SH2-containing phosphotyrosine phosphatase as a target of protein-tyrosine kinases

Syp associates with gp130 and Janus kinase 2 in response to interleukin-11 in 3T3-L1 mouse preadipocytes

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation and thus dephosphorylation are part of the interleukin (IL)-11 response in mouse 3T3-L1 cells. We report here for the first time the involvement and interactions of the SH2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase Syp in the IL-11 signal transduction pathway. Addition of IL-11 to 3T3-L1 cells resulted in an increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of Syp. When cell lysates were precipitated with glutathione S-transferase fusion products of Syp, the C-terminal SH2 domain of Syp was shown to precipitate several proteins of 70, 130, 150, and 200 kDa that were tyrosine phosphorylated in response to IL-11. Reciprocal immunoprecipitation experiments showed that Syp was inducibly associated with both gp130 and Janus kinase 2 (JAK2). A phosphopeptide containing the sequence for a potential Syp binding site (YXXV) was used to compete with the associations of Syp with gp130 and JAK2. The phosphopeptide reduced the Syp association with both gp130 and JAK2. To summarize, Syp has multiple interactions in IL-11 signal transduction. In addition to the IL-11-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Syp, Syp coprecipitated with gp130, JAK2, and other tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in response to IL-11. These findings may have extensive significance to IL-11 and related cytokine signal transduction, suggesting new pathways and mechanisms.

Increase in receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase activity and expression level on density-dependent growth arrest of endothelial cells

Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity was examined in two cell lines: human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVE) cells, which display contact inhibition of cell growth, and A427 human adenocarcinoma cells, which have lost this ability. HUVE cells harvested at high density displayed a 10-fold increase in membrane-associated PTPase activity. A427 cells exhibited no such phenomenon. Moreover, modification of HUVE cell growth rate by a stimulating agent such as basic fibroblast growth factor or by blocking compounds such as thymidine or suramin resulted in no change in PTPase activity, suggesting that the observed increase in membrane-associated activity at confluency was specific for cell-cell-contact-directed growth arrest. The expression of various PTPase mRNAs was examined in HUVE and A427 cells. Of the receptor-like PTPases tested, two were exclusively expressed in HUVE cells (PTP gamma and HPTP beta). Only HPTP beta, which is structurally similar in its extracellular region to cell-adhesion receptors of the immunoglobulin superfamily, displayed a pattern of expression related to the increase in PTPase activity. Competitive PCR was used to quantify its expression during cell culture. A 12-fold increase in HPTP beta mRNA expression was detected and it parallelled the time course of PTPase activity. This observation strongly implicates receptor-like PTPases in density-dependent growth arrest.

An alternative role for the src-homology-domain-containing phosphotyrosine phosphatase (SH-PTP2) in regulating epidermal-growth-factor-dependent cell growth

The association of the src homology 2 (SH2) domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase (SH-PTP2) with the activated epidermal growth factor (EGF) and platelet-derived growth factor receptors, as well as the insulin receptor substrate 1 and growth-factor-receptor-bound protein 2 and its intrinsic tyrosine phosphatase activity suggests an important role for this phosphatase in signal transduction. Previous studies have shown a positive role for SH-PTP2 in growth-factor-mediated cell signaling. We show here that SH-PTP2 can also function to negatively regulate EGF-mediated signal transduction in the human glioma cell line SNB19. We demonstrate this by showing that, in SNB19 cells, which lack the ability to proliferate in response to EGF but retain the ability to bind EGF and also activate the EGF receptor as well as allow for the association of SH-PTP2 with the phosphorylated receptor, stable overexpression of an interfering SH-PTP2 mutant can restore the ability of these cells to proliferate in response to EGF.

Identification of a putative Syp substrate, the PDGF beta receptor

Because the protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) Syp associates with the tyrosine-phosphorylated platelet-derived growth factor beta receptor (beta PDGFR), the beta PDGFR is a likely Syp substrate. We tested this hypothesis by determining whether recombinant Syp (rSyp) and a control PTP, recombinant PTP1B (rPTP1B), were able to dephosphorylate the beta PDGFR. The beta PDGFR was phosphorylated at multiple tyrosine residues in an in vitro kinase assay and then incubated with increasing concentrations of rSyp or rPTP1B. While the receptor was nearly completely dephosphorylated by high concentrations of rPTP1B, receptor dephosphorylation by rSyp plateaued at approximately 50%. Two-dimensional phosphopeptide maps of the beta PDGFR demonstrated that rSyp displayed a clear preference for certain receptor phosphorylation sites; the most efficiently dephosphorylated sites were phosphotyrosines (Tyr(P)-771 and -751, followed by Tyr(P)740, while Tyr(P)-1021 and Tyr(P)-1009 were very poor substrates. In contrast, rPTP1B displayed no selectivity for the various rPTP1B displayed no selectivity for the various beta PDGFR tyrosine phosphorylation sites and dephosphorylated all of them with comparable efficiency. A Syp construct that lacked the SH2 domains was still able to discriminate between the various receptor phosphorylation sites, although less effectively than full-length Syp. These in vitro studies predicted that Syp can dephosphorylate the receptor in vivo. Indeed, we found that a beta PDGFR mutant (F1009) that associates poorly with Syp, had a much slower in vivo rate of receptor dephosphorylation than the wild type receptor. In addition, the GTPase-activating protein of Ras (GAP) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase were less stably associated with the wild type beta PDGFR than with the F1009 receptor. These findings are consistent with the in vitro experiments showign that Syp prefers to dephosphorylate sites on the beta PDGFR, that are important for binding phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (Tyr(P)-740 and Tyr(P)-751) and GAP (Tyr(P)-771). These studies reveal that Syp is a substrate-selective PTP and that both the catalytic domain and the SH2 domains contribute to Syp's ability to choose substrates. Furthermore, it appears that Syp plays a role in PDGF-dependent intracellular signal relay by selectively dephosphorylating the beta PDGFR and thereby regulating the binding of a distinct group of receptor-associated signal relay enzymes.

Aggregation of IgE receptors in rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 cells induces tyrosine phosphorylation of the cytosolic protein-tyrosine phosphatase HePTP

The cDNA encoding the rat equivalent of the human hematopoietic tyrosine phosphatase, also known as leukocyte phosphatase, was isolated from a rat basophilic leukemia mast cell cDNA library. By two-dimensional electrophoresis, the protein expressed in the mast cells was of a size (40 kDa) and pI (6.9) predicted from the deduced amino acid sequence. Thus, although previously shown to be preferentially expressed in T cells and B cells, the phosphatase is also found in mast cells. By immunofluorescence microscopy, rat hematopoietic tyrosine phosphatase localized to discrete, globular compartments within the cytoplasm and was not found either in the nucleus or associated with the cell surface membrane. Aggregation of high affinity IgE receptors in the mast cells induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the phosphatase. The tyrosine phosphorylation was mimicked by stimulation with calcium ionophore A23187 but not by direct activation of protein kinase C. Since phosphorylation of the phosphatase was dramatically reduced when the cells were activated in Ca(2+)-free media, it is dependent on a rise in intracellular Ca2+. These data strongly suggest that hematopoietic tyrosine phosphatase may be involved in the IgE receptor-mediated signaling cascade.

Association of SH2 domain protein tyrosine phosphatases with the epidermal growth factor receptor in human tumor cells. Phosphatidic acid activates receptor dephosphorylation by PTP1C

The SH2 domain protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) PTP1C and PTP1D were found associated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor which was purified from A431 cell membranes by several steps of chromatography. Both PTPases also associated with the EGF receptor upon exposure of immunoprecipitated receptor to lysates of MCF7 mammary carcinoma cells. The associated PTPases had little activity toward the bound receptor when it was autophosphorylated in vitro. Receptor dephosphorylation could, however, be initiated by treatment of the receptor-PTPase complex with phosphatidic acid (PA). When autophosphorylated EGF receptor was exposed to lysates of PTP1C or PTP1D overexpressing 293 cells, the association of PTP1C but not of PTP1D was enhanced in the presence of PA. In intact A431 cells, an association of PTP1C and PTP1D with the EGF receptor was detectable by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. PA treatment reduced the phosphorylation state of ligand activated EGF receptors in A431 cells and in 293 cells overexpressing EGF receptors together with PTP1C but not in 293 cells overexpressing EGF receptors alone or together with PTP1D. We conclude that PTP1C but not PTP1D participates in dephosphorylation of activated EGF receptors. A possible role of PA for physiological modulation of EGF receptor signaling is discussed.

Tyrosine phosphorylation and synapse formation at the neuromuscular junction

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation is prevalent throughout the nervous system. It has been implicated to play an important role in the development and maintenance of neuronal functions. In the past few years significant advances have been made in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of synapse formation and synaptic plasticity. Protein tyrosine phosphorylation appears to be important in the neuron-induced synthesis of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and aggregation of synaptic proteins at the neuromuscular junction during development. In addition, protein tyrosine phosphorylation may regulate the ion channel activity of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

Expression of PTPH1, a rat protein tyrosine phosphatase, is restricted to the derivatives of a specific diencephalic segment

Studies to date have identified only a few proteins that are expressed in a segment-specific manner within the mammalian brain. Here we report that a nonreceptor protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTPH1, is selectively expressed in the adult thalamus. Expression of PTPH1 mRNA is detected in most, but not all, thalamic nuclei. Nuclei that are derived embryonically from the dorsal thalamus and project to the neocortex express this gene, whereas those derived from the ventral thalamus do not. PTPH1 mRNA expression is also restricted to the dorsal thalamus during development and, thus, can serve as a specific marker for the dorsal thalamic nuclei. Since the subcellular localization of PTPH1 protein is not known, its functional role is not clear. However, the restriction of its expression to the thalamic nuclei that have thalamocortical connections suggests that PTPH1 may play a role in the maintenance of these connections or in determining the physiological properties of thalamic relay nuclei.

Localization of the insulin-like growth factor I receptor binding sites for the SH2 domain proteins p85, Syp, and GTPase activating protein

Potential signaling substrates for the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor are SH2 domain proteins including the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, the tyrosine phosphatase Syp, GTPase activating protein (GAP), and phospholipase C-gamma (PLC-gamma). In this study, we demonstrate an association between the IGF-I receptor and p85, Syp, and GAP, but not with PLC-gamma in lysates of cells overexpressing the human IGF-I receptor. We further investigated these interactions using glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins containing the amino-terminal SH2 domains of p85 or GAP, or both SH2 domains of Syp or PLC-gamma to precipitate the IGF-I receptor from purified receptor preparations and from whole cell lysates. p85-, Syp-, and GAP-GSTs precipitated the IGF-I receptor, whereas the PLC-gamma-GST did not. Using phosphopeptides corresponding to IGF-I receptor phosphorylation sites, we determined that the p85- and Syp-GST association with the IGF-I receptor could be inhibited by a carboxyl-terminal peptide containing pY1316 and that the GAP-GST association could be inhibited by a NPXY domain peptide. The GAP-GST binding site was confirmed by showing that a mutant IGF-I receptor with a deletion of the NPXY domain including tyrosine 950 was poorly precipitated by the GAP-GST. We conclude that p85 and Syp may bind directly to the IGF-I receptor at tyrosine 1316, and that GAP may bind to the IGF-I receptor at and PLC-gamma was not evident. p85, Syp, and GAP are potential modulators of IGF-I receptor signal transduction.

The chemotactic response to PDGF-BB: evidence of a role for Ras

The PDGF receptor-beta mediates both mitogenic and chemotactic responses to PDGF-BB. Although the role of Ras in tyrosine kinase-mediated mitogenesis has been characterized extensively, its role in PDGF-stimulated chemotaxis has not been defined. Using cells expressing a dominant-negative ras, we find that Ras inhibition suppresses migration toward PDGF-BB. Overexpression of either Ras-GTPase activating protein (Ras-GAP) or a Ras guanine releasing factor (GRF) also inhibited PDGF-stimulated chemotaxis. In addition, cells producing excess constitutively active Ras failed to migrate toward PDGF-BB, consistent with the observation that either excess ligand or excess signaling intermediate can suppress the chemotactic response. These results suggest that Ras can function in normal cells to support chemotaxis toward PDGF-BB and that either too little or too much Ras activity can abrogate the chemotactic response. In contrast to Ras overexpression, cells producing excess constitutively active Raf, a downstream effector of Ras, did migrate toward PDGF-BB. Cells expressing dominant-negative Ras were able to migrate toward soluble fibronectin demonstrating that these cells retained the ability to migrate. These results suggest that Ras is an intermediate in PDGF-stimulated chemotaxis but may not be required for fibronectin-stimulated cell motility.

Analysis of gene expression in a complex differentiation hierarchy by global amplification of cDNA from single cells

BACKGROUND

Many differentiating tissues contain progenitor cells that differ in their commitment states but cannot be readily distinguished or segregated. Molecular analysis is therefore restricted to mixed populations or cell lines which may also be heterogeneous, and the critical differences in gene expression that might determine divergent development are obscured. In this study, we combined global amplification of mRNA transcripts in single cells with identification of the developmental potential of processed cells on the basis of the fates of their sibling cells from clonal starts.

RESULTS

We analyzed clones of from four to eight hemopoietic precursor cells which had a variety of differentiative potentials; sibling cells generally each formed clones of identical composition in secondary culture. Globally amplified cDNA was prepared from individual precursors whose developmental potential was identified by tracking sibling fates. Further cDNA samples were prepared from terminally maturing, homogeneous hemopoietic cell populations. Together, the samples represented 16 positions in the hemopoietic developmental hierarchy. Expression patterns in the sample set were determined for 29 genes known to be involved in hemopoietic cell growth, differentiation or function. The cDNAs from a bipotent erythroid/megakaryocyte precursor and a bipotent neutrophil/macrophage precursor were subtractively hybridized, yielding numerous differentially expressed cDNA clones. Hybridization of such clones to the entire precursor sample set identified transcripts with consistent patterns of differential expression in the precursor hierarchy.

CONCLUSIONS

Tracking of sibling fates reliably identifies the differentiative potential of a single cell taken for PCR analysis, and demonstrates the existence of a variety of distinct and stable states of differentiative commitment. Global amplification of cDNA from single precursor cells, identified by sibling fates, yields a true representation of lineage- and stage-specific gene expression, as confirmed by hybridization to a broad panel of probes. The results provide the first expression mapping of these genes that distinguishes between progenitors in different commitment states, generate new insights and predictions relevant to mechanism, and introduce a powerful set of tools for unravelling the genetic basis of lineage divergence.

SH2 domain structure and function

An emerging theme in both the biology of signal transduction and the biochemistry of proteins has been the modular function of small protein domains. In some cases these can directly regulate catalytic activity. In others, they serve to interconnect important regulatory proteins. SH2 (src homology 2) domains represent some of the best studied models. Originally identified on the basis of homology in src and fps [1], SH2s are elements that ordinarily respond to tyrosine phosphorylation by binding the phosphorylated sequence. As such, they are key elements in tyrosine kinase regulation of cellular processes. Because SH2 interactions result from phosphorylation, such elements provide a regulatable circuitry along which signals can be transmitted in a timely manner. Because the regulation is based on a common mechanism, signal generators can target several different proteins coordinately. The PDGF receptor (PDGFr), for example, may interact with as many as ten different elements [2,3]. There are a number of excellent reviews on SH2 domains available [4-11]. This discussion will try to show how genetic, biochemical and biophysical results can be integrated in a satisfying way.

Identification of the major SHPTP2-binding protein that is tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to insulin

Immunoprecipitation of the cytosolic Src homology 2 domain-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatase, SHPTP2, from insulin-stimulated 3T3L1 adipocytes or Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the human insulin receptor resulted in the coimmunoprecipitation of a diffuse tyrosine-phosphorylated band in the 115-kDa protein region on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Although platelet-derived growth factor induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor and SHPTP2, there was no significant increase in the coimmunoprecipitation of tyrosine-phosphorylated pp115 with SHPTP2. SHPTP2 was also associated with tyrosine-phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate-1, but this only accounted for < 2% of the total immunoreactive SHPTP2 protein. Similarly, only a small fraction of the total amount of tyrosine-phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate-1 (< 4%) was associated with SHPTP2. Expression and immunoprecipitation of a Myc epitope-tagged wild-type SHPTP2 (Myc-WT-SHPTP2) and a catalytically inactive point mutant of SHPTP2 (Myc-C/S-SHPTP2) also demonstrated an insulin-dependent association of SHPTP2 with tyrosine-phosphorylated pp115. Furthermore, expression of the catalytically inactive SHPTP2 mutant resulted in a marked enhancement in the amount of coimmunoprecipitated tyrosine-phosphorylated pp115 compared with the expression of wild-type SHPTP2. These data indicate that the insulin-stimulated tyrosine-phosphorylated 115-kDa protein is the predominant in vivo SHPTP2-binding protein and that pp115 may function as a physiological substrate for the SHPTP2 protein-tyrosine phosphatase.

Structural requirements of the epidermal growth factor receptor for tyrosine phosphorylation of eps8 and eps15, substrates lacking Src SH2 homology domains

Phosphorylation of two newly identified epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor substrates, eps8 and eps15, which do not possess Src homology (SH2) domains, was investigated using EGF receptor mutants of the autophosphorylation sites and deletion mutants of the carboxyl-terminal region. Two mutants, F5, in which all five tyrosine autophosphorylation sites substituted by phenylalanine, and Dc 123F, in which four tyrosines were removed by deletion and the fifth (Tyr-992) was mutated into phenylalanine, phosphorylated eps8 and eps15 as efficiently as the wild-type receptor. In contrast, SH2-containing substrates, phospholipase C gamma, the GTPase-activating protein of Ras, the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase, and the Src and collagen homology protein, are not phosphorylated by the F5 and Dc 123F mutants. A longer EGF receptor deletion mutant, Dc 214, lacking all five autophosphorylation sites, was unable to phosphorylate eps15 but phosphorylated eps8 13-fold more than the wild-type receptor. To determine the EGF receptor region important for phosphorylation of eps8 and eps15, progressive deletion mutants lacking the final 123, 165, 196, and 214 COOH-terminal residues were used. eps8 phosphorylation was progressively increased in Dc 165, Dc 196, and Dc 214 EGF receptor mutants, indicating that removal of the final 214 COOH-terminal residues increases the phosphorylation of this substrate by the EGF receptor. In contrast, eps15 was phosphorylated by Dc 123 and Dc 165 EGF receptor mutants but not by Dc 196 and Dc 214 mutants. This indicates that a region of 30 residues located between Dc 165 and Dc 196 is essential for eps15 phosphorylation. This is the first demonstration of structural requirements in the EGF receptor COOH terminus for efficient phosphorylation of non-SH2-containing substrates. In addition, enhanced eps8 phosphorylation correlates well with the increased transforming potential of EGF receptor deletion mutants Dc 196 and Dc 214, suggesting that this substrate may be involved in mitogenic signaling.

Epidermal growth factor-induced association of the SHPTP2 protein tyrosine phosphatase with a 115-kDa phosphotyrosine protein

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation of HepG2 and NIH 3T3 cells expressing high levels of the human EGF receptor (3T3/ER) resulted in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a 115-kDa protein that was co-immunoprecipitated with the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase, SHPTP2. In contrast, activation of the EGF receptor resulted in a relatively low level (< 1%) of the total SHPTP2 pool associated with the tyrosine-autophosphorylated EGF receptor itself. Similarly, quantitative immunoprecipitations also demonstrated that only trace amounts of the total EGF receptor pool were associated with SHPTP2. Further, activation of the EGF receptor did not result in any significant tyrosine phosphorylation of SHPTP2 and/or the association of the 115-kDa protein with Grb2. In comparison, activation of Jurkat cells with a T cell receptor agonist monoclonal antibody resulted in the co-immunoprecipitation of a 120-kDa tyrosine-phosphorylated protein with Grb2 and a 105-kDa protein with SHPTP2. Thus, these data have identified the 115- and 105-kDa proteins as the predominant SHPTP2-associated phosphotyrosine proteins in EGF- and T cell receptor-activated cells, respectively.

Different signaling roles of SHPTP2 in insulin-induced GLUT1 expression and GLUT4 translocation

Insulin activates hexose transport via at least two mechanisms: a p21ras-dependent pathway, leading to an increase in the amount of cell surface GLUT1; and a metabolic, p21ras-independent pathway, leading to translocation of the insulin-responsive transporter GLUT4 to the cell surface. Following insulin stimulation, SHPTP2, a non-transmembrane protein-tyrosine phosphatase, associates with insulin receptor substrate 1 via its Src homology 2 (SH2) domains. Microinjection of a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein encoding the N- and C-terminal SH2 domains of SHPTP2 (GST-NC-SH2) or anti-SHPTP2 antibodies into NIH-3T3 fibroblasts overexpressing the insulin receptor blocks insulin-induced DNA synthesis. Microinjection of either GST-NC-SH2 or anti-SHPTP2 antibodies into 3T3-L1 adipocytes inhibited the insulin-stimulated increase in expression of GLUT1. In contrast, translocation of GLUT4 to the cell surface was unaffected by either GST-NC-SH2 or anti-SHPTP2 antibodies. These data confirm a role for SHPTP2 in insulin-stimulated mitogenesis and indicate that whereas SHPTP2 is necessary for insulin-stimulated expression of GLUT1, it is not required for activation of the metabolic pathway leading to GLUT4 translocation.

Phosphotyrosine-dependent association between CD22 and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1C

CD22 is a B lymphocyte-specific cell surface glycoprotein that becomes tyrosine phosphorylated upon B cell activation. To determine if tyrosine phosphorylated CD22 couples signaling through membrane immunoglobulin (mIg) to down-stream elements, we looked for molecules coprecipitating with CD22 after anti-Ig stimulation. We found that a 60-kDa molecule was stably associated with CD22 following cross-linking of mIg and have identified this molecule as protein tyrosine phosphatase 1C (PTP1C). The association between PTP1C and CD22 is dependent upon tyrosine phosphorylation of CD22, but does not appear to require tyrosine phosphorylation of PTP1C.

Identification of the tyrosine phosphatase PTP1C as a B cell antigen receptor-associated protein involved in the regulation of B cell signaling

Recent data implicating loss of PTP1C tyrosine phosphatase activity in the genesis of the multiple hemopoietic cell defects found in systemic autoimmune/immunodeficient motheaten (me) and viable motheaten (mev) mice suggest that PTP1C plays an important role in modulating intracellular signaling events regulating cell activation and differentiation. To begin elucidating the role for this cytosolic phosphatase in lymphoid cell signal transduction, we have examined early signaling events and mitogenic responses induced by B cell antigen receptor (BCR) ligation in me and mev splenic B cells and in CD5+ CH12 lymphoma cells, which represent the lymphoid population amplified in motheaten mice. Despite their lack of functional PTP1C, me and mev B cells proliferated normally in response to LPS. However, compared with wild-type B cells, cells from the mutant mice were hyperresponsive to normally submitogenic concentrations of F(ab')2 anti-Ig antibody, and they exhibited reduced susceptibility to the inhibitory effects of Fc gamma IIRB cross-linking on BCR-induced proliferation. Additional studies of unstimulated CH12 and wild-type splenic B cells revealed the constitutive association of PTP1C with the resting BCR complex, as evidenced by coprecipitation of PTP1C protein and phosphatase activity with BCR components and the depletion of BCR-associated tyrosine phosphatase activity by anti-PTP1C antibodies. These results suggest a role for PTP1C in regulating the tyrosine phosphorylation state of the resting BCR complex components, a hypothesis supported by the observation that PTP1C specifically induces dephosphorylation of a 35-kD BCR-associated protein likely representing Ig-alpha. In contrast, whereas membrane Ig cross-linking was associated with an increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of PTP1C and an approximately 140-kD coprecipitated protein, PTP1C was no longer detected in the BCR complex after receptor engagement, suggesting that PTP1C dissociates from the activated receptor complex. Together these results suggest a critical role for PTP1C in modulating BCR signaling capacity, and they indicate that the PTP1C influence on B cell signaling is likely to be realized in both resting and activated cells.

Differential regulation of protein-tyrosine phosphatases by integrin alpha IIb beta 3 through cytoskeletal reorganization and tyrosine phosphorylation in human platelets

The major platelet integrin alpha IIb beta 3 (glycoprotein IIb-IIIa) has been implicated in the regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation in activated platelets. To investigate the mechanisms of the alpha IIb beta 3-dependent tyrosine dephosphorylation, normal platelets or thrombasthenic platelets lacking alpha IIb beta 3 were stimulated with thrombin and fractionated into Triton X-100-soluble or -insoluble subcellular matrices. We then examined the kinetics of the tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins and distribution of protein-tyrosine phosphatases in these fractions and whole cell lysates. First, alpha IIb beta 3-dependent tyrosine dephosphorylation was recovered mainly in the cytoskeleton with similar kinetics to the whole cell lysate. Second, protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) 1B and its cleaved 42-kDa form were associated with the cytoskeleton in an aggregation-dependent manner, whereas association of PTP1C with the cytoskeleton was regulated differentially both by thrombin stimulation and by alpha IIb beta 3-mediated aggregation. Several calpain inhibitors did not affect either tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation or relocation of PTP1B, but they did inhibit cleavage of PTP1B. Cytochalasin D blocked relocation of both PTP1B and PTP1C but not PTP1B cleavage. SH-PTP2 was distributed in the other fractions than the cytoskeleton and showed no relocation on thrombin stimulation. Finally, the cytoskeleton-associated PTP1C became tyrosine-phosphorylated in an alpha IIb beta 3-mediated aggregation-dependent manner. Thus, integrin alpha IIb beta 3 was involved differentially in the regulation of PTP1B and PTP1C.

Altered expression of protein-tyrosine phosphatase 2C in 293 cells affects protein tyrosine phosphorylation and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation

PTP2C, an SH2 domain-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatase, is recruited to the growth factor receptors upon stimulation of cells. To investigate its role in growth factor signaling, we have overexpressed by approximately 6-fold the native PTP2C and a catalytically inactive mutant of the enzyme in 293 human embryonic kidney cells. The native PTP2C was located entirely in the cytosol, while the inactive mutant was nearly equally distributed in cytsolic and membrane fractions. Expression of the latter caused hyperphosphorylation on tyrosine of a 43-kDa protein, which was coimmunoprecipitated and co-partitioned in the plasma membrane fraction with the inactive PTP2C mutant. This protein may represent a physiological substrate of PTP2C. Overexpression of the native PTP2C enhanced epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity by 30%, whereas expression of the inactive mutant reduced the stimulated activity by 50%. Similar effects were observed for the activation of MAP kinase as determined by activity assay, gel mobility shift, and tyrosine phosphorylation. The data suggest that the phosphatase activity of PTP2C is partly required for MAP kinase activation by EGF and that PTP2C may function by dephosphorylating the 43-kDa membrane protein.

The receptor-like protein-tyrosine phosphatase, RPTP alpha, is phosphorylated by protein kinase C on two serines close to the inner face of the plasma membrane

To determine whether the receptor-like protein-tyrosine phosphatase, RPTP alpha, which is widely expressed in both the developing and adult mouse, is regulated by phosphorylation, we raised antiserum against a C-terminal peptide. This antiserum precipitated a 140-kDa protein from metabolically 35S-labeled NIH3T3 cells. Using this antiserum, we showed that endogenous RPTP alpha is constitutively phosphorylated in NIH3T3 cells, predominantly on two serines, which we identified as Ser-180 and Ser-204, lying in the juxtamembrane domain. 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) stimulation of quiescent NIH3T3 cells rapidly increased phosphorylation of Ser-180 and Ser-204. Purified protein kinase C (PKC) phosphorylated bacterially expressed RPTP alpha at Ser-180 and Ser-204. When wild type and S180A/S204A double mutant RPTP alpha S were transiently expressed in 293 human embryonic kidney cells, TPA stimulated phosphorylation of wild type but not of double mutant RPTP alpha. PKC down-regulation following prolonged exposure to TPA diminished TPA-stimulated RPTP alpha phosphorylation. Taken together, these results indicate that RPTP alpha is a direct substrate for (PKC). Examination of 293 cells expressing exogenous RPTP alpha using immunofluorescence confocal microscopy showed that RPTP alpha exists predominantly in two subcellular compartments: in dense intracellular granules or dispersed within the plasma membrane. TPA treatment caused redistribution of some intracellular RPTP alpha to the cell surface, but this did not require direct phosphorylation of RPTP alpha at Ser-180/Ser-204. Our results suggest that activation of PKC by cytokines modulates RPTP alpha function in several different ways.

The phosphotyrosine phosphatase PTP1D, but not PTP1C, is an essential mediator of fibroblast proliferation induced by tyrosine kinase and G protein-coupled receptors

PTP1C and PTP1D are non-transmembrane protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), which contain two src homology-2 domains. These enzymes are believed to play a role in regulating downstream signaling from receptors with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. The present study describes the tyrosine phosphorylation and the catalytic activity of both PTPs in CCL39 cells, a Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line, upon addition of a variety of growth factors. We demonstrate that PTP1C activity was significantly stimulated by insulin and the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate but was not influenced by serum, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), or alpha-thrombin. However, tyrosine phosphorylation of PTP1C was increased in response to insulin, PDGF, and alpha-thrombin. PTP1D activity was slightly stimulated by insulin and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate but was significantly inhibited by serum, PDGF, and alpha-thrombin, although tyrosine phosphorylation is increased in response to these agonists. Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylated PTP1C and PTP1D in in vitro kinase assays, suggesting that both PTPs are target proteins for mitogen-activated protein kinase. We also show that overexpression of PTP1C or PTP1D had no effect on DNA synthesis stimulated by different growth factors. However, a mutated inactive form of PTP1D strongly inhibited the stimulatory effects of both PDGF and alpha-thrombin on early gene transcription and DNA synthesis. These results demonstrate for the first time that PTP1C and PTP1D may participate in signal transduction but in different manners and that only PTP1D is a positive mediator of mitogenic signals induced by both tyrosine kinase receptors and G protein-coupled receptors in fibroblasts.

Calcium-inducible transmodulation of receptor tyrosine kinase activity

Calcium is a potent mitogen and transmodulator of growth factor receptor activity, but does not activate tyrosine kinases in ligand-deprived cells (Epstein et al. 1992) Cell Growth Different. 3, 157-164). In this study the mitogenic and transcriptional effects of increased extracellular calcium and ionophore are shown to be identical in 3T3 cells, consistent with mediation of these effects via increased intracellular calcium availability. Near-maximal mitogenic and transcriptional effects are seen after brief exposure to increased extracellular calcium or ionophore, while additive effects occur with co-administration of calcium and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Exposure of PDGF-primed cells to calcium or ionophore is associated with a substantial enhancement of receptor tyrosine autophosphorylation which is abrogated by calcium channel blockade or intracellular calcium chelation. In contrast, pretreatment of quiescent cells with calcium or ionophore significantly diminishes subsequent PDGF-inducible receptor autophosphorylation. Intracellular calcium thus appears to potentiate the kinase activity of ligand-stimulated PDGF receptors while inhibiting ligand-inducible activation of unstimulated receptors. These findings suggest a model of receptor tyrosine kinase regulation involving calcium-dependent positive and negative feedback loops which vary with the activation state of the receptor.

Compartmentalization of autocrine signal transduction pathways in Sis-transformed NIH 3T3 cells

The transforming protein of simian sarcoma virus is homologous to the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) B-chain. Fibroblasts transformed with simian sarcoma virus constitutively produce a growth factor that stimulates the endogenous tyrosine kinase of PDGF receptors in an autocrine manner. Autophosphorylation of PDGF receptors upon ligand stimulation provides binding sites for Src homology 2 domains of intracellular signaling molecules, which thereby become activated. We have characterized the PDGF receptor-mediated signal transduction in NIH 3T3 cells transformed with a PDGF B-chain cDNA (Sis 3T3 cells) in the absence and presence of suramin, a polyanionic compound that quenches PDGF-induced mitogenicity and reverts the transformed phenotype of the Sis 3T3 cells. Our data show that in the presence of suramin the general level of tyrosine phosphorylation was decreased. Nevertheless, autophosphorylated receptors complexed with substrates persisted in the cells. Suramin had no effect on activation of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase or on tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma and GTPase-activating protein of Ras. On the other hand, kinase activation of Src and Raf-1, phosphorylation of protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1D/Syp and Shc, and complex formation with Grb2 were greatly diminished by suramin. A possible explanation for our findings is that different PDGF receptor-coupled signaling pathways are active in different structural or functional compartments in the cell. Those pathways that are not affected by suramin might elicit distinct cellular responses, which are not sufficient for growth and transformation.

A conserved amino-terminal Shc domain binds to phosphotyrosine motifs in activated receptors and phosphopeptides

BACKGROUND

Signal transduction by growth factor receptor protein-tyrosine kinases is generally initiated by autophosphorylation on tyrosine residues following ligand binding. Phosphotyrosines within activated receptors form binding sites for the Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of cytoplasmic signalling proteins. One such protein, Shc, is tyrosine phosphorylated in response to a large number of growth factors and cytokines. Phosphorylation of Shc on tyrosine residue Y317 allows binding to the SH2 domain of Grb2, and hence stimulation of the Ras pathway. Shc is therefore implicated as an adaptor protein able to couple normal and oncogenic protein-tyrosine kinases to Ras activation. Shc itself contains an SH2 domain at its carboxyl terminus, but the function of the amino-terminal half of the protein is unknown.

RESULTS

We have found that the Shc amino-terminal region binds to a number of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in v-src-transformed cells. This domain also bound directly to the activated epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. A phosphotyrosine (pY)-containing peptide modeled after the Shc-binding site in polyoma middle T antigen (LLSNPTpYSVMRSK) was able to compete efficiently with the activated EGF receptor for binding to the Shc amino terminus. This competition was dependent on phosphorylation of the tyrosine residue within the peptide, and was abrogated by deletion of the leucine residue at position -5. The Shc amino-terminal domain also bound to the autophosphorylated nerve growth factor receptor (Trk), but bound significantly less well to a mutant receptor in which tyrosine Y490 in the receptor's Shc-binding site had been substituted by phenylalanine.

CONCLUSION

These data implicate the amino-terminal region of Shc in binding to activated receptors and other tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins. Binding appears to be specific for phosphorylated tyrosine residues within the sequence NPXpY, which is conserved in many Shc-binding sites. The Shc amino-terminal region bears only very limited sequence identify to known SH2 domains, suggesting that it represents a new class of phosphotyrosine-binding modules. Consistent with this view, the amino-terminal Shc domain is highly conserved in a Drosophila Shc homologue. Binding of Shc to activated receptors through its amino terminus could leave the carboxy-terminal SH2 domain free for other interactions. In this way, Shc may function as an adaptor protein to bring two tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins together.

Mutation of juxtamembrane tyrosine residue 1001 suppresses loss-of-function mutations of the met receptor in epithelial cells

Signals transduced by the met tyrosine kinase, which is the receptor for scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor, are of major importance for the regulation of epithelial cell motility, morphogenesis, and proliferation. We report here that different sets of tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic domain of the met receptor affect signal transduction in epithelial cells in a positive or negative fashion: mutation of the C-terminal tyrosine residues 13-16 (Y1311, Y1347, Y1354, and Y1363) reduced or abolished ligand-induced cell motility and branching morphogenesis. In contrast, mutation of the juxtamembrane tyrosine residue 2 (Y1001) produced constitutively mobile, fibroblastoid cells. Furthermore, the gain-of-function mutation of tyrosine residue 2 suppressed the loss-of-function mutations of tyrosine residue 15 or 16. The opposite roles of the juxtamembrane and C-terminal tyrosine residues may explain the suggested dual function of the met receptor in both epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and tumor progression.

The rabbit mammary gland prolactin receptor is tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to prolactin in vivo and in vitro

We report the first in vivo study demonstrating tyrosine phosphorylation of mammary gland proteins including the prolactin receptor, in response to the injection of prolactin. Immunoblotting of mammary gland membrane extracts revealed that subunits of 200, 130, 115, 100, 90, 70, and 45 kDa display increased tyrosine phosphorylation within 5 min of prolactin administration. The 100-kDa component was identified as the full-length prolactin receptor by a variety of means including immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting with monoclonal (U5, 917, 110, and 82) and polyclonal (46) antibodies to the prolactin receptor. Maximal receptor phosphorylation was seen within 1 min of hormone injection, and to obtain a strong response it was necessary to deprive rabbits of their endogenous prolactin for 36 h. Rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of the full-length receptor was verified by its demonstration in Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with rabbit prolactin receptor cDNA. Both in vivo and in vitro, the phosphorylation signal was transient, being markedly reduced within 10 min of exposure to prolactin. Tyrosine-phosphorylated receptor was shown to be associated with JAK 2 by immunoblotting of receptor immunoprecipitated from transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells with polyclonal 46. A 48-kDa ATP-binding protein was also shown to be associated with the mammary gland receptor by U5 or polyclonal 46 immunoprecipitation of receptor complexes following covalent labeling with [alpha-32P]azido-ATP. Our demonstration of prolactin receptor tyrosine phosphorylation raises the possibility of signaling pathways regulated by receptor/SH2 protein interaction, which would facilitate prolactin specific responses. The fact that a period of hormone deprivation is needed for significant hormone triggered receptor phosphorylation indicates that the mammary gland receptor exists in a largely desensitized state in vivo, analogous to the related growth hormone receptor.

Involvement of SH2-containing phosphotyrosine phosphatase Syp in erythropoietin receptor signal transduction pathways

Erythropoietin (Epo) regulates the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid precursors. The phosphorylation of proteins at tyrosine residues is critical in the growth signaling induced by Epo. This mechanism is regulated by the activities of both protein-tyrosine kinases and protein tyrosine phosphatases. The discovery of phosphotyrosine phosphatases that contain SH2 domains suggests roles for these molecules in growth factor signaling pathways. We found that Syp, a phosphotyrosine phosphatase, widely expressed in all tissues in mammals became phosphorylated on tyrosine after stimulation with Epo in M07ER cells engineered to express high levels of human EpoR. Syp was complexed with Grb2 in Epo-stimulated M07ER cells. Direct binding between Syp and Grb2 was also observed in vitro. Furthermore, Syp appeared to bind directly to tyrosine-phosphorylated EpoR in M07ER cells. Both NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal SH2 domains of Syp, made as glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins, were able to bind to the tyrosine-phosphorylated EpoR in vitro. These results suggest that Syp may be an important signaling component downstream of the EpoR and may regulate the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells.

Association of p120, a tyrosine kinase substrate, with E-cadherin/catenin complexes

p120 was originally identified as a substrate of pp60src and several receptor tyrosine kinases, but its function is not known. Recent studies revealed that this protein shows homology to a group of proteins, beta-catenin/Armadillo and plakoglobin (gamma-catenin), which are associated with the cell adhesion molecules cadherins. In this study, we examined whether p120 is associated with E-cadherin using the human carcinoma cell line HT29, as well as other cell lines, which express both of these proteins. When proteins that copurified with E-cadherin were analyzed, not only alpha-catenin, beta-catenin, and plakoglobin but also p120 were detected. Conversely, immunoprecipitates of p120 contained E-cadherin and all the catenins, although a large subpopulation of p120 was not associated with E-cadherin. Analysis of these immunoprecipitates suggests that 20% or less of the extractable E-cadherin is associated with p120. When p120 immunoprecipitation was performed with cell lysates depleted of E-cadherin, beta-catenin was no longer coprecipitated, and the amount of plakoglobin copurified was greatly reduced. This finding suggests that there are various forms of p120 complexes, including p120/E-cadherin/beta-catenin and p120/E-cadherin/plakoglobin complexes; this association profile contrasts with the mutually exclusive association of beta-catenin and plakoglobin with cadherins. When the COOH-terminal catenin binding site was truncated from E-cadherin, not only beta-catenin but also p120 did not coprecipitate with this mutated E-cadherin. Immunocytological studies showed that p120 colocalized with E-cadherin at cell-cell contact sites, even after non-ionic detergent extraction. Treatment of cells with hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor altered the level of tyrosine phosphorylation of p120 as well as of beta-catenin and plakoglobin. These results suggest that p120 associates with E-cadherin at its COOH-terminal region, but the mechanism for this association differs from that for the association of beta-catenin and plakoglobin with E-cadherin, and thus, that p120, whose function could be modulated by growth factors, may play a unique role in regulation of the cadherin-catenin adhesion system.

Cell density-dependent regulation of PLC gamma 1 tyrosine phosphorylation and catalytic activity in an intestinal cell line (IEC-6)

Administration of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to rats has been shown to induce both mitogenic and nonmitogenic responses in the intestine. The mechanisms to describe a multiplicity of hormonal responses within a single tissue are unclear but likely involve selectivity among receptor substrates. A nontransformed rat jejunal crypt intestinal epithelial cell line (IEC-6) was studied to determine if the regulation of receptor tyrosine kinase substrates is affected by cell population physiology. EGF stimulated a rapid increase in inositol trisphosphate in confluent but not subconfluent cells. Similarly, treatment of confluent IEC-6 cells with EGF provoked a significant increase in the hydrolysis of PtdIns 4,5-P2 by immunoisolated PLC gamma 1. The tyrosine phosphorylation state of PLC gamma 1 and the association of PLC gamma 1 with the EGF receptor were increased by EGF in confluent cells only. In contrast, the autophosphorylation state of the EGF receptor and the tyrosine phosphorylation state of another SH2-containing EGF receptor substrate SHC were increased by EGF regardless of cell density. Western blot analysis revealed equal protein expression of PLC gamma 1 in confluent and subconfluent cells. EGF receptor protein expression and ligand binding capacity were slightly increased in confluent compared to subconfluent cells. EGF regulation of PLC gamma 1, therefore, is regulated by physiological factors dependent on cell density in IEC-6 cells.

Construction of an SH2 domain-binding site with mixed specificity

SH2 domains bind to specific phosphotyrosine-containing sites in a fashion dictated by the amino acids flanking the phosphotyrosine. Attention has focused on the role of the three COOH-terminal positions (+1 to +3) in generating specificity. Autophosphorylation of Tyr1021 in the tail of the beta-receptor for platelet-derived growth factor creates a specific binding site for the COOH-terminal SH2 domain of phospholipase C (PLC)-gamma 1. We show that the residues 4 and 5 amino acids COOH-terminal to Tyr1021 (+4 Leu and +5 Pro) are required for efficient PLC-gamma 1 binding, and that their replacement with the corresponding residues from a phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase binding site abrogates stable association with PLC-gamma 1. In contrast, replacement of the +3 Pro with Met produces a Tyr1021 site with mixed specificity that binds both PLC-gamma 1 and phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase. This motif is rendered specific for phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase by further substitution of the +4 Leu. These results indicate that the +4 and +5 residues are important for the selective binding of specific SH2 domains. This study suggests that phosphotyrosine sites can be tailored to bind one or more SH2 domains with high affinity, depending on the combination of residues in the +1 to +5 positions.

Potent stimulation of SH-PTP2 phosphatase activity by simultaneous occupancy of both SH2 domains

Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are phosphotyrosine binding modules found within many cytoplasmic proteins. A major function of SH2 domains is to bring about the physical assembly of signaling complexes. We now show that, in addition, simultaneous occupancy of both SH2 domains of the phosphotyrosine phosphatase SH-PTP2 (Syp, PTP 1D, PTP-2C) by a tethered peptide with two IRS-1-derived phosphorylation sites potently stimulates phosphatase activity. The concentration required for activation by the tethered peptide is 80-160-fold lower than either corresponding monophosphorylated peptide. Moreover, the diphosphorylated peptide stimulates catalytic activity 37-fold, compared with 9-16-fold for the monophosphorylated peptides. Mutational analyses of the SH2 domains of SH-PTP2 confirm that both SH2 domains participate in this effect. Binding studies with a tandem construct comprising the N- plus C-terminal SH2 domains show that the diphosphorylated peptide binds with 60-90-fold higher affinity than either monophosphorylated sequence. These results demonstrate that SH-PTP2 activity can be potently regulated by interacting via both of its SH2 domains with phosphoproteins having two cognate phosphorylation sites.

The SH2-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatase SH-PTP2 is required upstream of MAP kinase for early Xenopus development

SH-PTP2, the vertebrate homolog of Drosophila corkscrew, associates with several activated growth factor receptors, but its biological function is unknown. We assayed the effects of injection of wild-type and mutant SH-PTP2 RNAs on Xenopus embryogenesis. An internal phosphatase domain deletion (delta P) acts as a dominant negative mutant, causing severe posterior truncations. This phenotype is rescued by SH-PTP2, but not by the closely related SH-PTP1. In ectodermal explants, delta P blocks fibroblast growth factor (FGF)- and activin-mediated induction of mesoderm and FGF-induced mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation. Our results indicate that SH-PTP2 is required for early vertebrate development, acting as a positive component in FGF signaling downstream of the FGF receptor and upstream of MAP kinase.

Beta PDGF receptor mutants defective for mitogenesis promote neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells

BACKGROUND

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) promotes mitogenesis in fibroblast cell lines but stimulates neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells that ectopically express the beta PDGF receptor. To determine which substrates must associate with this receptor protein-tyrosine kinase in order to promote neurite outgrowth, we introduced into PC12 pheochromocytoma cells three mutant forms of the beta PDGF receptor that no longer associate with specific substrate proteins. We then assayed the ability of these receptor mutants to affect neurite extension.

RESULTS

Receptors lacking the kinase-insert domain did not associate with either phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) or Ras GTPase-activating protein (Ras-GAP) in PC12 cells. A carboxy-terminal truncation of the beta PDGF receptor eliminated the association of phospholipase C-gamma 1 (PLC-gamma 1) with the receptor and prevented phosphorylation of PLC-gamma 1 in PC12 cells. Finally, beta PDGF receptors that have tyrosine-to-phenylalanine point mutations at positions 708, 719, 977 and 989 did not associate with either PI 3-kinase or PLC-gamma 1. All three mutant forms of the beta PDGF receptor promoted PDGF-dependent neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells and elicited activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases.

CONCLUSIONS

PC12 cells expressing the beta PDGF receptor extend neurites in response to PDGF in the absence of signalling through PI 3-kinase, RasGAP, and PLC-gamma 1. This contrasts with the requirements for mitogenesis for epithelial and fibroblast cell lines, in which the association of PI 3-kinase with the beta PDGF receptor is essential. This receptor protein-tyrosine kinase therefore phosphorylates and activates a similar set of intracellular signalling molecules in the context of both mitogenesis and differentiation, but the importance of particular pathways for each phenotypic response is distinct.

A minor tyrosine phosphorylation site located within the CAIN domain plays a critical role in regulating tissue-specific transformation by erbB kinase

Avian c-erbB encodes a protein that is homologous to the human epidermal growth factor receptor. Truncation of the amino-terminal, ligand-binding domain of this receptor results in an oncogene product which is a potent inducing agent for erythroleukemias but not fibrosarcomas in chickens. Here we show that mutation of a single tyrosine residue, p5, in the carboxyl terminus of the erbB oncogene product allows it to become sarcomagenic in vivo and to transform fibroblasts in vitro. Mutations of other autophosphorylation sites do not generate comparable effects. The increased transforming activity of the p5 mutant is accompanied by an elevated level of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. By analogy to the human epidermal growth factor receptor, p5 is a minor autophosphorylation site and is located in a domain known to be involved in regulating calcium influx and receptor internalization (CAIN domain). This area of the erbB product has been found to be repeatedly deleted in various sarcomagenic avian erythroblastosis virus isolates. We precisely deleted the CAIN domain and also made point mutations of the acidic residues within the CAIN domain. In both cases, fibroblast-transforming potential is activated. We interpret these data to mean that p5 and its surrounding region negatively regulate fibroblast-transforming and sarcomagenic potential. To our knowledge, this represents the first point mutation of an autophosphorylation site that activates erbB oncogenicity.

Protein-tyrosine-phosphatase SHPTP2 is a required positive effector for insulin downstream signaling

SHPTP2 is a ubiquitously expressed tyrosine-specific protein phosphatase that contains two amino-terminal Src homology 2 (SH2) domains responsible for its association with tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins. In this study, expression of dominant interfering mutants of SHPTP2 was found to inhibit insulin stimulation of c-fos reporter gene expression and activation of the 42-kDa (Erk2) and 44-kDa (Erk1) mitogen-activated protein kinases. Cotransfection of dominant interfering SHPTP2 mutants with v-Ras or Grb2 indicated that SHPTP2 regulated insulin signaling either upstream of or in parallel to Ras function. Furthermore, phosphotyrosine blotting and immunoprecipitation identified the 125-kDa focal adhesion kinase (pp125FAK) as a substrate for insulin-dependent tyrosine dephosphorylation. These data demonstrate that SHPTP2 functions as a positive regulator of insulin action and that insulin signaling results in the dephosphorylation of tyrosine-phosphorylated pp125FAK.

Seven protein tyrosine phosphatases are differentially expressed in the developing rat brain

Regulation of protein function through tyrosine phosphorylation is critical in the control of many developmental processes, such as cellular proliferation and differentiation. Growing evidence suggests that tyrosine phosphorylation also regulates key events in neural development. Although a large body of data has demonstrated that protein tyrosine kinases play an important role in neural development, much less is known about their counterparts, protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases). Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with degenerate primers and a neonatal rat cortex cDNA library, we have identified seven PTPases expressed in the developing rat brain. Four of these are transmembrane PTPases: LAR, LRP, RPTP gamma, and CPTP1. Three are nonreceptor PTPases: PTP-1, P19-PTP, and SHP. Northern hybridization analysis demonstrates that only CPTP1 is preferentially expressed in neural tissues, whereas the others are found abundantly in nonneural tissues as well as in the brain. Within the embryonic and early postnatal brain, the seven PTPases have overlapping, yet unique, distributions. For example, LAR mRNA is highly expressed by both proliferating and postmitotic cells in the cerebral cortex at embryonic day 17 and in all layers of the cortex at postnatal day 4. In contrast, RPTP gamma mRNA is expressed by postmitotic neurons in the embryo and predominantly by neurons in the superficial layers of the postnatal cortex. Several of the PTPases examined here are expressed at very high levels in the embryonic cortical plate and postnatal neocortex, including the subplate and subventricular zone. The spatial and temporal regulation of PTPase gene expression suggests that these PTPases have important roles in signal transduction during early neuronal differentiation and neural development.

Interferons block protein kinase C-dependent but not-independent activation of Raf-1 and mitogen-activated protein kinases and mitogenesis in NIH 3T3 cells

Interferons (IFNs) exert antiproliferative effects on many types of cells. The underlying molecular mechanism, however, is unclear. One possibility is that IFNs block growth factor-induced mitogenic signaling, which involves activation of Ras/Raf-1/MEK/mitogen-activated protein kinase. We have tested this hypothesis by using HER14 cells (NIH 3T3 cell expressing both platelet-derived growth factor [PDGF] and epidermal growth factor [EGF] receptors) as a model system. Our studies showed that IFNs (alpha/beta and gamma) blocked PDGF-and phorbol ester- but not EGF-stimulated DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. While the ligand-stimulated receptor tyrosine phosphorylation and interaction with downstream signaling molecules, such as GRB2, were not affected, IFNs specifically blocked PDGF- and phorbol ester- but not EGF-stimulated activation of Raf-1, mitogen-activated protein kinases, and tyrosine phosphorylation of an unidentified 34-kDa protein. This inhibition could be detected as early as 5 min after IFN treatments and was insensitive to cycloheximide, indicating that de novo protein synthesis is not required. The IFN-induced inhibition acted upstream of Raf-1 kinase and downstream of diacyl glycerol/phorbol ester, suggesting that protein kinase C (PKC) is the potential primary target. Consistently, downregulation of PKC by chronic phorbol myristate acetate treatment or inhibition of PKC by H7 and staurosporine blocked PDGF- and phorbol myristate acetate- but not EGF-induced signaling and DNA synthesis. Moreover, incubating cells with antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides of PKC delta eliminated production of PKC delta protein and specifically blocked PDGF- but not EGF-stimulated mitogenesis in these cells. Thus, these studies have elucidated a major difference in the early events of EGF-and PDGF-stimulated signal transduction and, more importantly, revealed a novel mechanism by which IFNs may execute their antiproliferative function.

Identification of a novel protein tyrosine phosphatase with sequence homology to the cytoskeletal proteins of the band 4.1 family

Use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in conjunction with Southern hybridization, using probes corresponding to known phosphatase sequences, resulted in the identification of rat cDNA clones encoding a novel protein tyrosine phosphatase which was termed rPTP2E. The cDNAs comprise 5,543 bp and predict a polypeptide of 1175 amino acids possessing a single catalytic domain at its C-terminus. The N-terminal region of the deduced polypeptide displays high sequence homology to the cytoskeleton-associated proteins of the band 4.1 family. A variant form, termed rPTP2E1, was also identified which contains the catalytic domain only. rPTP2E and rPTP2E1 were expressed in various rat tissues, particularly abundantly in adrenal glands. The catalytic domain of PTP2E was expressed in Escherichia coli and was shown to possess specific protein tyrosine phosphatase activity. The identification of rPTP2E suggests the existence of a subfamily of band 4.1 domain-containing PTPs which may play an important role in signalling pathway and control of cytoskeletal integrity.

Interferons block protein kinase C-dependent but not-independent activation of Raf-1 and mitogen-activated protein kinases and mitogenesis in NIH 3T3 cells

Interferons (IFNs) exert antiproliferative effects on many types of cells. The underlying molecular mechanism, however, is unclear. One possibility is that IFNs block growth factor-induced mitogenic signaling, which involves activation of Ras/Raf-1/MEK/mitogen-activated protein kinase. We have tested this hypothesis by using HER14 cells (NIH 3T3 cell expressing both platelet-derived growth factor [PDGF] and epidermal growth factor [EGF] receptors) as a model system. Our studies showed that IFNs (alpha/beta and gamma) blocked PDGF-and phorbol ester- but not EGF-stimulated DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. While the ligand-stimulated receptor tyrosine phosphorylation and interaction with downstream signaling molecules, such as GRB2, were not affected, IFNs specifically blocked PDGF- and phorbol ester- but not EGF-stimulated activation of Raf-1, mitogen-activated protein kinases, and tyrosine phosphorylation of an unidentified 34-kDa protein. This inhibition could be detected as early as 5 min after IFN treatments and was insensitive to cycloheximide, indicating that de novo protein synthesis is not required. The IFN-induced inhibition acted upstream of Raf-1 kinase and downstream of diacyl glycerol/phorbol ester, suggesting that protein kinase C (PKC) is the potential primary target. Consistently, downregulation of PKC by chronic phorbol myristate acetate treatment or inhibition of PKC by H7 and staurosporine blocked PDGF- and phorbol myristate acetate- but not EGF-induced signaling and DNA synthesis. Moreover, incubating cells with antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides of PKC delta eliminated production of PKC delta protein and specifically blocked PDGF- but not EGF-stimulated mitogenesis in these cells. Thus, these studies have elucidated a major difference in the early events of EGF-and PDGF-stimulated signal transduction and, more importantly, revealed a novel mechanism by which IFNs may execute their antiproliferative function.

Protein tyrosine phosphatases in disease processes

Given the importance of tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins in signalling pathways, it is perhaps not surprising that protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are involved in the pathogenesis of certain human diseases. A PTP produced by the Yersinia bacteria (which can cause bubonic plague, septicemia and enteric diseases) is thought to be used as a 'weapon' against host cell functions. In addition, dysfunction of cells' endogenous PTPs may contribute to defective immune function, to cancer and to diabetes.

Structure and function of the receptor-like protein kinases of higher plants

Cell surface receptors located in the plasma membrane have a prominent role in the initiation of cellular signalling. Recent evidence strongly suggests that plant cells carry cell surface receptors with intrinsic protein kinase activity. The plant receptor-like protein kinases (RLKs) are structurally related to the polypeptide growth factor receptors of animals which consist of a large extracytoplasmic domain, a single membrane spanning segment and a cytoplasmic domain of the protein kinase gene family. Most of the animal growth factor receptor protein kinases are tyrosine kinases; however, the plant RLKs all appear to be serine/threonine protein kinases. Based on structural similarities in their extracellular domains the RLKs fall into three categories: the S-domain class, related to the self-incompatibility locus glycoproteins of Brassica; the leucine-rich repeat class, containing a tandemly repeated motif that has been found in numerous proteins from a variety of eukaryotes; and a third class that has epidermal growth factor-like repeats. Distinct members of these putative receptors have been found in both monocotyledonous plants such as maize and in members of the dicotyledonous Brassicaceae. The diversity among plant RLKs, reflected in their structural and functional properties, has opened up a broad new area of investigation into cellular signalling in plants with far-reaching implications for the mechanisms by which plant cells perceive and respond to extracellular signals.

Epidermal-growth-factor-dependent activation of the src-family kinases

The precise role of src-type kinases as signal transducers has been under intensive investigation but only in a few instances has their role been revealed in any detail. Thus, src, fyn and yes are activated upon stimulation by platelet-derived growth factor or colony-stimulating factor in cells expressing high levels of these receptors. Activation of src-family kinases by other receptor tyrosine kinases such as the epidermal-growth-factor (EGF) receptor has not been directly demonstrated. In this report, we demonstrate EGF-dependent activation of src-family tyrosine kinases in NIH3T3 cells overexpressing the human EGF receptor. Activation is rapid (< 1 min) and persistent (up to 16 h). Furthermore, we show a correlation between the level of EGF receptor expressed and the degree of src-family kinase activation. We show that src-family kinase activity is also activated by addition of EGF to PC12 cells, which endogenously express relatively high levels of EGF receptor. Most strikingly, we show that A431 cells, which endogenously express very high levels of EGF receptor, show 10-fold elevated src-family kinase activity as compared to DHER14 cells, and that this activity is constitutive. This activity is completely blocked by AG1478, a specific inhibitor of the EGF-receptor tyrosine kinase activity, pointing to a direct link between overexpression of the EGF receptor and enhanced src-family kinase activity. Our findings suggest that EGF-dependent src-family kinase activity is detectable only when the levels of EGF receptor reach a specific level. Additionally, high levels of EGF receptor, as in A431 cells, may contribute to the elevated activation of src-family kinases. Sustained src-family kinase activation, similar to that seen in v-src-transformed cells, may play a role in tumorogenesis and tumor maintenance.

Role of SH-PTP2, a protein-tyrosine phosphatase with Src homology 2 domains, in insulin-stimulated Ras activation

SH-PTP2 is a nontransmembrane human protein-tyrosine phosphatase that contains two Src homology 2 (SH2) domains and binds to insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) via these domains in response to insulin. The expression of a catalytically inactive mutant of SH-PTP2 (containing the mutation Cys-459-->Ser) in Chinese hamster ovary cells that overexpress human insulin receptors (CHO-IR cells) markedly attenuated insulin-stimulated Ras activation. Expression of mutant SH-PTP2 also inhibited MAP kinase activation in response to insulin but not in response to 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate. In contrast, the insulin-induced association of phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity with IRS-1 was not affected by the expression of inactive SH-PTP2. Furthermore, the expression of mutant SH-PTP2 had no effect on the binding of Grb2 to IRS-1, on the tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc, or on the formation of the complex between Shc and Grb2 in response to insulin. However, the amount of SH-PTP2 bound to IRS-1 in insulin-treated CHO-IR cells expressing mutant SH-PTP2 was greater than that observed in CHO-IR cells overexpressing wild-type SH-PTP2. Recombinant SH-PTP2 specifically dephosphorylated a synthetic phosphopeptide corresponding to the sequence surrounding Tyr-1172 of IRS-1, a putative binding site for SH-PTP2. Additionally, phenylarsine oxide, an inhibitor of protein-tyrosine phosphatases, inactivated SH-PTP2 in vitro and increased the insulin-induced association of SH-PTP2 with IRS-1. These results suggest that SH-PTP2 may regulate an upstream element necessary for Ras activation in response to insulin and that this upstream element may be required for the Grb2- or Shc-dependent pathway. Furthermore, these results are consistent with the notion that SH-PTP2 may bind to IRS-1 through its SH2 domains in response to insulin and dephosphorylate the phosphotyrosine residue to which it binds, thereby regulating its association with IRS-1.

Role of SH-PTP2, a protein-tyrosine phosphatase with Src homology 2 domains, in insulin-stimulated Ras activation

SH-PTP2 is a nontransmembrane human protein-tyrosine phosphatase that contains two Src homology 2 (SH2) domains and binds to insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) via these domains in response to insulin. The expression of a catalytically inactive mutant of SH-PTP2 (containing the mutation Cys-459-->Ser) in Chinese hamster ovary cells that overexpress human insulin receptors (CHO-IR cells) markedly attenuated insulin-stimulated Ras activation. Expression of mutant SH-PTP2 also inhibited MAP kinase activation in response to insulin but not in response to 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate. In contrast, the insulin-induced association of phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity with IRS-1 was not affected by the expression of inactive SH-PTP2. Furthermore, the expression of mutant SH-PTP2 had no effect on the binding of Grb2 to IRS-1, on the tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc, or on the formation of the complex between Shc and Grb2 in response to insulin. However, the amount of SH-PTP2 bound to IRS-1 in insulin-treated CHO-IR cells expressing mutant SH-PTP2 was greater than that observed in CHO-IR cells overexpressing wild-type SH-PTP2. Recombinant SH-PTP2 specifically dephosphorylated a synthetic phosphopeptide corresponding to the sequence surrounding Tyr-1172 of IRS-1, a putative binding site for SH-PTP2. Additionally, phenylarsine oxide, an inhibitor of protein-tyrosine phosphatases, inactivated SH-PTP2 in vitro and increased the insulin-induced association of SH-PTP2 with IRS-1. These results suggest that SH-PTP2 may regulate an upstream element necessary for Ras activation in response to insulin and that this upstream element may be required for the Grb2- or Shc-dependent pathway. Furthermore, these results are consistent with the notion that SH-PTP2 may bind to IRS-1 through its SH2 domains in response to insulin and dephosphorylate the phosphotyrosine residue to which it binds, thereby regulating its association with IRS-1.