuclear c-Abl, and substantially increases the nuclear c-Abl apoptotic function. These findings indicate that PCNA negatively regulates the stability of c-Abl and thereby inhibits apoptosis in the response to DNA damage. Xiang He, Congwen Wei, and Ting Song contribute equally to this work. Wei Shi and Hui Zhong are co-correspondence authors.     

Abl tyrosine kinase regulates endocytosis of the epidermal growth factor receptor

Signal attenuation from ligand-activated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is mediated in part by receptor endocytosis and trafficking to the lysosomal degradative compartment. Uncoupling the activated EGFR from endocytosis and degradation has emerged as a mechanism for oncogenic activation of the EGFR. The Abl nonreceptor tyrosine kinase is activated by ligand-stimulated EGFR, but the role of Abl in EGFR signaling has not been defined. Here we uncovered a novel role for the activated Abl kinase in the regulation of EGFR endocytosis. We show that activated Abl impairs EGFR internalization. Moreover, we show that activated Abl phosphorylates the EGFR primarily on tyrosine 1173, and that mutation of this site to phenylalanine restores ligand-dependent endocytosis of the EGFR in the presence of activated Abl. Furthermore, we show that activated Abl allows the ligand-activated EGFR to escape Cbl-dependent down-regulation by inhibiting the accumulation of Cbl at the plasma membrane in response to epidermal growth factor stimulation and disrupting the formation of the EGFR.Cbl complex without affecting Cbl protein stability. These findings reveal a novel role for Abl in promoting increased cell-surface expression of the EGFR and suggest that Abl/EGFR signaling may cooperate in human tumors.     

c-Kit--a hematopoietic cell essential receptor tyrosine kinase

The receptor tyrosine kinase c-Kit is expressed in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and in several non-hematopoietic tissues. In the hematopoietic system, c-Kit is critical for proliferation, survival and differentiation. During recent years exploration of the signalling pathways downstream of this receptor has yielded significant new insights in the field. In this review, we will summarise the c-Kit background, structure, downstream signalling and medical significance with particular focus on its role in hematopoietic progenitor cells and mast cells.     

E-cadherin regulates the function of the EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase.

EphA2 is a member of the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases, which are increasingly understood to play critical roles in disease and development. We report here the regulation of EphA2 by E-cadherin. In nonneoplastic epithelia, EphA2 was tyrosine-phosphorylated and localized to sites of cell-cell contact. These properties required the proper expression and functioning of E-cadherin. In breast cancer cells that lack E-cadherin, the phosphotyrosine content of EphA2 was decreased, and EphA2 was redistributed into membrane ruffles. Expression of E-cadherin in metastatic cells restored a more normal pattern of EphA2 phosphorylation and localization. Activation of EphA2, either by E-cadherin expression or antibody-mediated aggregation, decreased cell-extracellular matrix adhesion and cell growth. Altogether, this demonstrates that EphA2 function is dependent on E-cadherin and suggests that loss of E-cadherin function may alter neoplastic cell growth and adhesion via effects on EphA2.     

The receptor tyrosine kinase RET regulates hindgut colonization by sacral neural crest cells

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is formed from vagal and sacral neural crest cells (NCC). Vagal NCC give rise to most of the ENS along the entire gut, whereas the contribution of sacral NCC is mainly limited to the hindgut. This, and data from heterotopic quail-chick grafting studies, suggests that vagal and sacral NCC have intrinsic differences in their ability to colonize the gut, and/or to respond to signalling cues within the gut environment. To better understand the molecular basis of these differences, we studied the expression of genes known to be essential for ENS formation, in sacral NCC within the chick hindgut. Our results demonstrate that, as in vagal NCC, Sox10, EdnrB, and Ret are expressed in sacral NCC within the gut. Since we did not detect a qualitative difference in expression of these ENS genes we performed DNA microarray analysis of vagal and sacral NCC. Of 11 key ENS genes examined from the total data set, Ret was the only gene identified as being highly differentially expressed, with a fourfold increase in expression in vagal versus sacral NCC. We also found that over-expression of RET in sacral NCC increased their ENS developmental potential such that larger numbers of cells entered the gut earlier in development, thus promoting the fate of sacral NCC towards that of vagal NCC.     

G protein-coupled receptor kinase 5 regulates airway responses induced by muscarinic receptor activation

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) transduce extracellular signals into intracellular events. The waning responsiveness of GPCRs in the face of persistent agonist stimulation, or desensitization, is a necessary event that ensures physiological homeostasis. GPCR kinases (GRKs) are important regulators of GPCR desensitization. GRK5, one member of the GRK family, desensitizes central M(2) muscarinic receptors in mice. We questioned whether GRK5 might also be an important regulator of peripheral muscarinic receptor responsiveness in the cardiopulmonary system. Specifically, we wanted to determine the role of GRK5 in regulating muscarinic receptor-mediated control of airway smooth muscle tone or regulation of cholinergic-induced bradycardia. Tracheal pressure, heart rate, and tracheal smooth muscle tension were measured in mice having a targeted deletion of the GRK5 gene (GRK5(-/-)) and littermate wild-type (WT) control mice. Both in vivo and in vitro results showed that the airway contractile response to a muscarinic receptor agonist was not different between GRK5(-/-) and WT mice. However, the relaxation component of bilateral vagal stimulation and the airway smooth muscle relaxation resulting from beta(2)-adrenergic receptor activation were diminished in GRK5(-/-) mice. These data suggest that M(2) muscarinic receptor-mediated opposition of airway smooth muscle relaxation is regulated by GRK5 and is, therefore, excessive in GRK5(-/-) mice. In addition, this study shows that GRK5 regulates pulmonary responses in a tissue- and receptor-specific manner but does not regulate peripheral cardiac muscarinic receptors. GRK5 regulation of airway responses may have implications in obstructive airway diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.     

Activation of human T lymphocytes via the CD2 antigen results in tyrosine phosphorylation of T cell antigen receptor zeta-chains.

The phosphorylation of the invariant chains associated with the human TCR has been investigated after the stimulation of T lymphocytes with CD2 mAb T11(2) and T11(3), PHA, or phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate. As described previously, stimulation of T cells with either CD2 mAb or phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate resulted in the phosphorylation of the CD3 gamma-chain. The combination of T11(2) and T11(3) mAb also induced phosphorylation of the TCR zeta-chain. The phosphorylated zeta-polypeptide of CD2-activated cells was immunoprecipitated with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies and migrated to a 21- to 23-kDa position during SDS/PAGE. These results indicate that stimulation of human T cells via the CD2 Ag with the T11(2) and T11(3) mAb activates not only protein kinase C but also tyrosine kinase(s), resulting in the phosphorylation of the CD3 gamma-chain and the tyrosine phosphorylation of the zeta-chain, respectively.     

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.     

The next wave: protein tyrosine phosphatases enter T cell antigen receptor signalling.

Recent years have seen an exponentially increasing interest in the molecular mechanisms of signal transduction. Much of the focus has been on protein tyrosine kinase-mediated signalling, while the study of protein tyrosine phosphatases has lagged behind. We predict that the phosphatases will become a "hot topic" in the field within the next few years. This review summarizes the current state-of-the-art in our understanding of the structure, regulation and role of protein tyrosine phosphatases in T lymphocyte activation.     

Phosphorylation of DARPP-32 regulates breast cancer cell migration downstream of the receptor tyrosine kinase DDR1

Cell migration plays a central role in processes such as development, wound healing and cancer metastasis. Here we describe a novel interaction between DDR1, a receptor tyrosine kinase activated by collagen, and the phosphoprotein DARPP-32 in mammary epithelial cells. DARPP-32 expression was readily detected in non-transformed mammary cell lines, but was strongly reduced or even absent in breast tumor cell lines, such as MCF7. Transfection of MCF7 cells with DARPP-32 resulted in severely impaired cell migration, while DARPP-32 transfection into the DDR1-deficient breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 did not alter migration. Co-expression of both DDR1 and DARPP-32 in MDA-MB-231 cells inhibited migration, thereby supporting a critical role of the DDR1/DARPP-32 complex in motility. Mutational substitution of the phosphorylation sites Thr-34 or Thr-75 on DARPP-32 revealed that phosphorylation of Thr-34 is necessary for the ability of DARPP-32 to impair breast tumor cell migration. Thus, DARPP-32 signaling downstream of DDR1 is a potential new target for effective anti-metastatic breast cancer therapy.