Identification of a novel cDNA clone encoding protein tyrosine kinase in murine skin

Tyrosine phosphorylation is widely recognized as playing important roles in cell differentiation, proliferation, and carcinogenesis. We have used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to identify protein tyrosine kinases that are expressed in the skin. Mixed oligonucleotide probes were used to amplify and screen a neonatal murine skin cDNA pool for clones encoding amino acid contiguities whose conservation is characteristic of the protein tyrosine kinase family. When the PCR products were sequenced, 13 distinct clones were found, of which one is novel to date and has provisionally been named tks (for tyrosine kinase identified from skin). Sequence homology comparison showed that the tks gene is homologous to the src and fes/fps families. Northern blotting using PCR products of tks as a probe revealed that the mRNA of tks is detected ubiquitously and weakly in other tissues such as brain, lung, liver, thymus and kidney. This fact suggests that the tks gene is expressed in widely distributed cell types.     

BMX, a novel nonreceptor tyrosine kinase gene of the BTK/ITK/TEC/TXK family located in chromosome Xp22.2

The Bmx sequence was identified and cloned during our search for novel tyrosine kinase genes expressed in human bone marrow cells. Bmx cDNA comprises a long open reading frame of 675 amino acids, containing one SH3, one SH2 and one tyrosine kinase domain, which are about 70% identical with Btk, Itk and Tec and somewhat less with Txk tyrosine kinase sequences. The amino terminal sequences of these four tyrosine kinases are about 40% identical and each contains a so-called pleckstrin homology domain. The 2.7 kb Bmx mRNA was expressed in endothelial cells and several human tissues by Northern blotting and an 80 kD Bmx polypeptide was detected in human endothelial cells. Immunoprecipitates of COS cells transfected with a Bmx expression vector and NIH3T3 cells expressing a Bmx retrovirus contained a tyrosyl phosphorylated Bmx polypeptide of similar molecular weight. The BMX gene was located in chromosomal band Xp22.2 between the DXS197 and DXS207 loci. Interestingly, chromosome X also contains the closest relative of BMX, the BTK gene, implicated in X-linked agammaglobulinemia. The BMX gene thus encodes a novel nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, which may play a role in the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic cells.     

Identification of a candidate human spectrin Src homology 3 domain-binding protein suggests a general mechanism of association of tyrosine kinases with the spectrin-based membrane skeleton

Spectrin is a widely expressed protein with specific isoforms found in erythroid and nonerythroid cells. Spectrin contains an Src homology 3 (SH3) domain of unknown function. A cDNA encoding a candidate spectrin SH3 domain-binding protein was identified by interaction screening of a human brain expression library using the human erythroid spectrin (alphaI) SH3 domain as a bait. Five isoforms of the alphaI SH3 domain-binding protein mRNA were identified in human brain. Mapping of SH3 binding regions revealed the presence of two alphaI SH3 domain binding regions and one Abl-SH3 domain binding region. The gene encoding the candidate spectrin SH3 domain-binding protein has been located to human chromosome 10p11.2 --> p12. The gene belongs to a recently identified family of tyrosine kinase-binding proteins, and one of its isoforms is identical to e3B1, an eps8-binding protein (Biesova, Z., Piccoli, C., and Wong, W. T. (1997)Oncogene 14, 233-241). Overexpression of the green fluorescent protein fusion of the SH3 domain-binding protein in NIH3T3 cells resulted in cytoplasmic punctate fluorescence characteristic of the reticulovesicular system. This fluorescence pattern was similar to that obtained with the anti-human erythroid spectrin alphaI SigmaI/betaI SigmaI antibody in untransfected NIH3T3 cells; in addition, the anti-alphaI SigmaI/betaI SigmaI antibody also stained Golgi apparatus. Immunofluorescence obtained using antibodies against alphaI SigmaI/++betaI SigmaI spectrin and Abl tyrosine kinase but not against alphaII/betaII spectrin colocalized with the overexpressed green fluorescent protein-SH3-binding protein. Based on the conservation of the spectrin SH3 binding site within members of this protein family and published interactions, a general mechanism of interactions of tyrosine kinases with the spectrin-based membrane skeleton is proposed.     

Molecular cloning of a phosphotyrosine-independent ligand of the p56lck SH2 domain

A novel human cDNA encoding a cytosolic 62-kDa protein (p62) that binds to the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of p56lck in a phosphotyrosine-independent manner has been cloned. The cDNA is composed of 2074 nucleotides with an open reading frame encoding 440 amino acids. Northern analysis suggests that p62 is expressed ubiquitously in all tissues examined. p62 is not homologous to any known protein in the data base. However, it contains a cysteine-rich region resembling a zinc finger motif, a potential G-protein-binding region, a PEST motif, and several potential phosphorylation sites. Using T7-epitope tagged p62 expression in HeLa cells, the expressed protein was shown to bind to the lck SH2 domain. Deletion of the N-terminal 50 amino acids abolished binding, but mutagenesis of the single tyrosine residue in this region had no effect on binding. Thus, the cloned cDNA indeed encodes the p62 protein, which is a phosphotyrosine-independent ligand for the lck SH2 domain. Its binding mechanism is unique with respect to binding modes of other known ligands for SH2 domains.     

Infectious complications in 100 consecutive heart transplant recipients

The molecular basis for X-linked agammaglobulinemia, hyper-IgM syndrome, and severe combined immunodeficiency was recently identified. In X-linked agammaglobulinemia the molecular defect was found to reside in the gene encoding a novel cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase (bpk, atk, or btk) expressed by B and myeloid cells. This kinase belongs to a new subfamily of tyrosine kinases that contains SH1, SH2, and SH3 domains. A defect in the murine homologue of this kinase has been shown to be responsible for X-linked immunodeficiency in mice. Currently, the role of btk in B- and myeloid cell signaling is unknown. The molecular defect in X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome has been shown to reside in the gene encoding the T-cell activation protein gp39 (CD40L, TRAP). This protein binds to its counter receptor, CD40, on B cells and has been shown to participate in T-cell-dependent B-cell help leading to B-cell proliferation and isotype switching. X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency patients were found to have defects in the gene encoding the gamma-chain of the interleukin-2 receptor. This chain of the interleukin-2 receptor is constitutively expressed by T cells and is involved in the formation of high and intermediate affinity interleukin-2 receptor complexes. These two interleukin-2 receptor complexes are responsible for mediating interleukin-2-dependent signals.     

Crk protein binds to PDGF receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 with different modulating effects on PDGF- and insulin-dependent signaling pathways

We have studied the involvement of murine c-Crk, an SH2/SH3 containing adaptor protein, in signaling pathways stimulated by different receptor tyrosine kinases. We show here that c-Crk is associated with components of insulin- and PDGF-dependent signaling pathways. Insulin treatment of murine myoblast cells induces the formation of stable complex of endogenous c-Crk with insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) mediated via the SH2 domain of Crk. The ligand dependent physical association of c-Crk with IRS-1 is direct. However IRS-1 is also co-precipitated with c-Crk from quiescent L6 cells. The association of IRS-1 with c-Crk in quiescent cells is probably not direct since Far Western blot analysis did not reveal the binding of neither SH2 domain nor amino-terminal SH3 domain of c-Crk to IRS-1 from unstimulated cells. We also show that PDGF treatment of murine myoblast cells induces association of c-Crk with the PDGF receptor and tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Crk. Overexpression of c-Crk enhanced insulin- but not PDGF-induced activation of MAP kinases when compared to parental cell lines. Thus, the formation of the direct IRS-1/Crk complex appears to be crucial for Crk-mediated insulin-induced activation of MAP kinase, whereas Crk is probably involved in other PDGF-induced responses. These data provide support to the hypothesis that insulin and PDGF employ different mechanisms for activation of MAP kinase cascade.     

Molecular cloning of SKAP55, a novel protein that associates with the protein tyrosine kinase p59fyn in human T-lymphocytes

In human T-lymphocytes the Src family protein tyrosine kinase p59(fyn) associates with three phosphoproteins of 43, 55, and 85 kDa (pp43, pp55, and pp85). Employing a GST-Fyn-Src homology 2 (SH2) domain fusion protein pp55 was purified from lysates of Jurkat T-cells. Molecular cloning of the pp55 cDNA reveals that the pp55 gene codes for a so far nondescribed polypeptide of 359 amino acids that comprises a pleckstrin homology domain, a C-terminal SH3 domain, as well as several potential tyrosine phosphorylation sites, among which one fulfills the criteria to bind Src-like SH2 domains with high affinity. Consistent with this observation, pp55 selectively binds to isolated SH2 domains of Lck, Lyn, Src, and Fyn but not to the SH2 domains of ZAP70, Syk, Shc, SLP-76, Grb2, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and c-abl in vitro. Based on these properties the protein was termed SKAP55 (src kinase-associated phosphoprotein of 55 kDa). Northern blot analysis shows that SKAP55 mRNA is preferentially expressed in lymphatic tissues. SKAP55 is detected in resting human T-lymphocytes as a constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated protein that selectively interacts with p59(fyn). These data suggest that SKAP55 represents a novel adaptor protein likely involved in Fyn-mediated signaling in human T-lymphocytes.     

Differential expression of ZAP-70 and Syk protein tyrosine kinases, and the role of this family of protein tyrosine kinases in TCR signaling

TCR stimulation results in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of cellular substrates. We have recently identified a 70-kDa protein tyrosine kinase, ZAP-70, which associates with the human TCR zeta-chain after TCR stimulation. We report here the isolation and sequence of a cDNA clone that encodes murine ZAP-70. Murine and human ZAP-70 share 93% amino acid identity and are homologous to the 72-kDa protein tyrosine kinase Syk. Syk has been implicated in the signal transduction pathways of the B cell membrane Ig and high affinity IgE receptors, Fc epsilon RI. In addition, we examined the tissue distribution of ZAP-70 and Syk in human and murine thymocyte subsets, B cells, and peripheral T cell subsets. ZAP-70 protein is expressed in all major thymocyte populations, with the level of expression being comparable to that found in both CD4+ and CD8+ peripheral T cells. Although Syk protein is also present in all thymocyte subsets, expression of Syk protein is down-regulated threefold to fourfold in peripheral T cells. In contrast to ZAP-70, expression of Syk is 12- to 15-fold higher in peripheral B cells when compared with peripheral T cells. In addition, whereas T cell stimulation results in down-regulation of Lck, no significant change in ZAP-70 or Syk protein is detected. Finally, we provide evidence that both ZAP-70 and Syk can associate with the TCR after TCR stimulation. With the use of a heterologous expression system, we show that, like ZAP-70, Syk is dependent upon a Src-family protein tyrosine kinase for association with the phosphorylated zeta-chain. Thus, the differential expression of these kinases suggests the possibility of different roles for ZAP-70 and Syk in TCR signaling and thymic development.     

Antegrade scrotal phlebography of the v. spermatica in left-sided testicular varicocele--are retrograde phlebographic classifications suitable for typing?

Different chemicals that specifically and selectively inhibit or activate protein kinases have been used to define the possible roles of these enzymes in the different steps of epidermal differentiation. Using HaCaT keratinocytes as a model, and under conditions in which cell proliferation is minimally affected, we found that tyrosine kinase inhibition leads to an inhibition of early (spinous; keratin k10 expression) and late (granulosum; involucrin expression) differentiation processes. cGMP- and cAMP-dependent protein kinases appear to modulate the transition from spinous to granular differentiation, a process which seems to be negatively controlled by protein phosphatases. Finally, enzymes belonging to the protein kinase C family appear to facilitate the transition from spinous to granular differentiation programmes while inhibiting the early steps of epidermal differentiation.     

An SH3 domain-containing GTPase-activating protein for Rho and Cdc42 associates with focal adhesion kinase

The integrin family of cell surface receptors mediates cell adhesion to components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Integrin engagement with the ECM initiates signaling cascades that regulate the organization of the actin-cytoskeleton and changes in gene expression. The Rho subfamily of Ras-related low-molecular-weight GTP-binding proteins and several protein tyrosine kinases have been implicated in mediating various aspects of integrin-dependent alterations in cell homeostasis. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK or pp125FAK) is one of the tyrosine kinases predicted to be a critical component of integrin signaling. To elucidate the mechanisms by which FAK participates in integrin-mediated signaling, we have used expression cloning to identify cDNAs that encode potential FAK-binding proteins. We report here the identification of a cDNA that encodes a new member of the GTPase-activating protein (GAP) family of GTPase regulators. This GAP, termed Graf (for GTPase regulator associated with FAK), binds to the C-terminal domain of FAK in an SH3 domain-dependent manner and preferentially stimulates the GTPase activity of the GTP-binding proteins RhoA and Cdc42. Subcellular localization studies using Graf-transfected chicken embryo cells indicates that Graf colocalizes with actin stress fibers, cortical actin structures, and focal adhesions. Graf mRNA is expressed in a variety of avian tissues and is particularly abundant in embryonic brain and liver. Graf represents the first example of a regulator of the Rho family of small GTP-binding proteins that exhibits binding to a protein tyrosine kinase. We suggest that Graf may function to mediate cross talk between the tyrosine kinases such as FAK and the Rho family GTPase that control steps in integrin-initiated signaling events.     

Identification of 21 novel human protein kinases, including 3 members of a family related to the cell cycle regulator nimA of Aspergillus nidulans

The nimA gene encodes a protein-serine/threonine kinase that is required along with the p34cdc2 kinase for mitosis in Aspergillus nidulans. We have searched for human protein kinases that are related to the NIMA protein kinase using the polymerase chain reaction. Different pairs of degenerate oligonucleotides specific for conserved amino acid motifs in the catalytic domain of NIMA were used as primers in the polymerase chain reaction to amplify partial complementary DNAs (cDNAs) of protein kinases expressed in the promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60. Forty-one distinct cDNAs representing a broad spectrum of serine/threonine- and tyrosine-specific protein kinases were identified, and the sequences for 21 of these protein kinases were found to be unique. Three of these cDNAs represent a family of protein kinases whose members are related to NIMA and the murine nimA-related protein kinase Nek1. We discuss the success of this polymerase chain reaction approach with respect to the use of multiple primer pairs, the influence of primer degeneracy, and the tolerance of cDNA amplification to mismatches between primers and template mRNA.     

Physical and functional interaction between p72(syk) and erythropoietin receptor

Erythropoietin (Epo) regulates the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid cells through interaction with a cell surface receptor (EpoR) that belongs to the cytokine receptor family. The Jak2 tyrosine kinase was previously shown to bind to the EpoR, to be activated upon Epo stimulation, and to play a critical role in Epo-induced proliferation. However, little is known about the role of other tyrosine kinases in Epo signaling. In this paper, we examined whether Syk was involved in EpoR activation. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that the phosphorylated EpoR was associated with the Syk kinase in activated UT7 cells. The interaction of Epo with its receptor led to an increased kinase activity. The use of recombinant Syk Src homology 2 (SH2) domains expressed in tandem or individually revealed that both N- and C-SH2 domains of Syk participated in EpoR binding with a major contribution of the C-terminal SH2 domain. Far Western blotting further indicated that Syk directly binds to the EpoR and that the interaction of Syk with EpoR only occurred after Epo activation. These data suggest that phosphorylation of EpoR on tyrosine residues may mediate Syk binding to the receptor through interaction between the two SH2 domains of Syk and tyrosines of the receptor. We propose that in addition to Jak2, Syk protein kinase may be a component of EpoR signaling.     

Cytoplasmic domains of the human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptor beta chain (hbetac) responsible for human GM-CSF-induced myeloid cell differentiation

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) regulates differentiation, survival, and proliferation of myeloid progenitor cells. The biologic actions of GM-CSF are mediated by its binding to the alpha and beta subunits of the GM-CSF receptor (GM-CSFRalpha and betac, respectively). To determine whether identical regions of the betac protein mediate both cell growth and differentiation, we expressed cDNA constructs encoding the human wild-type (897 amino acids) and truncated betac (hbetac) subunits along with the wild-type human GM-CSFRalpha subunit in the murine WT19 cell line, an FDC-P1-derived cell line that differentiates toward the monocytic lineage in response to murine GM-CSF. Whereas the WT19 cell line carrying the C-terminal deleted hbetac subunit of 627 amino acids was still able to grow in human GM-CSF (hGM-CSF), 681 amino acids of the hbetac were necessary for cell differentiation. The addition of hGM-CSF to WT19 cell lines containing the hbetac627 subunit stimulated the phosphorylation of ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and induced the tyrosine-phosphorylation of SHP-2 and STAT5, suggesting that the activation of these molecules is insufficient to mediate the induction of differentiation. A point mutation of tyrosine 628 to phenylalanine (Y628F) within hbetac681 abolished the ability of hGM-CSF to induce differentiation. Our results indicate that the signals required for hGM-CSF-induced differentiation and cell growth are mediated by different regions of the hbetac subunit.     

ICAAR, a novel member of a new family of transmembrane, tyrosine phosphatase-like proteins

We have isolated a cDNA from human foetal brain cDNA library which encodes a putative transmembrane protein bearing an intracellular protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) like domain. The PTPase like domain contains an alanine to aspartate amino acid change relative to other PTPases in the catalytic core domain. This amino acid change is found in only three other known proteins, islet cell autoantigens; human, murine and rat IA-2, murine IA-2b and its rat orthologue phogrin, which have a similar overall structure to ICAAR, and the recently identified X-linked myotubular myopathy (MTM1) gene. ICAAR, IA-2 and IA-2b clearly represent a new family of PTP-like proteins for which catalytic activity has yet to be demonstrated. An abundant ICAAR mRNA is detectable in the brain and pancreas but not in the other normal human tissues surveyed. We have localised ICAAR to human chromosome 7q36.     

The adaptor protein Nck links receptor tyrosine kinases with the serine-threonine kinase Pak1

Nck is an adaptor protein composed of a single SH2 domain and three SH3 domains. Upon growth factor stimulation, Nck is recruited to receptor tyrosine kinases via its SH2 domain, probably initiating one or more signaling cascades. In this report, we show that Nck is bound in living cells to the serine-threonine kinase Pak1. The association between Nck and Pak1 is mediated by the second SH3 domain of Nck and a proline-rich sequence in the amino terminus of Pak1. We also show that Pak1 is recruited by activated epidermal growth factor (EGF) and platelet-derived growth factor receptors. Moreover, Pak1 kinase activity is increased in response to EGF in HeLa cells transfected with human Pak1, and the kinase activity was enhanced when Nck was co-transfected. It is concluded that Nck links receptor tyrosine kinases with Pak1 and is probably involved in targeting and regulation of Pak1 activity.     

Constitutive activation of delayed-rectifier potassium channels by a src family tyrosine kinase in Schwann cells

In the nervous system, Src family tyrosine kinases are thought to be involved in cell growth, migration, differentiation, apoptosis, as well as in myelination and synaptic plasticity. Emerging evidence indicates that K+ channels are crucial targets of Src tyrosine kinases. However, most of the data accumulated so far refer to heterologous expression, and native K+-channel substrates of Src or Fyn in neurons and glia remain to be elucidated. The present study shows that a Src family tyrosine kinase constitutively activates delayed-rectifier K+ channels (IK) in mouse Schwann cells (SCs). IK currents are markedly downregulated upon exposure of cells to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors herbimycin A and genistein, while a potent upregulation of IK is observed when recombinant Fyn kinase is introduced through the patch pipette. The Kv1.5 and Kv2.1 K+-channel alpha subunits are constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated and physically associate with Fyn both in cultured SCs and in the sciatic nerve in vivo. Kv2.1- channel subunits are found to interact with the Fyn SH2 domain. Inhibition of Schwann cell proliferation by herbimycin A and by K+-channel blockers suggests that the functional linkage between Src tyrosine kinases and IK channels could be important for Schwann cell proliferation and the onset of myelination.