Phorbol ester treatment inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation by, and association with, CD28, a T-lymphocyte surface receptor

E3 ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b regulates Pten via Nedd4 in T cells independently of its ubiquitin ligase activity

E3 ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b plays a crucial role in T cell activation and tolerance induction. However, the molecular mechanism by which Cbl-b inhibits T cell activation remains unclear. Here, we report that Cbl-b does not inhibit PI3K but rather suppresses TCR/CD28-induced inactivation of Pten. The elevated Akt activity in Cbl-b(-/-) T cells is therefore due to heightened Pten inactivation. Suppression of Pten inactivation in T cells by Cbl-b is achieved by impeding the association of Pten with Nedd4, which targets Pten K13 for K63-linked polyubiquitination. Consistent with this finding, introducing Nedd4 deficiency into Cbl-b(-/-) mice abrogates hyper-T cell responses caused by the loss of Cbl-b. Hence, our data demonstrate that Cbl-b inhibits T cell activation by suppressing Pten inactivation independently of its ubiquitin ligase activity.

Phosphoinositide-dependent pathways in mouse sperm are regulated by egg ZP3 and drive the acrosome reaction

Sperm of many animals must complete an exocytotic event, the acrosome reaction, in order to fuse with eggs. In mammals, acrosome reactions are triggered during sperm contact with the egg extracellular matrix, or zona pellucida, by the matrix glycoprotein ZP3. Here, we show that ZP3 stimulates production of phosphatidylinositol-(3,4,5)-triphosphate in sperm membranes. Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase antagonists that prevent acrosome reactions and fertilization in vitro, while generation of this phosphoinositide in the absence of ZP3 triggered acrosome reactions. Downstream effectors of phosphatidylinositol-(3,4,5)-triphosphate in sperm include the protein kinases, Akt and PKCzeta. These studies outline a signal transduction pathway that plays an essential role in the early events of mammalian fertilization.

CD28-dependent HIV-1 transcription is associated with Vav, Rac, and NF-kappa B activation

Activation of HIV-1-infected T cells through the T cell receptor and costimulatory molecule CD28 induces proviral transcription; however, the mechanism behind this enhanced virus expression is unknown. Jurkat T cells and primary CD4+ T cells expressing a CD8 alpha/CD28 chimeric receptor containing a mutation at tyrosine 200 in the cytoplasmic tail were unable to fully induce HIV-1 proviral transcription in response to CD8 alpha/28 receptor cross-linking in comparison to CD28 costimulation. The loss of transactivation seen with the mutant chimeric receptor correlated with a decrease in Vav tyrosine phosphorylation. CD28-dependent activation of HIV-1 transcription also required the GTPase activity of Rac1, which was not activated during costimulation with the mutated receptor. Furthermore, the mutated receptor was unable to induce NF-kappa B DNA binding or transactivation, as demonstrated by electromobility shift assays and HIV-1 long terminal repeat and NF-kappa B-dependent reporter constructs. These studies show that signaling events initiated by tyrosine 200 of CD28 are required for efficient expression of HIV-1 transcription in activated T cells.

Unifying concepts in CD28, ICOS and CTLA4 co-receptor signalling

Many studies have shown the central importance of the co-receptors CD28, inducible costimulatory molecule (ICOS) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) in the regulation of many aspects of T-cell function. CD28 and ICOS have both overlapping and distinct functions in the positive regulation of T-cell responses, whereas CTLA4 negatively regulates the response. The signalling pathways that underlie the function of each of the co-receptors indicate their shared and unique properties and provide compelling hints of functions that are as yet uncovered. Here, we outline the shared and distinct signalling events that are associated with each of the co-receptors and provide unifying concepts that are related to signalling functions of these co-receptors.

Lipid phosphatases in the regulation of T cell activation: living up to their PTEN-tial

The initiating events associated with T activation in response to stimulation of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and costimulatory receptors, such as CD28, are intimately associated with the enzymatically catalyzed addition of phosphate not only to key tyrosine, threonine and serine residues in proteins but also to the D3 position of the myo-inositol ring of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns). This latter event is catalyzed by the lipid kinase phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). The consequent production of PtdIns(3,4)P2 and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 serves both to recruit signaling proteins to the plasma membrane and to induce activating conformational changes in proteins that contain specialized domains for the binding of these phospholipids. The TCR signaling proteins that are subject to regulation by PI3K include Akt, phospholipase Cgamma1 (PLCgamma1), protein kinase C zeta (PKC-zeta), Itk, Tec and Vav, all of which play critical roles in T cell activation. As is the case for phosphorylation of protein substrates, the phosphorylation of PtdIns is under dynamic regulation, with the D3 phosphate being subject to hydrolysis by the 3-phosphatase PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10), thereby placing PTEN in direct opposition to PI3K. In this review we consider recent data concerning how PTEN may act in regulating the process of T cell activation.

Role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase in TCR-signaled regulation of CD8-mediated adhesion to class I MHC protein

CD8 must be activated by signaling through the TCR in order to mediate CTL adhesion. Up-regulation of adhesion to class I protein is shown to be blocked by specific inhibitors of phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase (PI3-K), indicating a critical role for this enzyme in signaling for activation of CD8. A minimal TCR stimulus that activates CD8 does not result in a detectable increase in total cellular PI3-K activity, but an increase in PI3-K activity associated with p59(fyn) kinase can be detected. Genistein blocks this increase concomitantly with blocking the activation of adhesion, suggesting that activation of fyn-associated PI3-K is downstream of TCR-dependent activation of protein tyrosine kinase(s) in the signaling pathway that leads to up-regulation of CD8-dependent adhesion. Treatment of cells with phorbol ester also blocks the TCR-dependent increase in fyn-associated PI3-K and inhibits CD8-dependent adhesion. This suggests a feedback model for deactivation of CD8 adhesion to allow target cell release by CTL and recycling to kill additional targets. In contrast, phorbol ester treatment up-regulates integrin-mediated adhesions, suggesting complex cross-talk between the TCR and the different adhesion/cosignaling receptors during the binding and killing of antigen-bearing targets.

Novel role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in CD28-mediated costimulation

Ligation of the CD28 surface receptor provides a major costimulatory signal for full scale T cell activation. Despite extensive studies, the intracellular signaling pathways delivered by CD28 ligation are not fully understood. A particularly controversial matter is the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) in CD28-mediated costimulation. It is known that the binding site for PI3K and Grb-2 lies nested within the YMNM motif of the CD28 cytoplasmic domain. To elucidate the role of PI3K during CD28-mediated interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, CD28 YMNM point and deletion mutants were expressed in Jurkat cells. We then measured IL-2 promoter activation after CD28 ligation. Our results showed that the Y189F mutant, which disrupts binding by PI3K, and the YMNM deletion mutant both demonstrated reduced but significant activity for IL-2 promoter activation. In contrast, the N191A mutant, which retains PI3K binding ability, resulted in a complete abrogation of activity, suggesting that PI3K mediates a negative effect upon transcriptional activation of the IL-2 gene. Consistent with this idea, we found that the addition of a PI3K pharmacological inhibitor augmented IL-2 promoter activity, whereas coexpression of a constitutively active form of PI3K reduced this activity. Taken together, these data indicate that PI3K, when associated with the YMNM motif, may act as a negative mediator in CD28-mediated IL-2 gene transcription.

Multiple signals required for cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) binding protein interaction induced by CD3/CD28 costimulation

The optimal activation of cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB), similar to the full activation of T lymphocytes, requires the stimulation of both CD3 and CD28. Using a reporter system to detect interaction of CREB and CREB-binding protein (CBP), in this study we found that CREB binds to CBP only by engagement of both CD3 and CD28. CD3/CD28-promoted CREB-CBP interaction was dependent on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) IV in addition to the previously identified extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase, CaMKIV, and p38 MAPK were also the kinases involved in CREB Ser(133) phosphorylation induced by CD3/CD28. A reconstitution experiment illustrated that optimum CREB-CBP interaction and CREB trans-activation were attained when these three kinase pathways were simultaneously activated in T cells. Our results demonstrate that coordinated activation of different kinases leads to full activation of CREB. Notably, CD28 ligation activated p38 MAPK and CaMKIV, the kinases stimulated by CD3 engagement, suggesting that CD28 acts by increasing the activation extent of p38 MAPK and CaMKIV. These results support the model of a minimum activation threshold for CREB-CBP interaction that can be reached only when both CD3 and CD28 are stimulated.

LAT, the linker for activation of T cells: a bridge between T cell-specific and general signaling pathways

A key event in the regulation of the adaptive immune response is the binding of major histocompatibility complex-bound foreign peptides to T cell antigen receptors (TCRs) that are present on the cell surface of T lymphocytes. Recognition of the presence of cognate antigen in the host animal induces a series of biochemical changes within the T cell; these changes, in the context of additional signals from other surface receptors, ultimately result in massive proliferation of receptor-engaged T cells and the acquisition of effector and memory functions. Early studies established the importance of the activation of the enzymes phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), as well as the small molecular weight heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein) Ras, in this process. These biochemical events are dependent on the activity of several protein tyrosine kinases that become activated immediately upon TCR engagement. An unresolved question in the field has been which molecules and what sequence of events tie together the early tyrosine phosphorylation events with the activation of these downstream signaling molecules. A likely candidate for linking the proximal and distal portions of the TCR signaling pathway is the recently described protein, LAT. LAT is a 36-kD transmembrane protein that becomes rapidly tyrosine-phosphorylated after TCR engagement. Phosphorylation of LAT creates binding sites for the Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of other proteins, including PLC-gamma1, Grb2, Gads, Grap, 3BP2, and Shb, and indirectly binds SOS, c-Cbl, Vav, SLP-76, and Itk. LAT is localized to the glycolipid-enriched membrane (GEM) subdomains of the plasma membrane by virtue of palmitoylation of two cysteine residues positioned near the endofacial side of the plasma membrane. Notably, in the absence of LAT, TCR engagement does not lead to activation of distal signaling events. This review examines the circumstances surrounding the discovery of LAT and our current understanding of its properties, and discusses current models for how LAT may be functioning to support the transduction of TCR-initiated, T cell-specific signaling events to the distal, general signaling machinery.

Deficiency of PTEN in Jurkat T cells causes constitutive localization of Itk to the plasma membrane and hyperresponsiveness to CD3 stimulation

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domain binding to D3-phosphorylated phosphatidylinositides (PI) provides a reversible means of recruiting proteins to the plasma membrane, with the resultant change in subcellular localization playing a key role in the activation of multiple intracellular signaling pathways. Previously we found that the T-cell-specific PH domain-containing kinase Itk is constitutively membrane associated in Jurkat T cells. This distribution was unexpected given that the closely related B-cell kinase, Btk, is almost exclusively cytosolic. In addition to constitutive membrane association of Itk, unstimulated JTAg T cells also exhibited constitutive phosphorylation of Akt on Ser-473, an indication of elevated basal levels of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) products PI-3,4-P(2) and PI-3,4,5-P(3) in the plasma membrane. Here we describe a defect in expression of the D3 phosphoinositide phosphatase, PTEN, in Jurkat and JTAg T cells that leads to unregulated PH domain interactions with the plasma membrane. Inhibition of D3 phosphorylation by PI3K inhibitors, or by expression of PTEN, blocked constitutive phosphorylation of Akt on Ser-473 and caused Itk to redistribute to the cytosol. The PTEN-deficient cells were also hyperresponsive to T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation, as measured by Itk kinase activity, tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1, and activation of Erk compared to those in PTEN-replete cells. These data support the idea that PH domain-mediated association with the plasma membrane is required for Itk activation, provide evidence for a negative regulatory role of PTEN in TCR stimulation, and suggest that signaling models based on results from Jurkat T-cell lines may underestimate the role of PI3K in TCR signaling.

Regulation of T cell receptor- and CD28-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion tyrosine kinases Pyk2 and Fak by protein kinase C. A role for protein tyrosine phosphatases

The T cell receptor (TCR)-CD3 complex and the costimulatory molecule CD28 are critical for T cell function. Both receptors utilize protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) for the phosphorylation of various signaling molecules, a process that is critical for the function of both receptors. The PTKs of the focal adhesion family, Pyk2 and Fak, have been implicated in the signaling of TCR and CD28. We show here evidence for the regulation of TCR- and CD28-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion PTKs by protein kinase C (PKC). Thus, treating Jurkat T cells with the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) rapidly and strongly reversed receptor-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion PTKs. In contrast, PMA did not affect TCR-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of CD3zeta or the PTKs Fyn and Zap-70. However, PMA induced a strong and rapid dephosphorylation of the linker molecule for activation of T cells. PMA failed to induce the dephosphorylation of proteins in PKC-depleted cells or in cells pretreated with the PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220, confirming the role of PKC in mediating the PMA effect on receptor-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation. The involvement of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) in mediating the dephosphorylation of the focal adhesion PTKs was confirmed by the failure of PMA to dephosphorylate Pyk2 in cells pretreated with the PTPase inhibitor orthovanadate. These results implicate PKC in the regulation of receptor-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion PTKs in T cells. The data also suggest a role for PTPases in the PKC action.

CTLA-4 ligation suppresses CD28-induced NF-kappaB and AP-1 activity in mouse T cell blasts

The effects of cytotoxic lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) on CD3/CD28 monoclonal antibody (mAb) activation of CD4(+)/CTLA-4(+) blastoid T cells were studied in an in vitro model system. As previously reported, coligation of CTLA-4 mAb results in suppression of T cell proliferation and cytokine production. The proliferation but not the interleukin 2 (IL-2) production could be restored by addition of exogenous IL-2, suggesting that the inhibitory effect occurred at the level of IL-2 production rather than at the regulation of the IL-2 receptor pathway. To study the effects on nuclear factors critical for T cell activation, we analyzed the levels of the transcription factors NF-kappaB and AP-1. These were potently induced in CD3/CD28 mAb-restimulated T cells. In contrast, CTLA-4 ligation strongly suppressed the induction of both transcription factors. The compositions of NF-kappaB and AP-1 family members were similar, irrespective of stimulation conditions. Analyses of the NF-kappaB regulator IkappaB-alpha revealed similar levels of IkappaB-alpha protein in the preparations. However, a reduced phosphorylation of IkappaB-alpha in CTLA-4 coengaged T cell blasts compared with T cells ligated with CD3/CD28 was found. Previous studies have concluded that CTLA-4 ligation regulates T cell activation by inhibiting the T cell receptor-mediated signals. However, the present findings propose that the major impact of CTLA-4 ligation is inhibition of signals mediated by CD28.

Identification of Tyrosine Phosphorylation Sites in the CD28 Cytoplasmic Domain and Their Role in the Costimulation of Jurkat T Cells

The cytoplasmic domain of CD28 contains four tyrosine residues. Because signal transduction by CD28 appears to involve its tyrosine phosphorylation, we determined sites of CD28 tyrosine phosphorylation using mutants of mouse CD28 that retained tyrosine at one position, with the remaining three positions mutated to phenylalanine. When expressed in Jurkat cells and stimulated by mAb, only the mutants with tyrosine at position 170 or 188 were tyrosine phosphorylated. Phosphorylation of Tyr170 recruits phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase to CD28. Tyr188 has not been associated with any specific signaling event, but we found that ligation of CD28 by the natural ligand B7.2 also induced phosphorylation of Tyr188, suggesting that this event is of physiological importance. Consistent with that possibility, mutation of Tyr188 to phenylalanine severely impaired the ability of mouse CD28 to deliver a costimulus for the expression of CD69 and the production of IL-2. The functional consequences of the mutation of Tyr188 were unique; mutation of the other three tyrosines, individually or in combination, did not impair costimulation. Therefore, of the four CD28 tyrosine residues only Tyr188 is required for signaling in Jurkat cells, suggesting that its phosphorylation is a key event in the costimulation of T cells.

CD28-mediated regulation of the c-jun promoter involves the MEF2 transcription factor in Jurkat T cells

Within a few minutes of T-cell activation, transcription of a set of genes including c-fos and c-jun is activated. For maximal induction of c-jun, at least two major signal pathways are required. One can be triggered by T-cell receptor engagement or phorbol esters and the other by anti-CD28 engagement. The c-jun promoter region between -117 and -50 contains binding sites for the transcription factors Spl, CTF, ATF/CREB, and MEF2. In this study, we sought to map the sequences in the c-jun promoter responsible for CD28-mediated induction in activated Jurkat T cell by point mutational analysis. We found that mutation of the c-jun MEF2 site strongly reduces CD28 induction of the promoter in Jurkat T cells and that MEF2D is the major binding molecule to the c-jun MEF2 site in Jurkat T cells. Mutation of the c-jun ATF site also partially reduced CD28 induction of the promoter. In addition, pretreatment with an endolysomotropic agent NH4Cl, an acidic sphingomyelinase inhibitor, completely inhibited the activation of the c-jun promoter by anti-CD28 antibody treatment, whereas pretreatment with wortmannin, a PI3-kinase inhibitor, did not affect the induction of the c-jun promoter. These results suggest that CD28 signaling leading to the c-jun promoter involves acidic sphingomyelinase, but not PI3-kinase, to activate factors binding to the MEF2 and ATF sites.

Effector pathways regulating T cell activation

Activation of T lymphocytes is a key event for an efficient response of the immune system. It requires the involvement of the T cell receptor antigen as well as costimulatory molecules such as CD28. Engagement of these receptors through the interaction with a foreign antigen associated with major histocompatibility complex molecules and CD28 counter-receptors B7.1/B7.2, respectively, results in a series of signaling cascades acting in synergy and which culminate in activation of interleukin-2 gene transcription and eventually cell proliferation. Many studies aimed at characterizing these specific effector pathways have been published; however, the actual signaling molecules that transduce activation signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus and that directly regulate interleukin-2 gene transcription are not yet completely defined and remain a matter of debate. In this commentary, we have attempted to analyze the results, which are sometimes diverging if not totally contradictory, characterizing effector pathways that possibly are triggered during T cell activation.

Insulin stimulates sequestration of beta-adrenergic receptors and enhanced association of beta-adrenergic receptors with Grb2 via tyrosine 350

G-protein-linked receptors, such as the beta2-adrenergic receptor, are substrates for growth factor receptors with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity (Karoor, V., Baltensperger, K., Paul, H., Czech, M. P., and Malbon C. C. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 25305-25308). In the present work, the counter-regulatory action of insulin on catecholamine action is shown to stimulate enhanced sequestration of beta2-adrenergic receptors in either DDT1MF-2 smooth muscle cells or Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing beta2-adrenergic receptors. Both insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 stimulate internalization of beta-adrenergic receptors, contributing to the counter-regulatory effects of these growth factors on catecholamine action. In combination with beta-adrenergic agonists, insulin stimulates internalization of 50-60% of the complement of beta-adrenergic receptors. Insulin administration in vitro and in vivo stimulates phosphorylation of Tyr-350 of the beta-adrenergic receptor, creating an Src homology 2 domain available for binding of the adaptor molecule Grb2. The association of Grb2 with beta-adrenergic receptors was established using antibodies to Grb2 as well as a Grb2-glutathione S-transferase fusion protein. Insulin treatment of cells provokes binding of Grb2 to beta2-adrenergic receptors. Insulin also stimulates association of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and dynamin, via the Src homology 3 domain of Grb2. Both these interactions as well as internalization of the beta-adrenergic receptor are shown to be enhanced by insulin, beta-agonist, or both. The Tyr-350 --> Phe mutant form of the beta2-adrenergic receptor, lacking the site for tyrosine phosphorylation, fails to bind Grb2 in response to insulin, fails to display internalization of beta2-adrenergic receptor in response to insulin, and is no longer subject to the counter-regulatory effects of insulin on cyclic AMP accumulation. These data are the first to demonstrate the ability of a growth factor insulin to counter-regulate G-protein-linked receptor, the beta-adrenergic receptor, via a new mechanism, i.e. internalization.

Uncoupling Activation-Dependent HS1 Phosphorylation from Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells Transcriptional Activation in Jurkat T Cells: Differential Signaling Through CD3 and the Costimulatory Receptors CD2 and CD28

CD3, CD2, and CD28 are functionally distinct receptors on T lymphocytes. Engagement of any of these receptors induces the rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of a shared group of intracellular signaling proteins, including Vav, Cbl, p85 phosphoinositide 3-kinase, and the Src family kinases Lck and Fyn. Ligation of CD3 also induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of HS1, a 75-kDa hematopoietic cell-specific intracellular signaling protein of unknown function. We have examined changes in HS1 phosphorylation after differential stimulation of CD3, CD2, and CD28 to elucidate its role in T cells and to further delineate the signaling pathways recruited by these receptors. Unlike ligation of CD3, stimulation with anti-CD28 mAb or CHO cells expressing the CD28 ligands CD80 or CD86 did not lead to tyrosine phosphorylation of HS1 in Jurkat T cells. Additionally, no tyrosine phosphorylation of HS1 was induced by mitogenic pairs of anti-CD2 mAbs capable of activating the transcription factor NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells). Costimulation through CD28 and/or CD2 did not modulate the CD3-dependent phosphorylation of HS1. In vivo studies indicated that CD3-induced HS1 phosphorylation was dependent upon both the Src family tyrosine kinase Lck and the tyrosine phosphatase CD45, did not require MEK1 kinase activity, and was regulated by protein kinase C activation. Thus, although CD3, CD28, and CD2 activate many of the same signaling molecules, they differed in their capacity to induce the tyrosine phosphorylation of HS1. Furthermore, activation-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of HS1 was not required for NFAT transcriptional activation.

Grb2 forms an inducible protein complex with CD28 through a Src homology 3 domain-proline interaction

CD28 provides a costimulatory signal that results in optimal activation of T cells. The signal transduction pathways necessary for CD28-mediated costimulation are presently unknown. Engagement of CD28 leads to its tyrosine phosphorylation and subsequent binding to Src homology 2 (SH2)-containing proteins including the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K); however, the contribution of PI3K to CD28-dependent costimulation remains controversial. Here we show that CD28 is capable of binding the Src homology 3 (SH3) domains of several proteins, including Grb2. The interaction between Grb2 and CD28 is mediated by the binding of Grb2-SH3 domains to the C-terminal diproline motif present in the cytoplasmic domain of CD28. While the affinity of the C-terminal SH3 domain of Grb2 for CD28 is greater than that of the N-terminal SH3 domain, optimal binding requires both SH3 domains. Ligation of CD28, but not tyrosine-phosphorylation, is required for the SH3-mediated binding of Grb2 to CD28. We propose a model whereby the association of Grb2 with CD28 occurs via an inducible SH3-mediated interaction and leads to the recruitment of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins such as p52(shc) bound to the SH2 domain of Grb2. The inducible interaction of Grb2 to the C-terminal region of CD28 may form the basis for PI3K-independent signaling through CD28.

Activation of p21-CDC42/Rac-Activated Kinases by CD28 Signaling: p21-Activated Kinase (PAK) and MEK Kinase 1 (MEKK1) May Mediate the Interplay Between CD3 and CD28 Signals

CD28, a T cell costimulatory receptor, provides a signal that induces both optimal proliferation and the production of IL-2 by TCR-activated T cells. We show that the stimulation of CD28 leads to the activation of p21-activated kinase and MEK kinase 1. The same pathway was also stimulated in T cells treated with the cell-permeable ceramide analogue, C2-ceramide. The combined stimulation of either CD3 and CD28 or CD3 concurrently with C2-ceramide largely enhanced the activity of p21-activated kinase and MEK kinase 1. Therefore the Rac1/CDC42-coupled pathway(s) is a candidate that transduces and facilitates cross-talk between the CD28 costimulatory signal and the TCR signal.

Evidence that a kinase distinct from protein kinase C and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase mediates ligation-dependent serine/threonine phosphorylation of the T-lymphocyte co-stimulatory molecule CD28

The CD28 cytoplasmic tail contains several potential phosphorylation sites for the serine/threonine kinase protein kinase C (PKC) and/or proline-directed serine/threonine kinases, such as extracellular signal-regulated kinases. We demonstrate that ligation of CD28 by B7.1 results in strong serine/threonine phosphorylation of CD28. It is unlikely that ligation-stimulated phosphorylation of CD28 is mediated via activation of PKC, since it was not prevented by pre-treatment of Jurkat cells with inhibitors of PKC, and it was not mimicked by treatment with PKC activators such as PMA. Nevertheless, despite for lack of detectable effects of PMA treatment on CD28 phosphorylation, PMA did partially inhibit the association of CD28 with the putative signalling molecule phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and the subsequent accumulation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3. PI 3-kinase exhibits dual specificity as both a lipid kinase and a protein serine kinase, and site-specific mutagenesis of the Tyr173 residue in the CD28 cytoplasmic tail, which abolishes CD28 coupling to PI 3-kinase [Pages, Ragueneau, Rottapel, Truneh, Nunes, Imbert and Olive (1994) Nature (London) 369, 327-329], also prevents ligation-stimulated phosphorylation of CD28. However, the two PI 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 had no effect on phosphorylation of CD28 after ligation by B7.1. This study therefore demonstrates that (1) a CD28-activated serine/threonine kinase distinct from both PKC and PI 3-kinase mediates ligation-stimulated CD28 phosphorylation, and (2) the PMA-stimulated down-regulation of the coupling of CD28 to PI 3-kinase is not due to PMA-stimulated phosphorylation of CD28.

CD43-specific activation of T cells induces association of CD43 to Fyn kinase

CD43, the most abundant membrane protein of T lymphocytes, is able to initiate signal transduction pathways that lead to Ca2+ mobilization and interleukin-2 production, yet the molecular events involved in CD43's signal transduction pathway are poorly understood. In the present report we show that activation of both purified T lymphocytes and Jurkat cells, through CD43 cross-linking with the anti-CD43 L10 monoclonal antibody, induced CD43 association to Fyn kinase. This association is mediated by the Src homology 3 (SH3) domain of Fyn, since a glutathione S-transferase-Fyn SH3 fusion protein was able to precipitate CD43 from lysates of CD43-activated T cells. A synthetic peptide containing the SH3 binding sites of p85, located within the amino acid sequence 300ERQPAPALPPKPPKP314, was able to inhibit binding of CD43 to Fyn as well as to the glutathione S-transferase-Fyn SH3 fusion protein. We also provide evidence that upon CD43 cross-linking, Fyn is tyrosine-phosphorylated in a time-dependent manner. Our results suggest that CD43 cross-linking on the T cell surface induces the interaction between CD43 and Fyn, presumably through the Fyn SH3 domain and a putative SH3 binding site in CD43, leading to Fyn tyrosine phosphorylation and signal propagation.

Phosphorylation of each of the distal three tyrosines of the CD28 cytoplasmic tail is required for CD28-induced T cell IL-2 secretion

Signaling by the CD28 T cell costimulatory receptor is known to involve recruitment and activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) which is dependent upon phosphorylation of tyrosine 173 of the CD28 cytoplasmic tail, present in a YMNM motif. However, whether this phosphorylation is required for CD28 costimulation and whether or not phosphorylation of any of the other three tyrosines of the CD28 cytoplasmic tail (tyrosines 188, 191 and 200) is also important for CD28 induced responses is unclear. To address this we examined the ability of chimeric receptors, consisting of the extracellular plus transmembrane membrane domain of human CD8 alpha linked to different mutated human CD28 cytoplasmic tails, to induce IL-2 secretion in Jurkat T leukemia cells in the presence of PMA and ionomycin. A receptor in which tyrosine 173 of the CD28 tail was mutated to phenylalanine was able to induce IL-2. By contrast, receptors which contained single tyrosine 188, 191 or 200 to phenylalanine substitutions were unable to induce IL-2. These results imply that in this system phosphorylation of tyrosine 173 and hence activation of PI3-kinase is not required for CD28 induced IL-2 secretion. Further, they imply that phosphorylation of each of tyrosines 188, 191 and 200 is necessary for this response. Despite an apparent requirement for phosphorylation of all three of these tyrosines, however, receptors which contain tyrosine only at positions 191 or 200 and a truncated receptor which does not contain tyrosine 200 induce normal IL-2. These last findings, therefore, illustrate the complexity of CD28 mediated activation signals.

CD28: a signalling perspective

CD28 and the related molecule cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated molecule-4 (CTLA-4), together with their natural ligands B7.1 and B7.2, have been implicated in the differential regulation of several immune responses. CD28 provides signals during T cell activation which are required for the production of interleukin 2 and other cytokines and chemokines, and it has also been implicated in the regulation of T cell anergy and programmed T cell death. The biochemical signals provided by CD28 are cyclosporin A-resistant and complement those provided by the T cell antigen receptor to allow full activation of T cells. Multiple signalling cascades which may be independent of, or dependent on, protein tyrosine kinase activation have been demonstrated to be activated by CD28, including activation of phospholipase C, p21ran, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, sphingomyelinase/ceramide and 5-lipoxygenase. The relative contributions of these cascades to overall CD28 signalling are still unknown, but probably depend on the state of activation of the T cell and the level of CD28 activation. The importance of these signalling cascades (in particular the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-mediated cascade) to functional indications of CD28 activation, such as interleukin 2 gene regulation, has been investigated using pharmacological and genetic manipulations. These approaches have demonstrated that CD28-activated signalling cascades regulate several transcription factors involved in interleukin 2 transcriptional activation. This review describes in detail the structure and expression of the CD28 and B7 families, the functional outcomes of CD28 ligation and the signalling events that are thought to mediate these functions.

Differential phosphorylation of the T lymphocyte costimulatory receptor CD28. Activation-dependent changes and regulation by protein kinase C

Treatment of T lymphocytes with phorbol ester and anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody (mAb) can induce proliferation and interleukin 2 production by triggering still undefined intracellular signaling pathways. We have developed a deglycosylation procedure that allows the precise identification of a distinct CD28 protein band, facilitating the analysis of activation-dependent changes in the phosphorylation state of CD28. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) treatment induced the in vitro phosphorylation of CD28 on threonine as detected in immune complex kinase assays. This effect of PMA was (i) rapid, preceding a PMA-induced increase in CD28 surface expression; (ii) occurred using kinase buffer containing either manganese or magnesium; and (iii) was found in human peripheral T cells, Jurkat T cells, and in a Jurkat subclone, J.Cam1, that is deficient in Lck tyrosine kinase activity. In contrast, anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody stimulation led to in vitro phosphorylation of CD28 on tyrosine that was manganese-dependent and required Lck tyrosine kinase activity, as it was undetectable in J.Cam1 cells. Importantly, CD28 was phosphorylated on tyrosine in vivo as detected with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies after stimulation with anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody. The in vivo tyrosine phosphorylation of CD28 was inhibited by PMA treatment and was absent in J.Cam1 cells. Thus, the CD28 coreceptor can trigger different intracellular signaling pathways, depending upon the nature of the initial costimulatory signal.