Cutting edge: functional role for proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 in NK cell-mediated natural cytotoxicity

Protein tyrosine kinase activation is one of the first biochemical events in the signaling pathway leading to activation of NK cell cytolytic machinery. Here we investigated whether proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2), the nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinase belonging to the focal adhesion kinase family, could play a role in NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Our results demonstrate that binding of NK cells to sensitive target cells or ligation of beta2 integrins results in a rapid induction of Pyk2 phosphorylation and activation. By contrast, no detectable Pyk2 tyrosine phosphorylation is found upon CD16 stimulation mediated by either mAb or interaction with Ab-coated P815 cells. A functional role for Pyk2 in natural but not Ab-mediated cytotoxicity was demonstrated by the use of recombinant vaccinia viruses encoding the kinase dead mutant of Pyk2. Finally, we provide evidence that Pyk2 is involved in the beta2 integrin-triggered extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation, supporting the hypothesis that Pyk2 plays a role in the natural cytotoxicity by controlling extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation.