CD72-mediated B cell activation involves recruitment of CD19 and activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

Occupancy of the B cell glycoprotein, CD72 results in syk-independent activation of phospholipase-C gamma and calcium mobilization. The cytoplasmic tail of CD72 does not contain an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif to directly transduce signals into the B lymphocyte. Hence, we investigated whether other coreceptors such as CD19 and its associated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) were involved in CD72 signaling. Two specific inhibitors of PI 3-K inhibited CD72-stimulated B cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Activation of B lymphocytes via CD72 resulted in recruitment and activation of PI 3-K, which was mediated by CD19. Accordingly, CD72 ligation induced CD19 tyrosine phosphorylation. Thus, lipid products generated as a result of PI 3-K activation may have an important function in CD72-mediated B lymphocyte activation. The kinetics of CD19 tyrosine phosphorylation induced by CD72 ligation were strikingly different from those seen following B cell antigen receptor (BCR) stimulation. A transient increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of the complement receptors, CD21 and CD35 was observed in BCR- but not CD72-stimulated cells. Co-cross-linking of CD72 and CD19 failed to induce syk tyrosine phosphorylation suggesting that even under these conditions, CD72 signaling was independent of syk activation. A transient and stimulation-dependent physical association between CD19 and CD72 was observed in CD72-ligated cells. These observations suggest a mechanism by which CD72 can recruit CD19 and influence activation of CD19-associated PI 3-K, which appears to be critical for CD72-mediated B cell activation.     

CD38 ligation in human B cell progenitors triggers tyrosine phosphorylation of CD19 and association of CD19 with lyn and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

CD38 is a 45-kDa transmembrane glycoprotein highly expressed in lymphoid progenitors. Ligation of CD38 with specific Abs inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in human immature B cells. CD38 ligation also triggers tyrosine phosphorylation of syk, c-cbl, and phospholipase C-gamma and activates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K). In the present study, we investigated whether the cell surface membrane molecules used in B cell receptor-mediated signaling, such as Ig alpha, Ig beta, and CD19, could be involved in the CD38-mediated signaling cascade. In the B cell receptor-negative immature B cell lines RS4;11, 380, and REH, Ig alpha and Ig beta were expressed exclusively in the cytoplasm and were not tyrosine phosphorylated after CD38 ligation. By contrast, CD19 was markedly tyrosine phosphorylated and was associated with lyn and PI3-K. PI3-K activation appears to be directly linked to the growth-arresting effects of CD38 ligation, which are reduced by PI3-K inhibitors. Ligation of either CD38 or CD19 resulted in a similar pattern of protein tyrosine phosphorylation; both signaling pathways caused tyrosine phosphorylation of c-cbl. Levels of CD38 surface expression were not affected by prolonged incubation with anti-CD19 Ab, while CD19 expression markedly decreased. These results indicate that CD19 is a major component of the CD38 signaling cascade in B cell precursors, serving as a cell surface membrane docking site for cytoplasmic kinases. CD38 and CD19 are not physically linked, but activate an overlapping set of kinases in human immature B cells.     

Signaling through the EBV/C3d receptor (CR2, CD21) in human B lymphocytes: activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase via a CD19-independent pathway

Modulation of the cytokine network may be of importance for the beneficial effects of therapy with IVIG seen in a wide range of immune-mediated disorders. In the present study we investigate the effect of IVIG administration in vivo on the IL-1 system in 12 patients with primary hypogammaglobulinaemia. Before IVIG infusion these patients had significantly elevated levels of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta both in plasma and in supernatants from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) compared with healthy controls. After one bolus infusion with IVIG (0.4 g/kg) we found a significant change in the profile of the components of the IL-1 system: a marked increase in levels of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and neutralizing antibodies against IL-1alpha, a moderate decrease in levels of IL-1alpha, IL-1beta and soluble (s) IL-1 receptor type I and a significant increase in sIL-1 receptor type II levels. These changes were found both in plasma and in PBMC isolated after IVIG administration. Furthermore, pooled serum obtained after IVIG infusion suppressed lipopolysaccharide- and staphylococcal enterotoxin B-stimulated, but not phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated, release of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta from PBMC isolated from healthy controls. Finally, these changes in circulating levels of various IL-1 modulators after IVIG infusion appeared to cause a significantly impaired ability of IL-1 to stimulate PBMC for tumour necrosis factor-alpha release. Our findings suggest that IVIG administration may not only down-regulate the activity in the IL-1 system, but also hamper IL-1 stimulation of PBMC.     

3-Phosphohistidine cannot replace phosphotyrosine in high-affinity binding to phosphotyrosine binding or Src homology 2 domains

Posttranslational phosphorylation of proteins is an important event in many cellular processes. Phosphorylated tyrosine residues can serve as association sites for other proteins in signal transduction cascades of tyrosine kinase receptors. Formation of phosphohistidine residues in proteins has been found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. Furthermore, it has been suggested that phosphohistidine might substitute for phosphotyrosine in conferring high-affinity binding to proteins involved in signal transduction. We have analyzed the ability of 3-phosphohistidine to associate with the known phosphotyrosine-specific phosphotyrosine binding and src homology 2 protein domains. From our binding studies using synthetic peptides, we conclude that 3-phosphohistidine cannot replace phosphotyrosine in conferring high-affinity binding to the phosphotyrosine binding domain of shc or the src homology 2 domain of phospholipase C-gamma1.     

A role for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in generating T cell help for B cell growth and differentiation

Evidence supporting the importance of the 3-phosphoinositide signaling pathway in lymphocyte activation is rapidly accumulating. In our study, we assessed the effects of two PI 3-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002, on T cells as a means to analyze the role of the PI 3-kinase-signaling pathway in the generation of T cell help for B cell growth and differentiation. For these studies, B cells were cocultured with CD3-activated mitomycin C-treated T cells to induce B cell responsiveness. Of interest, wortmannin or LY294002 pretreatment of the T cell population significantly inhibited T cell-dependent induction of B cell proliferation and differentiation. The failure of wortmannin-treated CD3-activated mitomycin C-treated T cells to provide help in driving the differentiation of B cells to Ig-secreting cells could not be corrected by the addition of exogenous IL-2. Further studies designed to elucidate the mechanism by which wortmannin-treated T cells failed to provide B cell help indicated that wortmannin and LY294002 significantly inhibited the induction of CD40 ligand and, to a lesser extent, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression. These results suggest that the PI 3-kinase-signaling pathway, or other wortmannin- and LY294002-sensitive pathways, may be important for the induction of expression of crucial interaction molecules, such as CD40 ligand, on T cells and thus indicates that D-3 phosphoinositides play a pivotal role in regulating T cell-dependent B cell activation.     

Thymocyte activation induces the association of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and pp120 with CD5

Specific anions in tubular fluid, including uropontin (UP), the urinary form of human osteopontin (OPN), block adhesion to renal tubular cells of the most common crystal in kidney stones, calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM). In this study, monkey renal epithelial cells (BSC-1 line) in monolayer culture constitutively secreted UP into the culture medium. COM crystals added to the medium avidly bound previously secreted UP, reducing its concentration by 46% one hour later. However, the net UP content of cultures after a 24-hour exposure to COM crystals was increased by 18%. Northern blotting showed that the constitutively expressed gene encoding human OPN was maximally stimulated in BSC-1 cells after exposure to COM crystals for 12 hours. Two other calcium-containing crystals, hydroxyapatite and brushite, did not alter OPN gene expression or protein production. OPN mRNA expression was enhanced in canine renal epithelial cells (MDCK line) after exposure to COM crystals for six hours, whereas the constitutive expression of murine OPN mRNA by 3T3 fibroblasts was unchanged. In vivo this glycoprotein could defend the cell against adhesion of crystals in tubular fluid, and/or promote renal interstitial fibrosis in subjects with heavy crystalluria.     

Inhibition of mSOS-activity by binding of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-P2 to the mSOS pleckstrin homology domain

There are several recently reported examples of inositol phospholipids binding to pleckstrin homology (PH) domains of proteins. The PH domain of SOS, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Ras, binds to phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate (PtdIns4,5P2). We found that binding of PtdIns4,5P2 to 6-his-tagged recombinant mSOS in vitro inhibits the ability of SOS to catalyze the association of GTP on p21RAS. This inhibition was specific for PtdIns4,5P2: a number of other phosphatidylinositols and phosphatidylserine failed to inhibit Ras GTP-association. We confirmed that the specificity of binding of PtdIns's to recombinant GST-SOS-PH domain is the same as the specificity of PtdIns's for inhibition of SOS activity: namely, that only PtdIns4,5P2 binds significantly to the SOS-PH domain. In addition, the inhibition of Ras GTP-binding is not blocked by excess free inositols suggesting that SOS binds to PtdIns4,5P2 with higher affinity than it binds to free inositols. Addition of SOS-PH domain protein prevented the inhibition of SOS by PtdIns4,5P2 as did addition of the high affinity PtdIns4,5P2-binding drug neomycin. This confirmed that SOS inhibition is mediated by the SOS-PH domain binding to the inositol moiety of PtdIns4,5P2. Binding of Grb2 to SOS did not prevent the inhibition of SOS by PtdIns4,5P2 suggesting that there must be another mechanism for regulating this inhibition. These findings show that the phospholipid PtdIns4,5P2 can suppress the activity of an enzyme involved in signal transduction and suggest that this inhibitory effect must be relieved when SOS is activated.     

Differences in binding of PI 3-kinase to the src-homology domains 2 and 3 of p56 lck and p59 fyn tyrosine kinases

Two T cell-specific src-family tyrosine kinases, p56 lck (lck) and p59 fyn (fyn), are implicated in regulating PI 3-kinase activity in response to interleukin-2 (IL-2), a cytokine that induces T cell proliferation. The src- homology domains 3 (SH3) of src-family kinases can directly interact with the PI 3-kinase regulatory subunit p85 and this may be a mechanism to regulate PI 3-kinase activity. In order to understand the mode of PI 3-kinase activation by the IL-2 receptor, we examined the association of PI 3-kinase to SH2 and SH3 domains of lck and fyn in IL-2-dependent kit 225 cells. The fyn SH3 domain bound more PI 3-kinase and its p85 subunit than the lck SH3 domain, while the lck SH2 domain bound more PI 3-kinase than the fyn SH2 domain. None of these interactions were regulated by IL-2. Low binding of PI 3-kinase to the lck SH3 domain was not observed in IL-2-independent Jurkat T cells. Thus, SH3 and SH2 domains of lck and fyn bound different amounts of PI 3-kinase, a feature that was dependent on a T cell type, but was not influenced by IL-2.     

Role of the extracellular domain of human herpesvirus 7 glycoprotein B in virus binding to cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans

In an attempt to identify the human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) envelope protein(s) involved in cell surface binding, the extracellular domain of the HHV-7 glycoprotein B (gB) homolog protein was cloned and expressed as a fusion product with the Fc domain of human immunoglobulin G heavy chain gamma1 (gB-Fc) in an eukaryotic cell system. Indirect immunofluorescence followed by flow cytometric analysis revealed specific binding of gB-Fc to the membrane of SupT1 cells but not to other CD4+ T-lymphoblastoid cell lines, such as Jurkat or PM1, clearly indicating that gB-Fc did not bind to the CD4 molecule. This was also suggested by the ability of gB-Fc to bind to CD4-negative fibroblastoid Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The binding was abrogated by enzymatic removal of cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans by heparinase and heparitinase but not by treatment with condroitinase ABC. In addition, binding of the gB-Fc fusion protein to CHO cells was severely impaired in the presence of soluble heparin, as well as when heparan sulfate-deficient mutant CHO cells were used. Consistent with these findings, soluble heparin was found to block HHV-7 infection and syncytium formation in the SupT1 cell line. Although the CD4 antigen is a critical component of the receptor for the T-lymphotropic HHV-7, these findings suggest that heparin-like molecules also play an important role in HHV-7-cell surface interactions required for infection and that gB represents one of the HHV-7 envelope proteins involved in the adsorption of virus-to-cell surface proteoglycans.     

Two distinct intracytoplasmic regions of the T-cell adhesion molecule CD28 participate in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase association

Through the interaction with its ligands, CD80/B7-1 and CD86/B7-2 or B70, the human CD28 molecule plays a major functional role as a costimulator of T cells along with the CD3-TcR complex. We and others have previously reported that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inducibly associates with CD28. This association is mediated by the SH2 domains of the p85 adaptor subunit interacting with a cytoplasmic YMNM consensus motif present in CD28 at position 173-176. Disruption of this binding site by site-directed mutagenesis abolishes CD28-induced activation events in a murine T-cell hybridoma transfected with human CD28 gene. Here we show that the last 10 residues of the intracytoplasmic domain of CD28 (residues 193-202) are required for its costimulatory function. These residues are involved in interleukin-2 secretion, p85 binding, and CD28-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity. In contrast, the CD28/CD8O interaction is unaffected by this deletion, as is the induction of other second messengers such as the rise in intracellular calcium and tyrosine phosphorylation of CD28-specific substrates. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that, within these residues, the tyrosine at position 200 is involved in p85 binding, probably together with the short proline-rich motif present between residues 190 and 194 (PYAPP).     

Heteronuclear NMR studies of the combined Src homology domains 2 and 3 of pp60 c-Src: effects of phosphopeptide binding

The results of heteronuclear NMR studies on the combined Src homology domains 2 and 3 (SH3-SH2) of pp60 c-Src are presented. Resonance assignments were obtained using heteronuclear triple-resonance experiments in conjunction with 15N-separated nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) data. A modified three-dimensional 13CO-15N-1H spectral correlation experiment [(HACA)CO(CA)-NH] with improved sensitivity is presented that provided additional sequential information and resolved several ambiguities. Chemical shifts and sequential- and medium-range NOE cross peaks indicate that the structures of both the SH3 and SH2 portions of the polypeptide are very similar to those of the isolated SH3 and SH2 domains. Binding of a high-affinity phosphopeptide, EPQpYEEIPIYL, induces large chemical shift changes at several locations in the SH2 domain. Comparison with known results for peptide binding to SH2 domains shows that the residues displaying the largest effects are all involved in peptide binding or undergo significant conformational changes upon binding. However, subtle changes of both 1H and 15N chemical shifts are observed for residues within the SH3 domain and the connecting linker region, indicating possible cross-domain communication.     

Growth hormone and prolactin stimulate tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1, -2, and -3, their association with p85 phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase), and concomitantly PI3-kinase activation via JAK2 kinase

Growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) binding to their receptors, which belong to the cytokine receptor superfamily, activate Janus kinase (JAK) 2 tyrosine kinase, thereby leading to their biological actions. We recently showed that GH mainly stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor and its association with Grb2, and concomitantly stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in liver, a major target tissue. Using specific antibodies, we now show that GH was also able to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1/IRS-2 in liver. In addition, the major tyrosine-phosphorylated protein in anti-p85 phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) immunoprecipitate from liver of wild-type mice was IRS-1, and IRS-2 in IRS-1 deficient mice, but not epidermal growth factor receptor. These data suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 may be a major mechanism for GH-induced PI3-kinase activation in physiological target organ of GH, liver. We also show that PRL was able to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of both IRS-1 and IRS-2 in COS cells transiently transfected with PRLR and in CHO-PRLR cells. Moreover, we show that tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-3 was induced by both GH and PRL in COS cells transiently transfected with IRS-3 and their cognate receptors. By using the JAK2-deficient cell lines or by expressing a dominant negative JAK2 mutant, we show that JAK2 is required for the GH- and PRL-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, -2, and -3. Finally, a specific PI3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, completely blocked the anti-lipolytic effect of GH in 3T3 L1 adipocytes. Taken together, the role of IRS-1, -2, and -3 in GH and PRL signalings appears to be phosphorylated by JAK2, thereby providing docking sites for p85 PI3-kinase and activating PI3-kinase and its downstream biological effects.     

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase is required for CD28 but not CD3 regulation of the TEC family tyrosine kinase EMT/ITK/TSK: functional and physical interaction of EMT with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

Ligation of the TCR or CD28 induces activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), the TEC family protein tyrosine kinase, EMT/ITK/TSK (EMT), and the SRC family tyrosine kinase, LCK. LCK is required for the activation and phosphorylation of EMT induced by ligation of the TCR or CD28 placing LCK upstream of EMT in T cell signaling cascades. We report herein that inhibition of PI3K activity with the specific inhibitors LY294002 and wortmannin markedly decreased EMT activation induced by CD28 cross-linking but not by CD3 cross-linking. Further, inhibition of PI3K markedly decreased EMT in vitro autokinase activity induced by activated LCK. In contrast, PI3K inhibitors did not alter CD28 or CD3 cross-linking or LCK-induced EMT phosphorylation. Consistent with the requirement of PI3K activity for CD28 but not CD3-induced stimulation of the EMT in vitro autokinase activity, a small but significant portion of cellular EMT associates with PI3K following CD28 cross-linking but not following CD3 cross-linking. CD28-induced association of EMT with PI3K also requires functional expression of LCK. Fusion proteins containing the SRC homology 2 domain of EMT interact with PI3K or a PI3K-associated molecule in a tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent manner. Taken together, the data suggest that EMT is differentially regulated and recruited to different signaling complexes following ligation of CD28 or the TCR complex, perhaps contributing to the disparate roles that EMT appears to play downstream of CD28 and the TCR.     

The src homology 2-containing inositol phosphatase (SHIP) is the gatekeeper of mast cell degranulation

To clarify the role that the src homology 2-containing inositol phosphatase (SHIP) plays in mast cell degranulation, the gene for SHIP was disrupted by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells. Bone-marrow-derived mast cells from SHIP+/+, +/-, and -/- F2 littermates were compared. SHIP-/- mast cells were found to be far more prone to degranulation, after the crosslinking of IgE preloaded cells, than SHIP+/- or +/+ cells. Intriguingly, IgE alone also stimulated massive degranulation in SHIP-/- but not in +/+ mast cells. This degranulation with IgE alone, which may be due to low levels of IgE aggregates, correlated with a higher and more sustained intracellular calcium level than that observed with SHIP+/+ cells and was dependent upon the entry of extracellular calcium. Immunoprecipitation studies revealed that the addition of IgE alone to normal mast cells stimulates multiple cascades, which are prevented from progressing to degranulation by SHIP. PI 3-kinase inhibitor studies suggested that IgE-induced activation of PI 3-kinase is upstream of the entry of extracellular calcium and that SHIP restricts this entry by hydrolyzing phosphatidylinositol 3,4, 5-trisphosphate. These results show the critical role that SHIP plays in setting the threshold for degranulation and that SHIP directly modulates a "positive-acting" receptor.     

Release of cytokines and soluble cell surface molecules by PBMC after activation with the bispecific antibody CD3 x CD19

Bispecific antibodies (BsAb) consist of two different heavy and light chains and may bind to two different antigens present on different cell types. With their dual specificity BsAb may recognize effector cells (e.g. T cells) on one hand and tumour cells (e.g. malignant B cells) on the other hand. The authors analysed whether T cell activation and subsequent killing of malignant B cells mediated by the bispecific antibody CD3 x CD19 was reflected by the release of cytokines. In addition, the authors investigated whether the in vitro cytokine release was similar to that observed in vivo in the patients treated with BsAb. The in vitro release of cytokines into the supernatant of cell cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and malignant B cells was measured after incubation with either the bispecific antibody CD3 x CD19 or the monospecific anti-CD3 (aCD3) antibody in the presence or absence of interleukin (IL)-2. Release of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, soluble (s) CD4, sCD8 and sCD25 by PBMC was equal under both conditions and could be used as an indicator for T cell activation. However, the cytokine pattern and level did not correlate with the cytotoxic capacity, which was 4 logs higher with BsAb + IL-2 compared to aCD3 + IL-2. The in vitro pattern of cytokine release was similar to that observed in vivo in the serum of patients treated with BsAb and IL-2, indicating the possibility of predicting cytokine release in future patients with other therapeutic regimens.     

Differentiated phenotype of smooth muscle cells depends on signaling pathways through insulin-like growth factors and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

Under conventional culture conditions, smooth muscle cells display their phenotypic modulation from a differentiated to a dedifferentiated state. Here, we established a primary culture system of smooth muscle cells maintaining a differentiated phenotype, as characterized by expression of smooth muscle-specific marker genes such as h-caldesmon and calponin, cell morphology, and ligand-induced contractility. Laminin retarded the progression of dedifferentiation of smooth muscle cells. Insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) and insulin markedly prolonged the differentiated phenotype, with IGF-I being the more potent. In contrast, serum, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factors, and platelet-derived growth factors potently induced dedifferentiation compared with angiotensin II, arginine-vasopressin, and basic fibroblast growth factor. Using the present culture system, we investigated signaling pathways regulating a phenotype of smooth muscle cells. In cultured cells, IGF-I specifically activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) and its downstream target, protein kinase B, but not mitogen-activated protein kinases. Specific inhibitors of PI3-kinase (wortmannin and LY294002) induced dedifferentiation of smooth muscle cells even when they were cultured on laminin under IGF-I-stimulated conditions. The sole effect of laminin to retard the dedifferentiation was completely blocked by anti-IGF-I antibody, and laminin promoted the endogenous expression of IGF-I in cultured cells. The reduced promoter activity of the caldesmon gene induced by platelet-derived growth factor BB was overcome by the forced expression of the constitutive active form of PI3-kinase p110alpha catalytic subunit. These findings suggest that an IGF-I signaling pathway through PI3-kinase plays a critical role in maintaining a differentiated phenotype of smooth muscle cells.     

Structural and thermodynamic characterization of the interaction of the SH3 domain from Fyn with the proline-rich binding site on the p85 subunit of PI3-kinase

The interaction of the Fyn SH3 domain with the p85 subunit of PI3-kinase is investigated using structural detail and thermodynamic data. The solution structure complex of the SH3 domain with a proline-rich peptide mimic of the binding site on the p85 subunit is described. This indicates that the peptide binds as a poly(L-proline) type II helix. Circular dichroism spectroscopic studies reveal that in the unbound state the peptide exhibits no structure. Thermodynamic data for the binding of this peptide to the SH3 domain suggest that the weak binding (approximately 31 microM) of this interaction is, in part, due to the entropically unfavorable effect of helix formation (delta S0 = -78 J.mol-1.K-1). Binding of the SH3 domain to the intact p85 subunit (minus its own SH3 domain) is tighter, and the entropic and enthalpic contributions are very different from those given by the peptide interaction (delta S0 = +252 J.mol-1.K-1; delta H0 = +44 kJ.mol-1). From these dramatically different thermodynamic measurements we are able to conclude that the interaction of the proline-rich peptide does not effectively mimic the interaction of the intact p85 subunit with the SH3 domain and suggest that other interactions could be important.     

Platelet-derived growth factor-dependent activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase is regulated by receptor binding of SH2-domain-containing proteins which influence Ras activity

Upon binding of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), the PDGF beta receptor (PDGFR) undergoes autophosphorylation on distinct tyrosine residues and binds several SH2-domain-containing signal relay enzymes, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), phospholipase C gamma (PLC gamma), the GTPase-activating protein of Ras (RasGAP), and the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2. In this study, we have investigated whether PDGF-dependent PI3K activation is affected by the other proteins that associate with the PDGFR. We constructed and characterized a series of PDGFR mutants which contain binding sites for PI3K as well as one additional protein, either RasGAP, SHP-2, or PLC gamma. While all of the receptors had wild-type levels of PDGF-stimulated tyrosine kinase activity and associated with comparable amounts of PI3K activity, their abilities to trigger accumulation of PI3K products in vivo differed dramatically. The wild-type receptor, as well as receptors that recruited PI3K or PI3K and SHP-2, were all capable of fully activating PI3K. In contrast, receptors that associated with PI3K and RasGAP or PI3K and PLC gamma displayed a greatly reduced ability to stimulate production of PI3K products. When this series of receptors was tested for their ability to activate Ras, we observed a strong positive correlation between Ras activation and PI3K activation. Further investigation of the relationship between Ras and PI3K indicated that Ras was upstream of PI3K. Thus, activation of PI3K requires not only binding of PI3K to the tyrosine-phosphorylated PDGFR but accumulation of GTP-bound Ras as well. Furthermore, PLC gamma and RasGAP negatively modulate PDGF-dependent PI3K activation. Finally, PDGF-stimulated signal relay can be regulated by altering the ratio of SH2-domain-containing enzymes that are recruited to the PDGFR.     

Solution structure and peptide binding of the SH3 domain from human Fyn

BACKGROUND: The Src family of tyrosine kinases is involved in the propagation of intracellular signals from many transmembrane receptors. Each member of the family contains two domains that regulate interactions with other molecules, one of which is the Src homology 3 (SH3) domain. Although structures have previously been determined for SH3 domains, and ideas about peptide-binding modes have been proposed, their physiological role is still unclear. RESULTS: We have determined the solution structure of the SH3 domain from the Src family tyrosine kinase Fyn in two forms: unbound and complexed with a peptide corresponding to a putative ligand sequence from phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase. Fyn SH3 shows the typical SH3 topology of two perpendicular three-stranded beta sheets and a single turn of 3(10) helix. The interaction of SH3 with three potential ligand peptides was investigated, demonstrating that they all bind to the same site on the molecule. A previous model for ligand binding to SH3 domains predicts binding in one of two orientations (class I or II), each characterized by a consensus sequence. The ligand with the closest match to the class I consensus sequence bound with highest affinity and in the predicted orientation. CONCLUSIONS: The Fyn SH3 domain has a well-defined structure in solution. The relative binding affinities of the three ligand peptides and their orientation within the Fyn SH3 complex were consistent with recently proposed models for the binding of 'consensus' polyproline sequences. Although the affinities of consensus and non-consensus peptides are different, the degree of difference is not very large, suggesting that SH3 domains bind to polyproline peptides in a promiscuous manner.