Regulation of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor by tyrosine phosphorylation

Molecular mechanisms in B cell antigen receptor signaling

Recent gene-targeting experiments have highlighted the importance of the intracellular protein tyrosine kinases Lyn, Syk, and Btk in BCR signal transduction and B cell development. In addition, the interactions of these kinases and their regulatory mechanisms have been reported. Activation loop phosphorylation of these kinases is critical for their participation in signal propagation. Several substrates have been identified for these kinases and this has led to elucidation of the mechanisms by which these kinases mediate the downstream signaling events that lead to cellular responses of B cells.

The InsP3 receptor and intracellular Ca2+ signaling

The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) is a ligand-gated Ca2+-release channel on intracellular Ca2+ store sites (such as the endoplasmic reticulum), and plays an important role in intracellular Ca2+ signaling in a wide variety of cell types. Recent studies have shown that binding of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) to InsP3R isoforms is differentially regulated by Ca2+, and that InsP3R functions are finely regulated by phosphorylation via tyrosine kinases and protein kinase C, by dephosphorylation via calcineurin, and by binding to FKBP (FK506-binding protein). In addition, transient receptor potential (TRP) and TRP-like proteins appear to couple conformationally with the InsP3R for capacitative Ca2+ entry. The importance of InsP3R signaling in neuronal function has been demonstrated by gene targeting in mice and by studies of T-cell receptor signaling, apoptosis, meiotic maturation, and cytokinesis.

T cell antigen receptor signal transduction

The T cell antigen receptor (TCR) initiates signal transduction by activating multiple cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs). Considerable progress in the field of TCR signal transduction has been made in three areas recently: first, in understanding the structure and function of the PTK ZAP-70; second, in the elucidation of the function of the substrates and pathways downstream of the PTKs; and third, in the identification of molecules that negatively regulate TCR signalling.

Qualitatively distinct signaling through T cell antigen receptor subunits

T cell antigen receptors (TCR) contain several subunits including CD3gamma, delta, and epsilon, and TCRzeta and eta which are capable of mediating signal transduction. It is unclear whether the signaling function of these subunits is completely redundant. To assess the relative signaling capabilities of TCR subunits, we compared proximal events in signal transduction by wild-type TCR complexes and TCR devoid of functional zeta subunits, as well as chimeric receptors containing the cytoplasmic domains of TCRzeta or CD3epsilon. Results demonstrate that in BW5147 wild-type TCR, tail-less zeta TCR, CD3epsilon, and TCRzeta transduce signals leading to tyrosine phosphorylation of similar sets of cellular substrates, including the receptor subunits, Fyn, ZAP-70, and phospholipase Cgamma1 (PLCgamma1). Surprisingly, unlike wild-type TCR, tail-less zeta TCR, and CD3epsilon, TCRzeta was incapable of transducing signals resulting in inositol triphosphate (IP3) generation or intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) mobilization. These data indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCgamma1 is not sufficient to drive IP3 production and [Ca2+]i mobilization. Most importantly, data presented indicate that TCRzeta and CD3epsilon engage partially distinct signaling pathways.

Differential signaling by lymphocyte antigen receptors

Studies performed during the past several years make plain that ligand occupancy of antigen receptors need not necessarily provoke identical responses in all instances. For example, ligation of antigen receptors may stimulate a proliferative response, induce a state of unresponsiveness to subsequent stimulation (anergy), or induce apoptosis. How does a single type of transmembrane receptor induce these very heterogeneous cellular responses? In the following pages, we outline evidence supporting the view that the nature of the ligand/receptor interaction directs the physical recruitment of signaling pathways differentially inside the lymphocyte and hence defines the nature of the subsequent immune response. We begin by providing a functional categorization of antigen receptor components, considering the ways in which these components interact with the known set of signal transduction pathways, and then review the evidence suggesting that differential signaling through the TCR is achieved by qualitative differences in the effector pathways recruited by TCR, perhaps reflecting the time required to bring complicated signal transduction elements into proximity within the cell. The time-constant of the interaction between antigen and receptor in this way determines, at least in part, the nature of the resulting response. Finally, although our review focuses substantially on T cell receptor signaling, we have included a less detailed description of B cell receptor signaling as well, simply to emphasize the parallels that exist in these two closely related systems.

Leukocyte protein tyrosine kinases: potential targets for drug discovery

Intracellular signal transduction following the extracellular ligation of a wide variety of different types of surface molecules on leukocytes involves the activation of protein tyrosine kinases. The dependence of successful intracellular signaling on the functions of the nontransmembrane class of protein tyrosine kinases coupled with the cell type-specific expression patterns for several of these enzymes makes them appealing targets for therapeutic intervention. Development of drugs that can interfere with the catalytic functions of the nontransmembrane protein tyrosine kinases or that can disrupt critical interactions with regulatory molecules and/or substrates should find clinical applications in the treatment of allergic diseases, autoimmunity, transplantation rejection, and cancer.

B cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus display abnormal antigen receptor-mediated early signal transduction events

To understand the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the B cell overactivity that is observed in patients with SLE, we have conducted experiments in which the surface immunoglobulin (sIg)-mediated early cell signaling events were studied. The anti-sIgM-mediated free intracytoplasmic calcium ([Ca2+]i) responses were significantly higher in SLE B cells compared with responses of normal individuals and to those of patients with other systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The anti-IgD mAb induced [Ca2+]i responses were also higher in lupus B cells than in controls. The magnitude of anti-sIgM-mediated Ca2+ release from intracellular stores was also increased in B cells from SLE patients compared with normal controls. The amount of inositol phosphate metabolites produced upon crosslinking of sIgM was slightly higher in patients with lupus than in normal controls, although the difference was not statistically significant. In contrast, the degree of anti-sIgM-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation was obviously increased in lupus patients. Our study demonstrates clearly for the first time that SLE B cells exhibit aberrant early signal transduction events, including augmented calcium responses after crosslinking of the B cell receptor and increased antigen-receptor-mediated phosphorylation of protein tyrosine residues. Because the above abnormalities did not correlate with disease activity or treatment status, we propose that they may have pathogenic significance.