Ligand-induced stimulation of epidermal growth factor receptor mutants with altered transmembrane regions

Second messenger modulation of epidermal growth factor receptor function does not occur at the level of receptor dimerization

Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced receptor dimerization may provide a mechanism for activation of the receptor protein tyrosine kinase and for initiation of post-receptor signalling pathways. We have examined whether second messengers and agents that modulate EGF receptor function act at the level of receptor dimerization. Both the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin and the tumour promotor tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA), added shortly before EGF, inhibit EGF receptor protein tyrosine kinase activity in intact cells. In permeabilized cells, elevation of Ca2+ similarly inhibits EGF receptor function. The inhibitory effect of Ca2+, unlike that of TPA, appears not to be dependent on protein kinase C activity. Neither ionomycin nor phorbol ester affects EGF-induced receptor dimerization, as shown by cross-linking and immunoblotting techniques, although the phosphotyrosine content of both monomeric and dimeric receptors is strongly decreased. Furthermore, we show that EGF receptor dimerization is not affected by increases in cyclic AMP or intracellular pH, nor by changes in transmembrane potential, medium osmolarity or the glycosylation state of the receptor. These result suggest that modulation of EGF receptor function occurs at a step other than receptor dimerization.

The carboxy-terminal domains of erbB-2 and epidermal growth factor receptor exert different regulatory effects on intrinsic receptor tyrosine kinase function and transforming activity

The erbB-2 gene product, gp185erbB-2, displays a potent transforming effect when overexpressed in NIH 3T3 cells. In addition, it possesses constitutively high levels of tyrosine kinase activity in the absence of exogenously added ligand. In this study, we demonstrate that its carboxy-terminal domain exerts an enhancing effect on erbB-2 kinase and transforming activities. A premature termination mutant of the erbB-2 protein, lacking the entire carboxy-terminal domain (erbB-2 delta 1050), showed a 40-fold reduction in transforming ability and a lowered in vivo kinase activity for intracellular substrates. When the carboxy-terminal domain of erbB-2 was substituted for its analogous region in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (EGFR/erbB-2COOH chimera), it conferred erbB-2-like properties to the EGFR, including transforming ability in the absence of epidermal growth factor, elevated constitutive autokinase activity in vivo and in vitro, and constitutive ability to phosphorylate phospholipase C-gamma. Conversely, a chimeric erbB-2 molecule bearing an EGFR carboxy-terminal domain (erbB-2/EGFRCOOH chimera) showed reduced transforming and kinase activity with respect to the wild-type erbB-2 and was only slightly more efficient than the erbB-2 delta 1050 mutant. Thus, we conclude that the carboxy-terminal domains of erbB-2 and EGFR exert different regulatory effects on receptor kinase function and biological activity. The up regulation of gp185erbB-2 enzymatic activity exerted by its carboxy-terminal domain can explain, at least in part, its constitutive level of kinase activity.

The carboxy-terminal domains of erbB-2 and epidermal growth factor receptor exert different regulatory effects on intrinsic receptor tyrosine kinase function and transforming activity

The erbB-2 gene product, gp185erbB-2, displays a potent transforming effect when overexpressed in NIH 3T3 cells. In addition, it possesses constitutively high levels of tyrosine kinase activity in the absence of exogenously added ligand. In this study, we demonstrate that its carboxy-terminal domain exerts an enhancing effect on erbB-2 kinase and transforming activities. A premature termination mutant of the erbB-2 protein, lacking the entire carboxy-terminal domain (erbB-2 delta 1050), showed a 40-fold reduction in transforming ability and a lowered in vivo kinase activity for intracellular substrates. When the carboxy-terminal domain of erbB-2 was substituted for its analogous region in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (EGFR/erbB-2COOH chimera), it conferred erbB-2-like properties to the EGFR, including transforming ability in the absence of epidermal growth factor, elevated constitutive autokinase activity in vivo and in vitro, and constitutive ability to phosphorylate phospholipase C-gamma. Conversely, a chimeric erbB-2 molecule bearing an EGFR carboxy-terminal domain (erbB-2/EGFRCOOH chimera) showed reduced transforming and kinase activity with respect to the wild-type erbB-2 and was only slightly more efficient than the erbB-2 delta 1050 mutant. Thus, we conclude that the carboxy-terminal domains of erbB-2 and EGFR exert different regulatory effects on receptor kinase function and biological activity. The up regulation of gp185erbB-2 enzymatic activity exerted by its carboxy-terminal domain can explain, at least in part, its constitutive level of kinase activity.

Enhancement of tyrosine kinase activity of the Drosophila epidermal growth factor receptor homolog by alterations of the transmembrane domain

The Drosophila epidermal growth factor receptor homolog (DER) displays sequence similarity to both the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and the neu vertebrate proteins. We have examined the possibility of deregulating the tyrosine kinase activity of DER by introducing structural changes which mimic the oncogenic alterations in the vertebrate counterparts. Substitution of valine by glutamic acid in the transmembrane domain, in a position analogous to the oncogenic mutation in the rat neu gene, elevated the in vivo kinase activity of DER in Drosophila Schneider cells sevenfold. A chimera containing the oncogenic neu extracellular and transmembrane domains and the DER kinase region, also showed a threefold elevated activity relative to a similar chimera with normal neu sequences. Double truncation of DER in the extracellular and cytoplasmic domains, mimicking the deletions in the v-erbB oncogene, did not however result in stimulation of in vivo kinase activity. The chimeric constructs were also expressed in monkey COS cells, and similar results were obtained. The ability to enhance the DER kinase activity by a specific structural modification of the transmembrane domain demonstrates the universality of this activation mechanism and strengthens the notion that this domain is intimately involved in signal transduction. These results also support the inclusion of DER within the tyrosine-kinase receptor family.

Transmembrane signaling by a chimera of the Escherichia coli aspartate receptor and the human insulin receptor

Since many receptors apparently contain only one or two membrane-spanning segments, their transmembrane topology should be similar. This feature suggests that these receptors share common mechanisms of transmembrane signaling. To test the degree of conservation of signaling properties, a chimeric receptor containing the ligand-binding extracellular domain of the Escherichia coli aspartate chemoreceptor and the cytosolic portion of the human insulin receptor was constructed. This chimeric receptor is active as a tyrosine kinase, and aspartate stimulates its activity. Some interesting differences are noted in the target proteins phosphorylated by the chimera compared to the wild-type insulin receptor. These results indicate that features of the signaling mechanisms used by these diverse receptors are conserved, but that interesting changes in the protein properties are caused by differences in the neighboring domains.