SMART MODE:

NORMAL GENOMIC

• Raiborg C, Bache KG, Mehlum A, Stenmark H
• Function of Hrs in endocytic trafficking and signalling.
• Biochem Soc Trans. 2001; 29: 472-5
• Display abstract

• The hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate, Hrs, becomes tyrosine-phosphorylated upon the binding of various growth factors and cytokines to their receptors. This protein is essential for ventral folding morphogenesis, and it shares structural similarity with Vps27p, which is involved in vacuolar protein sorting in yeast. Since Hrs is localized to endosomes and has been implicated in the regulation of signal transduction as well as membrane trafficking, it has been regarded as a potential co-ordinator of endosomal receptor sorting and signalling. Here we discuss the possible functions of Hrs in light of its interactions with phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate and multiple proteins.

• Ogura K, Tai T
• Characterization of the functional domains of galactosylceramide expression factor 1 in MDCK cells.
• Glycobiology. 2001; 11: 751-8
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• We previously reported that GalCer expression factor 1 (GEF-1), a rat homologue of hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate (Hrs), induced GalCer expression, morphological changes, and cell growth inhibition in COS-7 cells. In this study, we describe the characterization of GEF-1 in MDCK cells. Overexpression of GEF-1 in MDCK (MDCK/GEF-1) cells showed GalCer-derived sulfatide expression as well as dramatic morphological changes, but not cell growth suppression. The enzyme activity and the mRNA level of UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase (CGT) increased significantly in MDCK/GEF-1 cells compared with control cells. GEF-1 molecule is composed of four domains; a zinc-finger (Z), a proline-rich (P), a coiled-coil (C), and a proline/glutamine-rich (Q) domain. MDCK cells transfected with various GEF-1 deletion mutants were examined for morphology and for glycolipid expression. MDCK cells transfected with Z-domain deletion mutant (MDCK/PCQ) and those with both Z- and P-domains deletion mutant (MDCK/CQ) were similar to those with a wild-type GEF-1 (MDCK/ZPCQ) in shape, exhibiting fibroblast-like cells, whereas those with the other deletion mutants showed no morphological changes, exhibiting typical epithelial-like cells. On the other hand, MDCK/ZPCQ, MDCK/PCQ, MDCK/CQ, and MDCK/Q cells expressed sulfatide, whereas those with the other deletion mutants that did not include the Q-domain showed neither GalCer nor sulfatide expression. Thus, the correlation between fibroblast-like cells in shape and the glycolipid expression was good in these deletion mutants except MDCK/Q cells, which showed epithelial-like cells, but expressed sulfatide. The glycolipid expression paralleled CGT mRNA levels. Taking these results together, it is suggested that only the Q-domain may be essential for the role of GEF-1 in inducing CGT mRNA, whereas the Q-domain together with the C-domain may be required for the induction of morphological changes in MDCK cells.

• Yamada M et al.
• Loss of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons in mice lacking STAM1.
• Mol Cell Biol. 2001; 21: 3807-19
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• STAM1, a member of the STAM (signal transducing adapter molecule) family, has a unique structure containing a Src homology 3 domain and ITAM (immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif). STAM1 was previously shown to be associated with the Jak2 and Jak3 tyrosine kinases and to be involved in the regulation of intracellular signal transduction mediated by interleukin-2 (IL-2) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in vitro. Here we generated mice lacking STAM1 by using homologous recombination with embryonic stem cells. STAM1(-/-) mice were morphologically indistinguishable from their littermates at birth. However, growth retardation in the third week after birth was observed for the STAM1(-/-) mice. Unexpectedly, despite the absence of STAM1, hematopoietic cells, including T- and B-lymphocyte and other hematopoietic cell populations, developed normally and responded well to several cytokines, including IL-2 and GM-CSF. However, histological analyses revealed the disappearance of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons in STAM1(-/-) mice. Furthermore, we observed that primary hippocampal neurons derived from STAM1(-/-) mice are vulnerable to cell death induced by excitotoxic amino acids or an NO donor. These data suggest that STAM1 is dispensable for cytokine-mediated signaling in lymphocytes but may be involved in the survival of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons.

• Suzu S et al.
• p56(dok-2) as a cytokine-inducible inhibitor of cell proliferation and signal transduction.
• EMBO J. 2000; 19: 5114-22
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• p56(dok-2) acts as a multiple docking protein downstream of receptor or non-receptor tyrosine kinases. However, the role of p56(dok-2) in biological functions of cells is not clear. We found that transcription of the p56(dok-2) gene in macrophages was increased markedly in response to cytokines such as macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), granulocyte/macrophage-CSF and interleukin-3 (IL-3). Forced expression of p56(dok-2) inhibited M-CSF-, granulocyte-CSF-, IL-3- and stem cell factor-induced proliferation of myeloid leukemia cells, M-NFS-60. The p56(dok-2)-overexpressing cells showed an impaired induction of c-myc but not of c-jun, junB or c-fos when stimulated with M-CSF. Consistent with these results, the peritoneal cavity of the hairless (hr/hr) strain of mutant mice, whose cells expressed less p56(dok-2) than wild-type mice, contained more macrophages than that of +/hr mice. Moreover, the inhibition of endogenous p56(dok-2) expression in macrophage-like tumor cells, J774A.1, by stable expression of antisense p56(dok-2) mRNA accelerated cell proliferation. The study identifies a novel role for p56(dok-2) as a molecule that negatively regulates signal transduction and cell proliferation mediated by cytokines in a feedback loop.

• Zahn S, Godillot P, Yoshimura A, Chaiken I
• IL-5-Induced JAB-JAK2 interaction.
• Cytokine. 2000; 12: 1299-306
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• Receptor activation by the haematopoietic growth factor proteins interleukin 5 (IL-5) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) leads to phosphorylation of JAK2 as a key trigger of signal transduction. JAB has recently been identified as a regulator of JAK2 phosphorylation and activity by binding phosphorylated JAK2 and inducing its degradation. As part of our effort to define molecular recognition networks that lead to signalling, we investigated the effect of JAB on both JAK2 phosphorylation and JAK2 interaction state that ensue upon IL-5 stimulation in recombinant 293T cells cotransfected 293T cells with IL-5R alpha, beta c and hJAK2 either with or without JAB. Without JAB, stimulation with wild-type and re-engineered single chain (sc) IL-5 induced a time-dependent phosphorylation of JAK2. In the presence of JAB cotransfection, no phospho-JAK2 was observed, and JAB was observed co-immunoprecipitated with non-phosphorylated JAK2. The time dependence of JAB co-immunoprecipitation correlated with the time dependence of JAK2 phosphorylation when JAB was absent. Since JAB has already been shown to bind JAK2 via a phosphorylated tyrosine, the current data suggest that JAB binds to phosphorylated JAK2, enhances JAK2 dephosphorylation and remains associated in a complex, with dephosphorylated JAK2, that may be a precursor leading to irreversible JAK2 degradation.

• Kwon EM, Raines MA, Blenis J, Sakamoto KM
• Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor stimulation results in phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein through activation of pp90RSK.
• Blood. 2000; 95: 2552-8
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• Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) activates several kinases and transcription factors through interaction with a heterodimeric receptor complex. We previously demonstrated that phosphorylation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein, CREB, occurs through a protein kinase A-independent pathway and is required for GM-CSF-induced transcriptional activation of the immediate early gene, early growth response-1 (egr-1). Recent reports indicate that receptor tyrosine kinases can induce CREB phosphorylation through activation of pp90RSK. We performed immune complex kinase assays in the human myeloid leukemic cell line, TF-1, which revealed that GM-CSF induced pp90RSK activation and phosphorylation of CREB within 5 minutes of stimulation. Transfection with the kinase-defective pp90RSK expression plasmid demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in transcriptional activation of a -116 CAT/egr-1 promoter construct in response to GM-CSF. Furthermore, activation of pp90RSK, CREB and egr-1 in GM-CSF-treated cells was inhibited by the presence of the inhibitor, PD98059. In this study, we report that GM-CSF induces CREB phosphorylation and egr-1 transcription by activating pp90RSK through an MEK-dependent signaling pathway. (Blood. 2000;95:2552-2558)

• Sakurai Y, Arai K, Watanabe S
• In vitro analysis of STAT5 activation by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.
• Genes Cells. 2000; 5: 937-947
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• BACKGROUND: The granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptor activates multiple and complex signalling pathways in response to GM-CSF stimulation. Biochemical studies suggested that signalling pathways are transmitted through protein/protein interactions, but how these biochemical cascades are initiated and transmitted in response to cytokine stimulation is largely unknown. RESULTS: To investigate these events biochemically, we established an in vitro system leading to the GM-CSF-dependent activation of Janus kinase (JAK) 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 5 in cell homogenates prepared from BA/F3 cells expressing the GM-CSF receptor. Activation of STAT5 DNA binding ability requires both membrane and cytoplasmic fractions while phosphorylation of JAK2 requires only the membrane fraction. Since the addition of anti-betac or phosphotyrosine antibodies inhibited GM-CSF induced STAT5 DNA binding activity, we examined the role of tyrosine residues of betac for in vitro activation of STAT5. Addition of synthetic tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides derived from betac cytoplasmic tyrosines prior to GM-CSF stimulation inhibited the in vitro activation of STAT5. The association between these tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides and STAT5 was observed by using peptide-coupling beads and BA/F3 lysates. CONCLUSIONS: We established a GM-CSF-dependent in vitro system. In cases of STAT5 activation, each phosphorylated tyrosine residue of betac can act as a docking site and enhance STAT5 activation.

• Giallourakis C et al.
• Positive regulation of interleukin-4-mediated proliferation by the SH2-containing inositol-5'-phosphatase.
• J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 29275-82
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• The SH2-containing inositol 5'-phosphatase (SHIP) is tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and macrophage colony-stimulating factor. SHIP has been shown to modulate negatively these cytokine signalings; however, a potential role in IL-4 signaling remains uncharacterized. It has been recently shown that IL-4 induces tyrosine phosphorylation of SHIP, implicating the phosphatase in IL-4 processes. Tyrosine kinases, Jak1 and Jak3, involved in IL-4 signaling can associate with SHIP, yet only Jak1 can tyrosine-phosphorylate SHIP when co-expressed. In functional studies, cells overexpressing wild type SHIP are found to be hyperproliferative in response to IL-4 in comparison to parental cells. In contrast, cells expressing catalytically inactive form, SHIP(D672A), show reduced proliferation in response to IL-4. These changes in IL-4-induced proliferation correlate with alterations in phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate levels. However, no differential activation of STAT6, Akt, IRS-2, or p70(S6k), in response to IL-4, was observed in these cells. These data suggest that the catalytic activity of SHIP acts in a novel manner to influence IL-4 signaling. In addition, these data support recent findings that suggest there are uncharacterized signaling pathways downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate.

• Liu R, Arai K, Watanabe S
• Analysis of antiapoptosis activity of human GM-CSF receptor.
• J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000; 106: 108-108
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• Human GM-CSF (hGM-CSF) induces proliferation and sustains the viability of a mouse IL-3-dependent lymphoid cell line BA/F3 that expresses the functional hGM-CSF receptor (hGMR). To reveal an antiapoptotic mechanism of hGM-CSF, we analyzed various apoptotic markers of BA/F3 cells in various conditions. Within 24 hours of factor depletion, caspase 3-like, but not caspase 1-like, enzyme activity and DNA fragmentation were augmented. Analysis with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (genistein) and an MEK1 inhibitor (PD98059) on antiapoptosis activity indicates that the activation of either the genistein-sensitive signaling pathway or the PD98059-sensitive signaling pathway of the betac subunit may be sufficient to suppress apoptosis through hGMR. Because hGMR mutants (which activate JAK2 but neither STAT5 nor the MAPK cascade) have antiapoptotic activity in BA/F3 cells, the involvement of JAK2, excluding the molecules mentioned earlier, for antiapoptosis activity seems likely. Because the JAK2 inhibitor AG-490 suppressed the antiapoptotic activity of hGM-CSF, the essential role for JAK2 activation to maintain the viability is considered. Interestingly, hGMR mutants, which lack MAPK cascade activation, require a higher dose of hGM-CSF than that for wild-type hGMR. Because the expression level and affinity to hGM-CSF among wild-type hGMR and mutant hGMR are the same, we speculated that biologic response is determined by a combination of strength of various signaling events.

• Dahl ME, Arai KI, Watanabe S
• Association of Lyn tyrosine kinase to the GM-CSF and IL-3 receptor common betac subunit and role of Src tyrosine kinases in DNA synthesis and anti-apoptosis.
• Genes Cells. 2000; 5: 143-53
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• BACKGROUND: After GM-CSF or IL-3 stimulation, the activation of JAK2 tyrosine kinase and members of the Src family of tyrosine kinases takes place, followed by phosphorylation of betac tyrosine residues and the recruitment of SH2 containing molecules to the receptor complex. The exact role of Src kinases such as Lyn in this and other downstream signal transduction events remains unclear. RESULTS: We investigated the association of Lyn kinase with betac using synthetic peptides derived from the eight betac tyrosine residues and the Box 1 motif. We found that Lyn kinase GST fusion proteins bind to peptides corresponding to the membrane proximal region of betac and to peptides containing specific betac derived phosphorylated tyrosine residues. We also determined that betac tyrosine residues Y1,2 as well as Y7 and Y8 can act as substrates of Lyn. We further analysed the role of the Src kinases in DNA synthesis and anti-apoptosis downstream of GM-CSF by using the Src kinase inhibitor PP1 in murine BA/F3 cells stably expressing a series of mutant betac receptors. CONCLUSIONS: Lyn binds to betac derived peptides through multiple interactions, and may play an important role in betac phosphorylation. Src family kinases also play an essential role in GM-CSF mediated DNA synthesis, as well as an important role in anti-apoptosis in response to GM-CSF.

• Watanabe S, Aoki Y, Nishijima I, Xu M, Arai K
• Analysis of signals and functions of the chimeric human granuloctye-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor in BA/F3 cells and transgenic mice.
• J Immunol. 2000; 164: 3635-44
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• Receptors for GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5 are composed of two subunits: alpha, which is specific for each cytokine, and betac, which is shared by all. Although the role of betac in signal transduction has been extensively studied, the role of the alpha subunit has remained to be clarified. To analyze the role of the human (h) GM-CSF receptor alpha subunit, we constructed a chimeric receptor subunit composed of extracellular and transmembrane regions of alpha fused with the cytoplasmic region of betac, designated alpha/beta. In BA/F3 cells, chimeric receptor composed of alpha/beta,beta can transduce signals for mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade activation and proliferation in response to hGM-CSF. Although phosphorylation of Jak1 but not of Jak2 occurred with stimulation of hGM-CSF, the dominant-negative Jak2 but not the dominant-negative Jak1 suppresses c-fos promoter activation. To determine whether the chimeric receptor alpha/beta,beta is functional in vivo, we developed transgenic mice expressing the chimeric receptor alpha/beta,beta. Bone marrow cells from the transgenic mice expressing the alpha/beta,beta receptor form not only GM colonies but also various lineages of colonies in response to GM-CSF. In addition, mast cells were produced when bone marrow cells of the transgenic mouse were cultured with hGM-CSF. Thus, it appears that the cytoplasmic region of the alpha subunit is not required for hGM-CSF promoting activities, even in bone marrow cells.

• Scott JD, Pawson T
• Cell communication: the inside story.
• Sci Am. 2000; 282: 72-9

• Al-Shami A, Naccache PH
• Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-activated signaling pathways in human neutrophils. Involvement of Jak2 in the stimulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 5333-8
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• Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) regulates many of the biological activities of human neutrophils. The signaling pathways via which these effects are mediated are not fully understood. We have shown previously that GM-CSF treatment of human neutrophils activates the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (Jak/STAT) pathway and, more specifically, Jak2, STAT3, and STAT5B in neutrophils. GM-CSF also stimulates the activity of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) in a tyrosine kinase-dependent manner. Here we report that pretreating the cells with a Jak2 inhibitor (AG-490) abolishes tyrosine phosphorylation of the p85 subunit of PI3-kinase induced by GM-CSF. Furthermore, p85 was found to associate with Jak2, but not with Lyn, in stimulated cells in situ and with its autophosphorylated form in vitro; however, Jak2 did not bind to either of the two Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of the p85 subunit of PI3-kinase. Although STAT5B bound to the carboxyl-terminal SH2 domain of p85, it was absent from the complex containing PI3-kinase and Jak2. These results suggest that stimulation of the activity of PI3-kinase induced by GM-CSF is mediated by Jak2 and that the association between Jak2 and p85 depends on an adaptor protein yet to be identified.

• Wheadon H, Roberts PJ, Watts MJ, Linch DC
• Changes in signal transduction downstream from the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor during differentiation of primary hemopoietic cells.
• Exp Hematol. 1999; 27: 1077-86
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• Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a multifunctional cytokine, having different effects on primitive hemopoietic cells and terminally differentiated end-cells of the myeloid lineage. Human primitive hemopoietic cells (CD34+) were obtained from the peripheral blood after mobilization and induced to proliferate and then differentiate with a combination of cytokines in vitro. Cells at different time points were then used to analyze the expression of the GM-CSF receptor and GM-CSF mediated activation of the JAK 2-STAT 5 and MAP kinase pathways. Scatchard analysis as measured by radioligand binding revealed that freshly purified CD34+ cells expressed 36+/-1 high affinity receptors per cell (mean +/- SE, n = 3) and the level of expression was not significantly different after 3 days in culture, but rose five- to tenfold by day 8. The day 0 CD34+ cells were hyporesponsive to GM-CSF, but by 3 days in culture the cells were still morphologically immature but were actively proliferating and exhibited maximal GM-CSF induced JAK 2-STAT 5 and MAP kinase activation at the optimal time point. Further culture of the CD34+ cells resulted in myeloid differentiation associated with prolongation of MAP kinase activation but not JAK 2-STAT 5 activation. These data indicate that the JAK 2-STAT 5 and MAP kinase pathways are independently regulated and that changes in these signaling pathways occur with differentiation.

• Asada H et al.
• Grf40, A novel Grb2 family member, is involved in T cell signaling through interaction with SLP-76 and LAT.
• J Exp Med. 1999; 189: 1383-90
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• We molecularly cloned a new Grb2 family member, named Grf40, containing the common SH3-SH2-SH3 motif. Expression of Grf40 is predominant in hematopoietic cells, particularly T cells. Grf40 binds to the SH2 domain-containing leukocyte protein of 76 kD (SLP-76) via its SH3 domain more tightly than Grb2. Incidentally, Grf40 binds to linker for activation of T cells (LAT) possibly via its SH2 domain. Overexpression of wild-type Grf40 in Jurkat cells induced a significant increase of SLP-76-dependent interleukin (IL)-2 promoter and nuclear factor of activated T cell (NF-AT) activation upon T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation, whereas the COOH-terminal SH3-deleted Grf40 mutant lacked any recognizable increase in IL-2 promoter activity. Furthermore, the SH2-deleted Grf40 mutant led to a marked inhibition of these regulatory activities, the effect of which is apparently stronger than that of the SH2-deleted Grb2 mutant. Our data suggest that Grf40 is an adaptor molecule involved in TCR-mediated signaling through a more efficient interaction than Grb2 with SLP-76 and LAT.

• Tanaka N et al.
• Possible involvement of a novel STAM-associated molecule "AMSH" in intracellular signal transduction mediated by cytokines.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 19129-35
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• STAM containing an SH3 (Src homology 3) domain and an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif was previously revealed to be implicated in signaling pathways immediately downstream of Jak2 and Jak3 tyrosine kinases associated with cytokine receptors. We molecularly cloned a novel molecule interacting with the SH3 domain of STAM, which was named AMSH (associated molecule with the SH3 domain of STAM). AMSH contains a putative bipartite nuclear localization signal and a homologous region of a c-Jun activation domain-binding protein 1 (JAB1) subdomain in addition to a binding site for the SH3 domain of STAM. AMSH mutant deleted of the C-terminal half conferred dominant negative effects on signaling for DNA synthesis and c-myc induction mediated by interleukin 2 and granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor. These results suggest that AMSH plays a critical role in the cytokine-mediated intracellular signal transduction downstream of the Jak2/Jak3.STAM complex.

• Stoiber D, Kovarik P, Cohney S, Johnston JA, Steinlein P, Decker T
• Lipopolysaccharide induces in macrophages the synthesis of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 and suppresses signal transduction in response to the activating factor IFN-gamma.
• J Immunol. 1999; 163: 2640-7
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• The goal of this study was to investigate how bacterial LPS affects macrophage responsiveness to the activating factor IFN-gamma. Pretreatment of macrophages with LPS for <2 h increased the transcriptional response to IFN-gamma. In contrast, simultaneous stimulation with IFN-gamma and LPS, or pretreatment with LPS for >4 h, suppressed Stat1 tyrosine 701 phosphorylation, dimerization, and transcriptional activity in response to IFN-gamma. Consistently, the induction of MHCII protein by IFN-gamma was antagonized by LPS pretreatment. Neutralizing Abs to IL-10 were without effect on LPS-mediated suppression of Stat1 activation. Decreased IFN-gamma signal transduction after LPS treatment corresponded to a direct induction of suppressor of cytokine signaling3 (SOCS3) mRNA and protein. Under the same conditions socs1, socs2, and cis genes were not transcribed. In transfection assays, SOCS3 was found to suppress the transcriptional response of macrophages to IFN-gamma. A causal link of decreased IFN-gamma signaling to SOCS3 induction was also suggested by the LPS-dependent reduction of IFN-gamma-mediated Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) activation. Further consistent with inhibitory activity of SOCS3, LPS also inhibited the JAK2-dependent activation of Stat5 by GM-CSF. Our results thus link the deactivating effect of chronic LPS exposure on macrophages with its ability to induce SOCS3.

• Maeda T et al.
• Loss of tumorigenicity of human breast cancer cells engineered to produce IL-2, IL-4 or GM-CSF in nude mice.
• Int J Oncol. 1999; 15: 943-7
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• Human breast cancer cells (OCUB-M), retrovirally transduced with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-2 (IL-2) or IL-4 gene were examined for their antitumor activities in nude mice. Although cell proliferation rates in vitro of these cytokine-producing cells were not significantly different from that of wild-type cells, nude mice that were subcutaneously inoculated with cytokine-producing cells did not develop tumors in contrast to mice that were injected with wild-type cells. Injection of GM-CSF-producing cells into the vicinity of growing wild-type tumors retarded subsequent growth of wild-type tumors. Histological examination of tumors which received GM-CSF-producing cells revealed marked infiltration of mononuclear cells around the tumors. Irradiation of cytokine-producing cells diminished their proliferation capacity but production of cytokine(s) was retained. Therefore, inoculation of irradiated cytokine producer cells into growing tumors can be used as a therapeutic maneuver for breast cancer.

• Moodie SA, Alleman-Sposeto J, Gustafson TA
• Identification of the APS protein as a novel insulin receptor substrate.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 11186-93
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• In order to identify novel substrates involved in insulin receptor signaling, a yeast two-hybrid 3T3-L1 adipocyte cDNA library was screened with the cytoplasmic domain of the human insulin receptor as bait. Here we describe the isolation and characterization of an interacting protein, APS, which contains pleckstrin homology and Src homology 2 domains and several potential tyrosine phosphorylation sites. APS mRNA and protein are expressed primarily in skeletal muscle, heart, and adipose tissue, and in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We show that APS associates with phosphotyrosines situated within the activation loop of the insulin receptor via the APS Src homology 2 domain. Insulin stimulation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes resulted in rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of endogenous APS on tyrosine 618, whereas platelet-derived growth factor treatment resulted in no APS phosphorylation. In summary, we have identified a new insulin receptor substrate that is primarily expressed in insulin-responsive tissues and in 3T3-L1 adipocytes whose phosphorylation shows insulin receptor specificity. These findings suggest a potential role for APS in insulin-regulated metabolic signaling pathways.

• Dijkers PF et al.
• Regulation and function of protein kinase B and MAP kinase activation by the IL-5/GM-CSF/IL-3 receptor.
• Oncogene. 1999; 18: 3334-42
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• Interleukin (IL)-3, IL-5 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) regulate proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of target cells. Receptors for these cytokines consist of a cytokine-specific alpha subunit and a common shared beta c subunit. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the beta c is thought to play a critical role in mediating signal transduction events. We have examined the effect of mutation of beta c tyrosines on the activation of multiple signal transduction pathways. Activation of protein kinase B (PKB) required JAK2 and was inhibited by dominant-negative phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (P13K). Overexpression of JAK2 was sufficient to activate both protein kinase B (PKB) and extracellular regulated kinase-1 (ERK1). Tyrosine 577 and 612 were found to be critical for the activation of PKB and ERK1, but not activation of STAT transcription factors. Activation of both PKB and ERK have been implicated in the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis. We generated GM-CSFR stable cell lines expressing receptor mutants to evaluate their effect on these processes. Activation of both PKB and ERK was perturbed, while STAT activation remained unaffected. Tyrosines 577 and 612 were necessary for optimal proliferation, however, mutation of these tyrosine residues did not affect GM-CSF mediated rescue from apoptosis. These data demonstrate that while phosphorylation of beta c tyrosine residues 577 and 612 are important for optimal cell proliferation, rescue from apoptosis can be mediated by alternative signalling routes apparently independent of PKB or ERK activation.

• Liva SM, Kahn MA, Dopp JM, de Vellis J
• Signal transduction pathways induced by GM-CSF in microglia: significance in the control of proliferation.
• Glia. 1999; 26: 344-52
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• Communication between cells of the central nervous system (CNS) and of the immune system is accomplished by a network of cytokines and growth factors. Certain cytokines and growth factors cause activation of microglia, contributing to inflammatory states in the CNS. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has numerous effects on microglia, ranging from induction of proliferation to changes in morphology. GM-CSF is also a growth factor for cells of the myeloid lineage, and the signal tranduction induced by GM-CSF in these cells has been extensively studied. Most notably, the importance of the Jak/STAT and MAP kinase pathways in mitogenesis has been shown in many different systems. We show here that primary microglia and a microglia cell line, BV-2, have a Jak/STAT expression pattern and GM-CSF inducibility similar to that of monocytes and macrophages. Primary microglia and BV-2 cells expressed identical Jak/STATs: Jakl, Jak2, Jak3, Tyk2, STAT1alpha/beta, STAT3, STAT5A, STAT5B, and STAT6. In addition, GM-CSF induced Jak2, STAT5A, and STAT5B in BV-2 cells, as it does in monocytes and macrophages. Immunocytochemical analysis showed that STAT5 translocates to the nucleus following GM-CSF stimulation of microglia. We also found the MAP kinases, ERK1 and ERK2, to be phosphorylated in microglia and BV-2 cells following induction by GM-CSF. Jak2, STAT5A, STAT5B, and ERKs are known to be important in controlling cellular proliferation. Drugs that block these pathways may become tools to control inflammation in the CNS by limiting microglial proliferation.

• Okuda K, Foster R, Griffin JD
• Signaling domains of the beta c chain of the GM-CSF/IL-3/IL-5 receptor.
• Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999; 872: 305-12
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• The granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)/interleukin-3 (IL-3)/IL-5 receptors are a family of heterodimeric transmembrane proteins expressed by myeloid lineage cells. Each receptor has a unique ligand-binding alpha chain and they share a common beta chain (beta c chain). Binding of GM-CSF activates at least one receptor-associated tyrosine kinase, JAK2, and rapidly induces tyrosine phosphorylation of the GMR beta c chain (GMR beta), but not the GMR alpha chain (GMR alpha). Mutation of each of the 8 tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic domain of the human GMR beta to phenylalanine (GMR beta-F8) reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of GMR beta, SHP2 and SHC, but not JAK2 or STAT5. Interestingly, GMR beta-F8 was still capable of inducing at least short-term proliferation and enhancing viability. The role of each individual tyrosine residue was explored by replacing each mutated phenylalanine with the wild-type tyrosine residue. Tyrosine 577 was found to be sufficient to regenerate GM-CSF-dependent phosphorylation of SHC, and any of Y577, Y612, or Y695 were sufficient to regenerate GM-CSF-inducible phosphorylation of SHP2. Next, a series of four internal deletion mutants were generated, which deleted small sections from aa 518 to 626. One of these, deleting residues 566-589 was profoundly defective in signaling and supporting viability, and may identify an important viability signaling domain for this receptor family. Overall, these results indicate that GMR beta tyrosine residues are not necessary for activation of the JAK/STAT pathway, or for proliferation, viability, or adhesion signaling in Ba/F3 cells, although tyrosine residues significantly affect the magnitude of the response. However, internal deletion mutant studies identify critical domains for viability and proliferation.

• Che S et al.
• Identification and cloning of xp95, a putative signal transduction protein in Xenopus oocytes.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 5522-31
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• A 95-kDa protein in Xenopus oocytes, Xp95, was shown to be phosphorylated from the first through the second meiotic divisions during progesterone-induced oocyte maturation. Xp95 was purified and cloned. The Xp95 protein sequence exhibited homology to mouse Rhophilin, budding yeast Bro1, and Aspergillus PalA, all of which are implicated in signal transduction. It also contained three conserved features including seven conserved tyrosines, a phosphorylation consensus sequence for the Src family of tyrosine kinases, and a proline-rich domain near the C terminus that contains multiple SH3 domain-binding motifs. We showed the following: 1) that both Xp95 isolated from Xenopus oocytes and a synthetic peptide containing the Src phosphorylation consensus sequence of Xp95 were phosphorylated in vitro by Src kinase and to a lesser extent by Fyn kinase; 2) Xp95 from Xenopus oocytes or eggs was recognized by an anti-phosphotyrosine antibody, and the relative abundance of tyrosine-phosphorylated Xp95 increased during oocyte maturation; and 3) microinjection of deregulated Src mRNA into Xenopus oocytes increased the abundance of tyrosine-phosphorylated Xp95. These results suggest that Xp95 is an element in a tyrosine kinase signaling pathway that may be involved in progesterone-induced Xenopus oocyte maturation.

• Liu R, Itoh T, Arai KI, Watanabe S
• Two distinct signaling pathways downstream of Janus kinase 2 play redundant roles for antiapoptotic activity of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.
• Mol Biol Cell. 1999; 10: 3959-70
• Display abstract

• Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) induces proliferation and sustains the viability of the mouse interleukin-3-dependent cell line BA/F3 expressing the hGM-CSF receptor. Analysis of the antiapoptosis activity of GM-CSF receptor betac mutants showed that box1 but not the C-terminal region containing tyrosine residues is essential for GM-CSF-dependent antiapoptotic activity. Because betac mutants, which activate Janus kinase 2 but neither signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 nor the MAPK cascade sustain antiapoptosis activity, involvement of Janus kinase 2, excluding the above molecules, in antiapoptosis activity seems likely. GM-CSF activates phosphoinositide-3-OH kinase as well as Akt, and activation of both was suppressed by addition of wortmannin. Interestingly, wortmannin did not affect GM-CSF-dependent antiapoptosis, thus indicating that the phosphoinositide-3-OH kinase pathway is not essential for cell surivival. Analysis using the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein and a MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase 1 inhibitor, PD98059, indicates that activation of either the genistein-sensitive signaling pathway or the PD98059-sensitive signaling pathway from betac may be sufficient to suppress apoptosis. Wild-type and a betac mutant lacking tyrosine residues can induce expression of c-myc and bcl-x(L) genes; however, drug sensitivities for activation of these genes differ from those for antiapoptosis activity of GM-CSF, which means that these gene products may be involved yet are inadequate to promote cell survival.

• Lock P, Abram CL, Gibson T, Courtneidge SA
• A new method for isolating tyrosine kinase substrates used to identify fish, an SH3 and PX domain-containing protein, and Src substrate.
• EMBO J. 1998; 17: 4346-57
• Display abstract

• We describe a method for identifying tyrosine kinase substrates using anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies to screen tyrosine-phosphorylated cDNA expression libraries. Several potential Src substrates were identified including Fish, which has five SH3 domains and a recently discovered phox homology (PX) domain. Fish is tyrosine-phosphorylated in Src-transformed fibroblasts (suggesting that it is a target of Src in vivo) and in normal cells following treatment with several growth factors. Treatment of cells with cytochalasin D also resulted in rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of Fish, concomitant with activation of Src. These data suggest that Fish is involved in signalling by tyrosine kinases, and imply a specialized role in the actin cytoskeleton.

• Yamashita Y et al.
• Tec and Jak2 kinases cooperate to mediate cytokine-driven activation of c-fos transcription.
• Blood. 1998; 91: 1496-507
• Display abstract

• Although transcriptional activation of the c-fos proto-oncogene plays an intrinsic role in the mechanism of blood cell growth, it is still obscure how protein-tyrosine kinases (PTKs) regulate the cytokine-driven c-fos activation pathway. We present here that Tec PTK is tyrosine-phosphorylated and activated by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulation in a human GM-CSF-dependent cell line. Moreover, we could show that introduction of Tec into mouse BA/F3-hGMRalphabeta cells can profoundly activate the c-fos promoter in response to GM-CSF or to interleukin-3 (IL-3). In contrast, introduction of a kinase-deleted Tec could suppress cytokine-driven c-fos activation, indicating that Tec is directly involved in the regulation of c-fos transcription. Interestingly, strong activation by Tec of the c-fos promoter was blocked by the co-expression of dominant negative Jak2. The molecular interaction between Tec and Jak2 was then investigated both in mammalian and insect cell systems, revealing that they can not only bind to each other, but either of the two can phosphorylate the other. Thus, Tec and Jak2 can "cross-talk" in a complexed way to mediate cytokine-driven c-fos activation.

• Parganas E et al.
• Jak2 is essential for signaling through a variety of cytokine receptors.
• Cell. 1998; 93: 385-95
• Display abstract

• A variety of cytokines activate receptor-associated members of the Janus family of protein tyrosine kinases (Jaks). To assess the role of Jak2, we have derived Jak2-deficient mice. The mutation causes an embryonic lethality due to the absence of definitive erythropoiesis. Fetal liver myeloid progenitors, although present based on the expression of lineage specific markers, fail to respond to erythropoietin, thrombopoietin, interleukin-3 (IL-3), or granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor. In contrast, the response to granulocyte specific colony-stimulating factor is unaffected. Jak2-deficient fibroblasts failed to respond to interferon gamma (IFNgamma), although the responses to IFNalpha/beta and IL-6 were unaffected. Lastly, reconstitution experiments demonstrate that Jak2 is not required for the generation of lymphoid progenitors, their amplification, or functional differentiation. Therefore, Jak2 plays a critical, nonredundant role in the function of a specific group of cytokines receptors.

• Itoh T, Liu R, Yokota T, Arai KI, Watanabe S
• Definition of the role of tyrosine residues of the common beta subunit regulating multiple signaling pathways of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor.
• Mol Cell Biol. 1998; 18: 742-52
• Display abstract

• Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) induces various functions, including the proliferation and differentiation of a broad range of hematopoietic cells. We previously reported that at least two distinct pathways are involved in human GM-CSF receptor signaling; both require the box 1 region of the common beta subunit (beta c). This region is essential for the activation of JAK2, which is necessary for all the biological functions of GM-CSF. The activation of JAK2 by GM-CSF leads to rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins, including the beta c. However, the significance of beta c phosphorylation with regard to the regulation of signaling molecules and the expression of GM-CSF functions is less well understood. Here we investigated the role of the cytoplasmic tyrosine residues of the beta c by using a series of beta c mutants expressed in murine BA/F3 cells. A mutant beta c with all eight cytoplasmic tyrosines converted to phenylalanine (Fall) activated JAK2 but not SHP-2, MAPK cascades, STAT5, or the c-fos promoter in BA/F3 cells, and it did not effectively induce proliferation. Adding back each tyrosine to Fall revealed that Tyr577, Tyr612, and Tyr695 are involved in the activation of SHP-2, MAPK cascades, and c-fos transcription, while every tyrosine, particularly Tyr612, Tyr695, Tyr750, and Tyr806, facilitated STAT5 activation. Impaired growth was also restored, at least partly, by any of the tyrosines. These results provide evidence that beta c tyrosines possess distinct yet overlapping functions in activating multiple signaling pathways induced by GM-CSF.

• Gesbert F, Delespine-Carmagnat M, Bertoglio J
• Recent advances in the understanding of interleukin-2 signal transduction.
• J Clin Immunol. 1998; 18: 307-20
• Display abstract

• Interleukin-2 is one of the critical cytokines that control the proliferation and differentiation of cells of the immune system. The present article briefly reviews the current and recently established knowledge on the intracellular signaling events that convert the initial interaction of IL-2 with its receptor into pathways leading to the various biological functions. A first step in IL-2 signaling is the activation of several protein tyrosine kinases that phosphorylate a large array of intracellular substrates including the receptor complex. Phosphorylated tyrosine residues within the receptor then serve as docking sites for multimolecular signaling complexes that initiate three major pathways: the Jak-STAT pathway controlling gene transcription, the Ras-MAPK pathway leading to cell proliferation and gene transcription as well, and the PI3-kinase pathway involved in antiapoptotic signaling and organization of the cytoskeleton. Finally, other recently identified and presumably important tyrosine kinase substrates, whose significance is not yet fully understood, are described.

• Ooi J, Tojo A, Asano S, Sato Y, Oka Y
• Thrombopoietin induces tyrosine phosphorylation of a common beta subunit of GM-CSF receptor and its association with Stat5 in TF-1/TPO cells.
• Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1998; 246: 132-6
• Display abstract

• TF-1/TPO cells are derived from an erythroleukemia cell line, TF-1, and are absolutely dependent on either TPO or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)/interleukin-3 (IL3) for their continuous growth and survival. To gain insight into the molecular basis of hemopoietic activities shared by TPO and GM-CSF/IL3 in TF-1/TPO cells, we studied the cross-talk between signal transduction pathways elicited by these cytokines. Stimulation of TF-1/TPO cells with TPO resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of the TPO receptor (c-Mpl) as well as the common beta subunit (beta c) of GM-CSF/IL3 receptor complex. GM-CSF, however, induced tyrosine phosphorylation of beta c but not c-Mpl. TPO-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of beta c was time- and dose-dependent. We next examined whether or not TPO-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of beta c led to recruitment of SH2-containing molecules such as Stat5 and Shc. While GM-CSF caused association of Stat5 and Shc with beta c, TPO caused association of Stat5, but not Shc, with beta c, suggesting that TPO and GM-CSF may not induce phosphorylation of the same sets of tyrosine residues in beta c. These results suggest that activation of c-Mpl affects the signaling pathway of GM-CSF/IL3 but not vice versa.

• Al-Shami A, Mahanna W, Naccache PH
• Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-activated signaling pathways in human neutrophils. Selective activation of Jak2, Stat3, and Stat5b.
• J Biol Chem. 1998; 273: 1058-63
• Display abstract

• Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) regulates many of the biological functions of human neutrophils. This includes the stimulation of protein synthesis and the tyrosine phosphorylation of various proteins among which is JAK2. The present study was aimed at characterizing in detail the pattern of activation by GM-CSF of the JAK/STAT pathway in human neutrophils. The results obtained show that the stimulation of human neutrophils by GM-CSF specifically led to tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK2 and had no effect on JAK1, JAK3, or TYK2. Furthermore, GM-CSF induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 and STAT5 but not of STAT1, STAT2, STAT4, or STAT6. Tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 was transient reaching its maximum at 15 min. STAT5 presented a different pattern of tyrosine phosphorylation. The anti-STAT5 antibodies identified two proteins at 94 and 92 kDa. The 94-kDa STAT5 was constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated and showed no change upon GM-CSF stimulation. On the other hand, the 92-kDa STAT5 was tyrosine phosphorylated within 1 min of GM-CSF treatment and this was maintained for at least 30 min. By the use of specific antibodies, it was determined that only STAT5B, and not STAT5A, was tyrosine phosphorylated in GM-CSF-treated neutrophils. Furthermore, GM-CSF treatment induced an increase in the ability of STAT3 and STAT5B, but not STAT5A, to bind DNA probes. The specificity of the pattern of activation of the JAK/STAT pathway suggests that it may be directly linked to the modulation of the functions of mature nondividing, human neutrophils by GM-CSF.

• Lohi O, Poussu A, Merilainen J, Kellokumpu S, Wasenius VM, Lehto VP
• EAST, an epidermal growth factor receptor- and Eps15-associated protein with Src homology 3 and tyrosine-based activation motif domains.
• J Biol Chem. 1998; 273: 21408-15
• Display abstract

• We describe the cloning and characterization of a new cytoplasmic protein designated epidermal growth factor receptor-associated protein with SH3- and TAM domains (EAST). It contains an Src homology 3 domain in its midregion and a tyrosine-based activation motif in its COOH terminus. Antibodies to EAST recognize a 68-kDa protein that is present in most chicken tissues. An epidermal growth factor (EGF)-dependent association between the EGF receptor (EGFR) and EAST was shown by reciprocal immunoprecipitation/immunoblotting studies with specific antibodies. Activated EGFR catalyzed the tyrosine phosphorylation of EAST, as judged by an in vitro kinase assay with both immunoprecipitated and purified EGFR. Immunoprecipitation/immunoblotting experiments also demonstrated an association between EAST and eps15, an EGFR substrate associated with clathrin-coated pits and vesicles, which is essential in the endocytotic pathway. The association between EAST and eps15 was not affected by EGF treatment. In immunofluorescence microscopy, EAST was shown to partially colocalize with clathrin. The sequence of the NH2-terminal portion of EAST shows a high degree of similarity with a group of proteins involved in endocytosis or vesicle trafficking. Thus, EAST is a novel signal transduction component probably involved in EGF signaling and in the endocytotic machinery.

• Corey SJ et al.
• Requirement of Src kinase Lyn for induction of DNA synthesis by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.
• J Biol Chem. 1998; 273: 3230-5
• Display abstract

• Treatment of cells with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) leads to tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins. G-CSF stimulates both the activation of protein tyrosine kinases Lyn, Jak1, and Jak2 and the association of these enzymes with the G-CSF receptor. Wild-type, lyn-deficient, and syk-deficient chicken B lymphocyte cell lines were transfected with the human G-CSF receptor, and stable transfectants were studied. G-CSF-dependent tyrosyl phosphorylation of Jak1 and Jak2 occurred in all three cell lines. Wild-type and syk-deficient transfectants responded to G-CSF in a dose-responsive fashion with increased thymidine incorporation, but none of the clones of lyn-deficient transfectants did. Ectopic expression of Lyn, but not that of c-Src, in the lyn-deficient cells restored their mitogenic responsiveness to G-CSF. Ectopic expression in wild-type cells of the kinase-inactive form of Lyn, but not of the kinase-inactive form of Jak2, inhibited thymidine incorporation in response to G-CSF. These studies show that the absence of Lyn results in the loss of mitogenic signaling in the G-CSF signaling pathway and that activation of Jak1 or Jak2 is not sufficient to cause mitogenesis.

• Doyle SE, Gasson JC
• Characterization of the role of the human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor alpha subunit in the activation of JAK2 and STAT5.
• Blood. 1998; 92: 867-76
• Display abstract

• The high-affinity human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptor (GMR) consists of an alpha (GMRalpha) and a common beta (betac) subunit. The intracellular domain of betac has been extensively characterized and has been shown to be critical for the activation of both the JAK/STAT and MAP kinase pathways. The function of the intracellular domain of GMRalpha, however, is not as well characterized. To determine the role of this domain in GMR signaling, an extensive structure-function analysis was performed. Truncation mutants alpha362, alpha371, and alpha375 were generated, as well as the site-directed mutants alphaVQVQ and alphaVVVV. Although alpha375beta, alphaVQNQbeta, and alphaVVVVbeta stimulated proliferation in response to human GM-CSF, the truncation mutants alpha362beta and alpha371beta were incapable of transducing a proliferative signal. In addition, both alpha371 and alphaVVVV were expressed at markedly reduced levels, indicating the importance of residues 372 to 374 for proper protein expression. More importantly, we show that GMRalpha plays a direct role in the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) indicate that both GMRalpha and betac play a role in determining the STAT5 DNA binding complex activated by the GMR. Thus, the intracellular domain of the human GMRalpha is important for activation of the JAK/STAT pathway and protein stabilization.

• Guthridge MA et al.
• Mechanism of activation of the GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5 family of receptors.
• Stem Cells. 1998; 16: 301-13
• Display abstract

• The process of ligand binding leading to receptor activation is an ordered and sequential one. High-affinity binding of GM-CSF, interleukin 3 (IL-3), and IL-5 to their receptors induces a number of key events at the cell surface and within the cytoplasm that are necessary for receptor activation. These include receptor oligomerization, activation of tyrosine kinase activity, phosphorylation of the receptor, and the recruitment of SH2 (src-homology) and PTB (phosphotyrosine binding) domain proteins to the receptor. Such a sequence of events represents a recurrent theme among cytokine, growth factor, and hormone receptors; however, a number of very recent and interesting findings have identified unique features in this receptor system in terms of: A) how GM-CSF/IL-3/IL-5 bind, oligomerize, and activate their cognate receptors; B) how multiple biological responses such as proliferation, survival, and differentiation can be transduced from activated GM-CSF, IL-3, or IL-5 receptors, and C) how the presence of novel phosphotyrosine-independent signaling motifs within a specific cytoplasmic domain of betaC may be important for mediating survival and differentiation by these cytokines. This review does not attempt to be all-encompassing but rather to focus on the most recent and significant discoveries that distinguish the GM-CSF/IL-3/IL-5 receptor subfamily from other cytokine receptors.

• Gale RE, Freeburn RW, Khwaja A, Chopra R, Linch DC
• A truncated isoform of the human beta chain common to the receptors for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-3 (IL-3), and IL-5 with increased mRNA expression in some patients with acute leukemia.
• Blood. 1998; 91: 54-63
• Display abstract

• We report here a naturally occurring isoform of the human beta chain common to the receptors for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-3 (IL-3), and IL-5 (GMRbetaC) with a truncated intracytoplasmic tail caused by deletion of a 104-bp exon in the membrane-proximal region of the chain. This beta intracytoplasmic truncated chain (betaIT) has a predicted tail of 46 amino acids, instead of 432 for betaC, with 23 amino acids in common with betaC and then a new sequence of 23 amino acids. In primary myeloid cells, betaIT comprised approximately 20% of the total beta chain message, but was increased up to 90% of total in blast cells from a significant proportion of patients with acute leukemia. Specific anti-betaIT antibodies demonstrated its presence in primary myeloid cells and cell lines. Coexpression of betaIT converted low-affinity GMRalpha chains (KD 2.5 nmol/L) to higher-affinity alphabeta complexes (KD 200 pmol/L). These could bind JAK2 that was tyrosine-phosphorylated by stimulation with GM-CSF. betaIT did not support GM-CSF-induced proliferation when cotransfected with GMRalpha into CTLL-2 cells. Therefore, it may interfere with the signal-transducing properties of the betaC chain and play a role in the pathogenesis of leukemia.

• Migone TS, Rodig S, Cacalano NA, Berg M, Schreiber RD, Leonard WJ
• Functional cooperation of the interleukin-2 receptor beta chain and Jak1 in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase recruitment and phosphorylation.
• Mol Cell Biol. 1998; 18: 6416-22
• Display abstract

• Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) plays an important role in signaling via a wide range of receptors such as those for antigen, growth factors, and a number of cytokines, including interleukin-2 (IL-2). PI 3-K has been implicated in both IL-2-induced proliferation and prevention of apoptosis. A number of potential mechanisms for the recruitment of PI 3-K to the IL-2 receptor have been proposed. We now have found that tyrosine residues in the IL-2 receptor beta chain (IL-2Rbeta) are unexpectedly not required for the recruitment of the p85 component of PI 3-K. Instead, we find that Jak1, which associates with membrane-proximal regions of the IL-2Rbeta cytoplasmic domain, is essential for efficient IL-2Rbeta-p85 interaction, although some IL-2Rbeta-p85 association can be seen in the absence of Jak1. We also found that Jak1 interacts with p85 in the absence of IL-2Rbeta and that IL-2Rbeta and Jak1 cooperate for the efficient recruitment and tyrosine phosphorylation of p85. This is the first report of a PI 3-K-Jak1 interaction, and it implicates Jak1 in an essential IL-2 signaling pathway distinct from the activation of STAT proteins.

• Park WY, Ahn JH, Feldman RA, Seo JS
• c-Fes tyrosine kinase binds to and activates STAT3 after granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor stimulation.
• Cancer Lett. 1998; 129: 29-37
• Display abstract

• Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) induces proliferation and maturation of myeloid progenitor cells and also activates neutrophils. In order to investigate the pleiotropic effects of GM-CSF stimulation, we examined the signaling pathways of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) in GM-CSF-dependent proliferation of leukemia cells. Using TF-1, a GM-CSF-dependent human erythroleukemia cell line, we found that GM-CSF enhanced DNA-binding and tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3. GM-CSF receptor (GM-CSFR) and c-Fes tyrosine kinase were also activated upon GM-CSF stimulation. Furthermore, c-Fes formed a complex with STAT3. Experiments using a c-Fes mutant that lacked tyrosine kinase activity revealed that the activation of STAT3 is kinase-dependent, but that the c-Fes-STAT3 interaction is not affected by c-Fes tyrosine kinase activity. The results suggest that STAT3 is activated by c-Fes tyrosine kinase through direct interaction during hematopoietic cell proliferation induced by GM-CSF.

• Yoshida H et al.
• Antitumor vaccine effect of irradiated murine neuroblastoma cells producing interleukin-2 or granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor.
• Int J Oncol. 1998; 13: 73-8
• Display abstract

• We have examined vaccination effects of cytokine-producing murine neuroblastoma cells (C1300). C1300 cells retrovirally transduced with interleukin-2 (IL-2) or granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulation factor (GM-CSF) gene were established. Their in vitro proliferation rates and the class I expression of major histocompatibility complex were not different from those of wild-type cells. Five-Gy irradiation of the respective cytokine producers slightly reduced the in vitro cell growth but treatment with 15 Gy significantly impaired the proliferation. In contrast, the secretion of both cytokines from the respective transduced cells was retained compared with the cell growth. We immunized syngeneic mice with irradiated wild-type cells as a control or cytokine-producing cells and challenged the mice with unirradiated wild-type cells. The control mice developed tumors of the challenged wild-type cells, on the contrary, the mice which had received irradiated IL-2 or GM-CSF producers did not. Thus, IL-2- or GM-CSF-expressing syngeneic tumor cells can be potentially used as a tumor vaccine by inducing protective immunity against low immunogenic neuroblastomas in the inoculated hosts.

• Ettinger S, Fong D, Duronio V
• Lack of correlation between growth of TF-1 cells and tyrosine phosphorylation signals in response to IL-3, IL-5 and GM-CSF.
• Cytokine. 1997; 9: 650-9
• Display abstract

• The human cell line, TF-1, was used to compare responses to interleukin 3 (IL-3), IL-5 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). TF-1 cells grew well in the presence of any one of the cytokines in early passages. However, the level of tyrosine phosphorylation was minimal in response to IL-5, and detection of a tyrosine phosphorylation signal required high concentrations of IL-5. When grown for longer periods of time in the presence of one of the cytokines, there were dramatic difference in the cells' responses. IL-3 or GM-CSF-grown cells showed only half of the original bioassay response to IL-5. However, cells grown in IL-5 alone kept the same response, and all cells showed the same response to IL-3 and GM-CSF. IL-5-grown cells also had an increased tyrosine phosphorylation signal, along with increased sensitivity to IL-5, yet there was no difference in an IL-5 bioassay. The relative level of detection of tyrosine phosphorylated JAK-2, STAT-5, SHC, and other substrates corresponded to the overall tyrosine phosphorylation signal. IL-5-grown cells had approximately 10-fold more IL-5 receptor alpha subunit message compared to IL-3-grown. These results suggest that response of TF-1 cells to IL-5 may be deceiving in that a good response in a bioassay can be observed with relatively little tyrosine phosphorylation, but an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation can be correlated with an increase in the expression of IL-5 receptor alpha subunit.

• Grgurevich S et al.
• The Csk-like proteins Lsk, Hyl, and Matk represent the same Csk homologous kinase (Chk) and are regulated by stem cell factor in the megakaryoblastic cell line MO7e.
• Growth Factors. 1997; 14: 103-15
• Display abstract

• Recently, the cDNAs for Lsk, Matk and Hyl, three Csk-related protein tyrosine kinases, have been cloned. We have examined the relationship of Lsk, Matk and Hyl, and found that the gene for each of these proteins is localized to the same region of human chromosome 19. Further, the proteins encoded by Lsk and Matk cDNAs are immunologically similar. These data strongly suggest that Lsk, Hyl and Matk are the same gene product. Previous reports demonstrating expression of Hyl and Matk in hematopoietic lineages led us to investigate the regulation of Lsk expression in response to stem cell factor (SCF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in M07e, a human leukemic cell line. Induction of Lsk/Hyl/Matk protein and mRNA was observed after treatment with SCF but not with GM-CSF. GM-CSF and IL-3, potent mitogens, had no effect on Lsk/Hyl/Matk expression. In contrast, PMA induced Lsk/Hyl/Matk but did not stimulate proliferation. Therefore, induction of Lsk/ Hyl/Matk does not correlate with the capacity to stimulate proliferation. None of the stimuli examined increased Csk protein or mRNA expression. These data demonstrate differential regulation of Csk family members by cytokines and suggest a role for Lsk/ Hyl/Matk in responses mediated by SCF and PMA. Further, our data demonstrate that, as has been seen in blood monocytes, cytokine driven translational control of Lsk/Hyl/ Matk is likely a critical mode of regulation. Lastly, since our studies strongly suggest that the Lsk, Hyl and Matk kinases are related and regulated distinctly from Csk, we and several of the original authors have agreed to rename this kinase the Csk homologous kinase (Chk).

• Guarini A, Riera L, Cignetti A, Montacchini L, Massaia M, Foa R
• Transfer of the interleukin-2 gene into human cancer cells induces specific antitumor recognition and restores the expression of CD3/T-cell receptor associated signal transduction molecules.
• Blood. 1997; 89: 212-8
• Display abstract

• Normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were co-cultured with a human lung cancer cell line (LC89) transduced with the interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-7, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) genes to evaluate the capacity of the engineered cells to: allow survival of CD3+ and CD56+ cells, generate cytotoxic effectors with HLA class I restricted and unrestricted antitumor activity, and interfere in the molecular organization of the CD3/T-cell receptor associated signal transduction machinery. When PBMC were cultured up to 3 weeks with IL-2 releasing LC89 cells (LC89/IL-2), the number of viable CD3+ and CD56+ lymphocytes was much greater than in cultures with parental cells or with LC89 cells transduced with the other cytokine genes. After 1 week of coculture, a variable degree of restricted and unrestricted killing directed against different targets was observed. When the cultures were prolonged up to 3 weeks, LC89/IL-2 cells induced a marked increase in specific cytotoxic activity, which was coupled to a further enhancement of unrestricted lytic function. In the presence of LC89/IL-7 cells the degree of specific lysis remained unchanged, whereas unrestricted effectors were markedly decreased. No cytotoxic activity could be induced by LC89/GM-CSF and LC89/TNF-alpha cells in the few lymphocytes surviving after 3 weeks of culture. Coculture of parental LC89 cells with PBMC was consistently associated with a downmodulation in the expression of the CD3 zeta chain, as well as of the tyrosine kinases p56ick and ZAP-70. On the contrary, LC89/IL-2 cells, and not LC89 cells transduced with the IL-7, GM-CSF, or TNF-alpha gene, were capable of reverting the immunosuppressive effect exerted by the tumor cells. This protective effect could be maintained in cultures prolonged up to 4 weeks. When the same cultures were set up in Transwell, ie, with a membrane separation between cancer cells and PBMC, the expression of the CD3 zeta chain and of the p56ick and ZAP-70 tyrosine kinases remained unchanged under all culture conditions, indicating that the downmodulation of T-cell signal transduction molecules requires a direct cell to cell contact. These results show that transfer of the IL-2 gene into the DNA of human cancer cells promotes both restricted and unrestricted antitumor activity, and is capable of restoring and maintaining the expression of molecules involved in the process of T-cell mediated tumor cell recognition, thus underlining the potential role of the IL-2 gene in the design of vaccination protocols with cytokine gene transduced cancer cells.

• Yokouchi M, Suzuki R, Masuhara M, Komiya S, Inoue A, Yoshimura A
• Cloning and characterization of APS, an adaptor molecule containing PH and SH2 domains that is tyrosine phosphorylated upon B-cell receptor stimulation.
• Oncogene. 1997; 15: 7-15
• Display abstract

• Stimulation of B lymphocytes through their antigen receptor (BCR) results in rapid increases in tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of proteins, which leads to a cascade of biochemical changes that initiates B cell proliferation and differentiation or growth inhibition. A novel cDNA, designed APS, encoding an adaptor protein with a Pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, Src homology 2 (SH2) domain, and a tyrosine phosphorylation site was cloned from a B cell cDNA library using a yeast two hybrid system. APS is structurally similar to SH2-B, an SH2 protein that potentially binds to the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) as well as Lnk which is postulated to be a signal transducer that links T-cell receptor to phospholipase Cgamma, Grb2 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. APS expressed only in human Burkitt's lymphoma cells among cell lines we examined and tyrosine phosphorylated in response to BCR stimulation. APS bound to Shc irrespective of stimulation and bound to Grb2 after stimulation, suggesting that it plays a role in linkage from BCR to Shc/Grb2 pathway. These results indicate that APS, SH2-B and Lnk form a new adaptor family that links immune receptors to signaling pathways involved in tyrosine-phosphorylation.

• Simon HU, Yousefi S, Dibbert B, Levi-Schaffer F, Blaser K
• Anti-apoptotic signals of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor are transduced via Jak2 tyrosine kinase in eosinophils.
• Eur J Immunol. 1997; 27: 3536-9
• Display abstract

• Cytokine-mediated inhibition of eosinophil apoptosis is a mechanism causing tissue eosinophilia. Previously published work suggested that activation of the Lyn-Ras-Raf-1-MAP kinase pathway is obligatory for prevention of eosinophil apoptosis by eosinophil hematopoietins. We demonstrate herein that activation of freshly isolated human blood eosinophils by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is associated with increased tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak2. The tyrosine kinase blocker, tyrphostin B42, prevented activation of Jak2 but not Lyn, suggesting that Jak2 is the specific target for tyrphostin B42 in eosinophils. In addition, since Lyn remained unaffected by tyrphostin B42, it is unlikely that Jak2 is required for Lyn activation in this model. To test whether tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak2 is linked to GM-CSF-mediated prolonged eosinophil survival, we determined the effect of tyrphostin B42 on eosinophil viability and apoptosis. Prevention of Jak2 activation by tyrphostin B42 was associated with the inability of GM-CSF to prevent eosinophil apoptosis. These data suggest that disruption of not only the Lyn-Ras-Raf-1-MAP kinase but also the Jak-STAT pathway blocks the ability of eosinophil survival factors to prevent apoptosis in eosinophils.

• Komada M, Masaki R, Yamamoto A, Kitamura N
• Hrs, a tyrosine kinase substrate with a conserved double zinc finger domain, is localized to the cytoplasmic surface of early endosomes.
• J Biol Chem. 1997; 272: 20538-44
• Display abstract

• Hrs is a 115-kDa double zinc finger protein that is rapidly tyrosine phosphorylated in growth factor-stimulated cells. However, its function remains unknown. Here we show that Hrs is localized to early endosomes. Intracellular localization of endogenous Hrs and exogenously expressed Hrs tagged with the hemagglutinin epitope was examined by immunofluorescence staining using anti-Hrs and anti-hemagglutinin epitope antibodies, respectively. Hrs was detected in vesicular structures and was colocalized with the transferrin receptor, a marker for early endosomes, but only partially with CD63, a marker for late endosomes. A zinc finger domain deletion mutant of Hrs was also colocalized with the transferrin receptor, suggesting that the zinc finger domain is not required for its correct localization. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that Hrs was localized to the cytoplasmic surface of these structures. By subcellular fractionation, Hrs was recovered both in the cytoplasmic and membrane fractions. The membrane-associated Hrs was extracted from the membrane by alkali treatment, suggesting that it is peripherally associated with early endosomes. These results, together with our finding that Hrs is homologous to Vps27p, a protein essential for protein traffic through a prevacuolar compartment in yeast, suggest that Hrs is involved in vesicular transport through early endosomes.

• Nelson BH, McIntosh BC, Rosencrans LL, Greenberg PD
• Requirement for an initial signal from the membrane-proximal region of the interleukin 2 receptor gamma(c) chain for Janus kinase activation leading to T cell proliferation.
• Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997; 94: 1878-83
• Display abstract

• The interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) generates proliferative signals in T lymphocytes by ligand-induced heterodimerization of two chains, IL-2Rbeta and gamma(c), which associate with the tyrosine kinases Jak1 and Jak3, respectively. Genetic and molecular studies have demonstrated that Jak3 is essential for mitogenic signaling by the gamma(c) chain; because it is also the only molecule known to associate with gamma(c), we speculated that Jak3 might be sufficient for signaling by this chain. Therefore, fusion proteins were constructed in which all or part of the cytoplasmic domain of gamma(c) was replaced by Jak3. Signaling was evaluated in the IL-2-dependent T cell line CTLL-2 using chimeric IL-2Rbeta and gamma(c) chains that bind and are activated by the cytokine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Chimeric gamma(c) chains containing only Jak3 in the cytoplasmic domain failed to mediate proliferation of CTLL-2 cells, but addition of a conserved membrane-proximal (PROX) domain of gamma(c) in tandem with Jak3 fully reconstituted gamma(c) function. The requirement for the PROX domain reflected an essential role in the activation of Jak3 in vivo. Despite lacking defined catalytic motifs, PROX induced an early Jak-independent signal, including tyrosine phosphorylation of IL-2Rbeta and the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2. The results define the minimal signaling components of gamma(c) and suggest a new mechanism by which the IL-2R initiates signaling in response to ligand.

• Tsukada T, Eguchi K, Migita K, Kawabe Y, Nagataki S
• Signal transduction of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor in a human endothelium-derived cell line.
• Tohoku J Exp Med. 1997; 183: 185-95
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• Granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) regulates the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic cells and is also involved in angiogenesis. The induction of protein tyrosine phosphorylation is critical for cytokines and growth factor-mediated signal transduction. The protein tyrosine kinase (PTK), JAK2 is involved in signaling through a number of cytokine receptors, including GM-CSF receptors. In the present study, we investigated the effect of GM-CSF on the cell cycle and protein tyrosine phosphorylation in a human endothelial cell-derived cell line, EA.hy 926 cells. GM-CSF induced the cell cycle progression and tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins including JAK2 kinase in EA.hy 926 cells. Herbimycin A, a PTK inhibitor, completely blocked the GM-CSF-induced cell cycle progression, protein tyrosine phosphorylation and JAK2 kinase activation in EA.hy 926 cells. Our results demonstrate that protein tyrosine phosphorylation and JAK2 kinase activation are closely related to the GM-CSF-mediated signal transduction and growth in vascular endothelial cells, and suggest the efficacy of herbimycin A in controlling angiogenesis.

• Nakamoto T, Hirai H
• [An adapter molecule, Cas, is involved in cell attachments]
• Tanpakushitsu Kakusan Koso. 1997; 42: 1494-500

• Pawson T, Scott JD
• Signaling through scaffold, anchoring, and adaptor proteins.
• Science. 1997; 278: 2075-80
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• The process by which extracellular signals are relayed from the plasma membrane to specific intracellular sites is an essential facet of cellular regulation. Many signaling pathways do so by altering the phosphorylation state of tyrosine, serine, or threonine residues of target proteins. Recently, it has become apparent that regulatory mechanisms exist to influence where and when protein kinases and phosphatases are activated in the cell. The role of scaffold, anchoring, and adaptor proteins that contribute to the specificity of signal transduction events by recruiting active enzymes into signaling networks or by placing enzymes close to their substrates is discussed.

• Jucker M, Feldman RA
• Novel adapter proteins that link the human GM-CSF receptor to the phosphatidylino-sitol 3-kinase and Shc/Grb2/ras signaling pathways.
• Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 1996; 211: 67-75
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• We have used a human GM-CSF-dependent hematopoietic cell line that responds to physiological concentrations of hGM-CSF to analyze a set of signaling events that occur in normal myelopoiesis and whose deregulation may lead to leukemogenesis. Stimulation of these cells with hGM-CSF induced the assembly of multimeric complexes that contained known and novel phosphotyrosyl proteins. One of the new proteins was a major phosphotyrosyl substrate of 76-85 kDa (p80) that was directly associated with the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase through the SH2 domains of p85. p80 also associated with the beta subunit of the activated hGM-CSF receptor, and assembly of this complex correlated with activation of PI 3-kinase. A second phosphotyrosyl protein we identified, p140, associated with the Shc and Grb2 adapter proteins by direct binding to a novel phosphotyrosine-interacting domain located at the N-terminus of Shc. and to the SH3 domains of Grb2, respectively. The Shc/p140/Grb2 complex was found to be constitutively activated in acute myeloid leukemia cells, indicating that activation of this pathway may be a necessary step in the development of some leukemias. The p80/p85/PI 3-kinase and the Shc/Grb2/p140 complexes were tightly associated with Src family kinases, which were prime candidates for phosphorylation of Shc, p80, p140 and other phosphotyrosyl substrates present in these complexes. Our studies suggest that p80 and p140 may link the hGM-CSF receptor to the PI 3-kinase and Shc/Grb2/ras signaling pathways, respectively, and that abnormal activation of hGM-CSF-dependent targets may play a role in leukemogenesis.

• Hanazono Y, Sasaki K, Odai H, Yazaki Y, Hirai H
• Tyrosine phosphorylation of a 94-kDa protein associated with GRB2/ASH is implicated in the signal transduction of hematopoietic survival factors.
• Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1996; 222: 330-7
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• Grb2/Ash is an adapter molecule that contains Src-homology (SH) 2 and 3 domains. We have examined Grb2/Ash-associated proteins in hematopoietic cells, and have noted a 94-kDa phosphotyrosine-containing protein (pp94) among them. It was shown that the SH2 domain of Grb2/Ash is necessary for the binding of pp94 to Grb2/Ash from the binding experiments using the GST Fusion proteins and the phosphotyrosine analogue phenylphosphate. Tyrosine phosphorylation of pp94 was rapid and transient, and was only observed when the cells were stimulated with factors that were absolutely required for survival of the cells (survival factors). The kinase inhibitors, staurosporine and genistein, inhibit the proliferation UT-7 cells. However, genistein does not inhibit the survival of the cells while staurosporine inhibits both the proliferation and the survival of the cells. Tyrosine phosphorylation of pp94 was sensitive to staurosporine but resistant to genistein. It is possible that tyrosine phosphorylation of pp94 might be related to the survival rather than to the proliferation of the cells.

• Xu XX, Yang W, Jackowski S, Rock CO
• Cloning of a novel phosphoprotein regulated by colony-stimulating factor 1 shares a domain with the Drosophila disabled gene product.
• J Biol Chem. 1995; 270: 14184-91
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• A unique protein with an apparent molecular mass of 96 kilodaltons (p96) was detected in the murine macrophage cell line, BAC1.2F5. The murine cDNA encoding p96 was cloned and sequenced, along with cDNAs representing two alternatively spliced forms of the protein. All three proteins possessed identical amino-terminal domains with significant similarity to the amino-terminal domain of the Drosophila disabled gene product and carboxyl-terminal domains containing proline-rich sequences characteristic of src homology region (domain 3) binding regions. BAC1.2F5 cells predominantly expressed the p96 protein, although mRNA and protein corresponding to the p67 splice variant were also detected. Electrophoretic gel retardation of p96 in response to stimulation of the cells with colony-stimulating factor 1 was noticeable within 5 min after growth factor addition and reached a maximum at 60 min. Metabolic labeling experiments showed that the gel retardation of p96 was associated with increased phosphorylation of the protein exclusively on serine residues. These data identify a novel protein that is phosphorylated in response to mitogenic growth factor stimulation.

• Linnekin D, Evans G, Michiel D, Farrar WL
• Characterization of a 97-kDa phosphotyrosylprotein regulated by multiple cytokines.
• J Biol Chem. 1992; 267: 23993-8
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• We have examined the signal transduction pathways of a number of cytokines that interact with receptors that are members of the hematopoietin receptor superfamily. A 97-kDa protein was phosphorylated on tyrosine in response to stimulation of appropriate target cells with interleukin (IL)-2, IL-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte-CSF, or erythropoietin. These data suggest that a 97-kDa phosphotyrosylprotein represents a point of convergence for signal transduction by a number of growth factor receptors that do not have homology with any known protein tyrosine kinase. To address the possibility that p97 may represent a tyrosine kinase involved in multiple signal transduction pathways, we tested the capacity of this protein to bind a tyrosine kinase substrate or ATP. Indeed, a 97-kDa phosphotyrosylprotein purified from IL-2-stimulated lymphoid cells as well as granulocyte-macrophage-CSF-stimulated myeloid cells bound to a polymer of glutamic acid and tyrosine which is a tyrosine kinase substrate. Further, a 97-kDa phosphotyrosylprotein present in both lineages also bound 8-azido-ATP. These data indicate that a 97-kDa phosphotyrosylprotein with properties consistent with those of a protein tyrosine kinase is involved in the signal transduction pathways of certain members of the newly identified hematopoietin receptor superfamily and may represent an early point of convergence in the stimulus-response coupling of multiple cytokine receptors.

• Farrar WL, Evans SW, Harel-Bellan A, Ferris DK
• Molecular events associated with the action of haemopoietic growth factors.
• J Cell Sci Suppl. 1988; 10: 243-55
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• Haemopoietic growth factors stimulate a number of consensus biochemical and molecular events regardless of the specificity detailed by unique ligand and receptor structures. Analysis of three distinct colony stimulating factors, CSFs (IL-3, G-CSF, GM-CSF) and the lymphocytotropic growth factor IL-2 reveal remarkable similar distal subcellular biochemical signals although initial membrane 'signal transduction' may differ significantly. Both early progenitor cell growth factors, such as IL-3, and late acting factors such as CSF-1, stimulate tyrosine and serine-threonine substrate phosphorylations. One substrate (p68) is phosphorylated by many CSF stimulants, including IL-2, suggesting a highly conserved role in many unique receptor(s) signal transduction processes. The proliferative CSFs and IL-2 also stimulate the expression of many of the same genes including proto-oncogenes, ornithine decarboxylase and members of the ancient family of stress response genes. Although initial membrane events may differ among the respective proliferative stimulants, biochemical and molecular convergence on highly conserved cellular substrates and the programme of gene expression is seen.

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