Protein tyrosine phosphatases in cell transformation.

The role of tyrosine phosphorylation in cell transformation has been well established. It has been proposed that protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) may be capable of dephosphorylating critical substrates involved in the transformation process, suggesting that they represent a tumor suppressor family of enzymes. Indeed, recent work showed that overexpression of some PTPases in malignant cells counteracted the action of oncogenic tyrosine kinases although overexpression of other forms of these enzymes increased tumorigenicity. The work described herein has provided some insight into the action, both antagonistic and synergistic, of the kinases and phosphatases on cell growth and transformation.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in Leishmania donovani.

L. Donovani promastigotes were grown to late-log and 3-day stationary phase to determine the level of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in crude extracts and in fractions following gel filtration column chromatography. Over 90% of the activity was soluble in a low salt extraction buffer in both phases of growth. Several peaks of activity were resolved following gel filtration of the crude extracts indicating that multiple tyrosine phosphatases are present in these cells. Tyrosine phosphatase activity was lower in 3-day stationary than in late log-phase cells and a reduction in the major peak of activity, eluting in a gel fraction corresponding to an M(r) of approximately 168 kDa, was observed. In vivo tyrosine phosphorylation was revealed by Western blot analysis. The degree of phosphorylation of at least two proteins differed in cells obtained from late log phase cultures as compared with 3-day stationary phase cultures. These observations indicate that changes in the balance between tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation occur with increasing culture age.

Differential activities of protein tyrosine phosphatases in intact cells.

We have employed transient co-overexpression of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) with a panel of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) to investigate molecular parameters that regulate dephosphorylation activity and specificity in intact cells. Our results demonstrate clear differences in susceptibility of various forms of different RTKs to the action of PTP 1B, T-cell phosphatase (TC-PTP), and CD45, which suggests cellular compartmentalization as a major factor defining activity and overall function. TC-M PTP, a nonlocalized cytosolic mutant, is deregulated and is therefore able to efficiently suppress v-erbB- and v-fms-induced cell transformation, which is not observed with the intact TC-PTP or PTP 1B. The transmembrane PTP CD45 displays more selectivity but appears to be already active during transport to the cell surface. Dephosphorylation activity is also dependent on relative RTK/PTP expression levels and can be modulated by the SH2 domain-containing noncatalytic subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase, p85. Overexpression of high affinity binding proteins could therefore contribute to RTK-induced cell transformation and cancer.

Isolation and mapping of human T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase sequences: localization of genes and pseudogenes discriminated using fluorescence hybridization with genomic versus cDNA probes.

This work reports the isolation, partial characterization, and chromosomal mapping of several human T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) sequences and provides a direct comparison of the specificity of cDNA versus genomic probes in discriminating the location of genes versus pseudogenes by fluorescence in situ hybridization. In initial attempts to map the T-cell (TC) PTP gene using a 2-kb cDNA, several labeled sites were noted, raising the possibility of multiple related sequences within the genome. To address this, four genomic clones were obtained with homology to the TC PTP cDNA and characterized for their primary structure and their position within the human genome. Based on the presence or absence of an open reading frame and the intron/exon structure, two of these clones were found to be overlapping sequences encoding the true TC PTP gene and two were highly related but distinct processed pseudogenes. The TC PTP gene (gene symbol PTPN2) encoded by clones L17-2 and L5-1 localized to chromosome 18p11.2-p11.3, whereas pseudogenes encoded by clone L17-1, entitled TCPS1 (gene symbol PTPN2P1), and clone L18, entitled TCPS13 (gene symbol PTPN2P2), mapped to chromosomes 1q22-q24 and 13q12-q13, respectively. A direct comparison of the specificity of genomic and cDNA probes demonstrated that under identical conditions the genomic probes (containing both exon and intron sequences) readily identified a single specific site of hybridization, whereas the cDNA identified sites of both the gene and its pseudogenes. While providing mapping and sequencing information on the TC PTPase sequences, this work illustrates a strategy for addressing a recurrent problem in gene mapping studies where highly related sequences exist within the genome.

A general peptide substrate for protein tyrosine phosphatases.

The determination of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) activity using different protein substrates such as modified lysozyme or myelin basic protein is greatly affected by the type of enzyme involved, the condition of the assay, and the presence of effectors. The purpose of this study was to develop a general substrate of wide applicability with which variations in enzymatic activity would be minimized. A nonapeptide ENDYINASL derived from a highly conserved region of the T-cell phosphatase TC.PTP (Cool et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86, 5257-5261) was phosphorylated with a recombinant tyrosine kinase domain of the EGF receptor and purified on a C18 cartridge. Phosphatase activities of intracellular and receptor-linked PTPs were as high as the highest values obtained with the protein substrates. The intracellular, low-molecular-weight PTPs exhibited Km values between 0.5 and 1.3 microM, whereas the receptor forms CD45 and RPTP alpha gave values of 14 and 35 microM, respectively. All PTPs displayed similar properties toward the peptide including a low pH optimum and inhibition by vanadate, divalent cations, and heparin. Following immunoprecipitation, 1 ng of TC.PTP could be detected with ENDY(P)INASL compared to 10 ng in presence of protein substrates.

Suppression of v-fms-induced transformation by overexpression of a truncated T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase.

Rat 2 cells stably transformed by murine v-fms (pB5 cells) were infected with retroviruses containing a human cDNA encoding either a full-length human T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TC.PTP) or a truncated form (delta C11.PTP) in which an 11-kDa carboxy-terminal extension had been removed. This segment is responsible for enzyme localization and regulation. Clonal cell lines were isolated following G418 selection and their transforming properties analysed; pB5 cells containing the vector alone or TC.PTP remained transformed. These cells grew readily in soft agar, formed tumors in nude mice and were morphologically indistinguishable from the parental pB5 cells. In contrast, cells expressing delta C11.PTP showed dramatic changes in cell morphology, loss of anchorage-independent growth in soft agar and reduced or lack of tumor formation in nude mice. Both increases and decreases in tyrosine phosphorylation of specific proteins in the cells overexpressing the truncated enzyme were detected. These results indicate that coexpression of the deregulated, soluble tyrosine phosphatase with a constitutively active, oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinase leads to the suppression of the transformed phenotype.

Cytokinetic failure and asynchronous nuclear division in BHK cells overexpressing a truncated protein-tyrosine-phosphatase.

Previous work has shown that a T-cell protein-tyrosine-phosphatase truncated in its carboxyl-terminal domain (delta C11.PTP) has full enzymatic activity but no longer localizes in the particulate fraction of the cell. Two baby hamster kidney (BHK) cell lines overexpressing the truncated protein are markedly multinucleate, a state likely caused by a failure in cytokinesis. Nuclei within syncytial cells overexpressing delta C11.PTP display a remarkable asynchronous entry into mitosis. The effects require tyrosine phosphatase activity because expression of an inactive form of the truncated enzyme yields cells indistinguishable from the parental cell line. Redistribution of the enzyme from the particulate to the soluble fraction is apparently important to these observed effects because cells overexpressing the full-length, wild-type enzyme are morphologically similar to controls. Further, when these cells contain more than one nucleus, their syncytial nuclei undergo mitosis synchronously.

Tyrosine phosphatases and their possible interplay with tyrosine kinases.

Protein tyrosine phosphatases represent a new family of intracellular and receptor-linked enzymes. They are totally specific toward tyrosyl residues in proteins, and, with specific activities 10-1000-fold greater than those of the protein tyrosine kinases, they can be expected to tightly control the level of phosphotyrosine within the cell. Most transmembrane forms contain two conserved intracellular catalytic domains, as displayed by the leukocyte common antigen CD45, but highly variable external segments. Some are related to the neuronal cell adhesion molecules (NCAMs) or fasciclin II and others contain fibronectin III repeats; this suggests that these enzymes might be involved in cell-cell interaction. The intercellular enzymes appear to contain a highly conserved catalytic core linked to a regulatory segment. Deletion of the regulatory domain alters both substrate specificity and cellular localization. Likewise, overexpression of the full-length and truncated enzymes affects cell cycle progression and actin filament stability, respectively. The interplay between tyrosine kinases and phosphatases is considered. A hypothesis is presented suggesting that in some systems phosphatases might act synergistically with the kinases and elicit a physiological response, irrespective of the state of phosphorylation of the target protein.

Purification and characterization of a human recombinant T-cell protein-tyrosine-phosphatase from a baculovirus expression system.

A 48-kDa human T-cell protein-tyrosine-phosphatase (TC.PTPase) and a truncated form missing an 11-kDa C-terminal segment (TC delta C11.PTPase) were expressed by using the baculovirus system and characterized after extensive purification. The full-length PTPase was restricted to the particulate fraction of the cells from which it could be released by a combination of salt and detergent. The enzyme was entirely specific for phosphotyrosine residues. It displayed a low level of activity toward phosphorylated, reduced, carboxamidomethylated, and maleylated lysozyme (RCML), but was 12 times more active toward phosphorylated myelin basic protein (MBP). By contrast, the 37-kDa form localized in the soluble fraction, and its activity toward RCML was 5 times higher than that observed with MBP. The autophosphorylated cytoplasmic domain of the EGF receptor served as substrate for both enzymes. Limited proteolysis of either protein gave rise to a 33-kDa fragment displaying the substrate specificity of the truncated form. These data lend further support to the view that the C-terminal segment of the T-cell PTPase serves a regulatory function, playing an important role in the localization and substrate specificity of the enzyme.

Expression of a human T-cell protein-tyrosine-phosphatase in baby hamster kidney cells.

A human T-cell cDNA encoding a 48-kDa protein-tyrosine-phosphatase (PTPase; protein-tyrosine-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.48) was cloned into a mammalian expression vector and introduced into baby hamster kidney cells, and stable colonies were isolated. The expressed PTPase was found to be associated with the particulate fraction of the cells, where it was essentially inactive in an in vitro assay unless first subjected to limited trypsinization; trypsin treatment generated an active fragment of 33 kDa by the removal of a carboxyl-terminal segment of the full-length enzyme. Gel filtration indicated that the expressed enzyme was associated with a complex of greater than 600 kDa. Introduction of a premature stop codon into the T-cell cDNA at position 1012 resulted in the production of a fully active 37-kDa species that distributed between both the particulate and soluble fractions. The truncated form of the enzyme was readily solubilized by detergents and was eluted within its predicted molecular mass range. These results suggest that the carboxyl-terminal segment is important in determining the localization and regulation of the PTPase. The level of protein-tyrosine phosphorylation observed after 5 min of platelet-derived growth factor stimulation was reduced in cells overexpressing either form of the phosphatase, indicating that both are active in vivo. Overexpressing the truncated enzyme resulted in a growth rate that was approximately 50% of that observed in cells transfected with either the full-length PTPase cDNA or the vector alone.

Human placenta protein-tyrosine-phosphatase: amino acid sequence and relationship to a family of receptor-like proteins.

The amino acid sequence of the cytosolic human placenta protein-tyrosine-phosphatase 1B (PTPase 1B; protein-tyrosine-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.48) has been determined. It consists of a single chain of 321 residues with an N-acetylated N-terminal methionine and an unusually proline-rich C-terminal region. The enzyme is structurally related to the two cytoplasmic domains of both the leukocyte common antigen CD45 and LAR, a CD45-like molecule with an external segment that resembles a neural cell adhesion molecule. A low molecular weight protein encoded by a cDNA clone from T cells also shows extensive sequence similarities. The present study defines homologous domains common to this diverse family of PTPases that includes both soluble and receptor-like transmembrane forms. The cysteinyl residues 121 and 215 of PTPase 1B are conserved among all members of the family and are candidates for involvement in catalysis since PTPase 1B is inactivated by thiol modifying reagents. Two segments rich in positively charged residues (residues 33-47 and 227-238) may provide sites of interaction with inhibitory anionic polymers such as heparin or poly(Glu/Tyr).

cDNA isolated from a human T-cell library encodes a member of the protein-tyrosine-phosphatase family.

A human peripheral T-cell cDNA library was screened with two labeled synthetic oligonucleotides encoding regions of a human placenta protein-tyrosine-phosphatase (protein-tyrosine-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.48). One positive clone was isolated and the nucleotide sequence was determined. It contained 1305 base pairs of open reading frame followed by a TAA stop codon and 978 base pairs of 3' untranslated end, although a poly(A)+ tail was not found. An initiator methionine residue was predicted at position 61, which would result in a protein of 415 amino acid residues (Mr, 48,400). This was supported by the synthesis of a Mr 48,000 protein in an in vitro reticulocyte lysate translation system using RNA transcribed from the cloned cDNA and T7 RNA polymerase. The deduced amino acid sequence was compared to other known proteins revealing 65% identity to the low Mr PTPase 1B isolated from placenta. In view of the high degree of similarity, the T-cell cDNA likely encodes a newly discovered protein-tyrosine-phosphatase, thus expanding this family of genes.

Mapping of a putative surface-binding site of human coagulation factor XII.

We have localized the binding epitope(s) of two murine monoclonal antibodies (B7C9 and P5-2-1) that were shown previously to inhibit the activation of human coagulation factor XII by negatively charged surfaces. A factor XII cDNA expression library in lambda gt11 was screened with antibody B7C9, and 16 immunoreactive bacteriophage were isolated. Fusion proteins from each of the recombinant phage were reactive with both monoclonal antibodies. Two of the phage cDNA inserts were found to code for amino acid residues -6-+31 and +1-+47 of factor XII, respectively, thereby defining the limits of the antigenic peptide to amino acids +1-+31. Each of the remaining 14 recombinant phage contained longer factor XII cDNA inserts that included sequences coding for the amino-terminal 31 amino acid residues. These results were confirmed by direct binding of antibody B7C9 to synthetic peptides containing amino acids 1-14 and 1-28 of factor XII. Further experiments with a set of nested peptides also indicated that amino acid residues 1-4 were essential but not sufficient for binding of B7C9 to the peptides. Hydrophobicity analysis of the amino-terminal region of plasma factor XII revealed a highly hydrophilic region between amino acid residues 5 and 15 that contained positively charged lysine residues at positions 8, 11, and 13. We conclude that a major epitope(s) recognized by monoclonal antibodies B7C9 and P5-2-1 is present in the amino-terminal 28 amino acids of factor XII. It is proposed that binding of these antibodies to factor XII blocks interaction of the positively charged region between residues 5 and 15 with negatively charged surfaces, thereby inhibiting activation.

Characterization of the human blood coagulation factor XII gene. Intron/exon gene organization and analysis of the 5'-flanking region.

A human genomic phage library was screened using a human factor XII cDNA as a hybridization probe. Two overlapping phage clones were isolated which contain the entire human factor XII gene. DNA sequence and restriction enzyme analysis of the clones indicate that the gene is approximately 12 kilobase pairs in size and is comprised of 13 introns and 14 exons. Exons 3-14 are contained in a genomic region of only 4.2 kilobase pairs with introns ranging in size from 80 to 554 base pairs. The coding sequence of factor XII consists of multiple putative domains that are homologous to putative domains found in fibronectin and tissue-type plasminogen activator. These regions were found as separate exons in the gene. The intron/exon gene organization is similar to the serine protease gene family of plasminogen activators and not to the clotting factor family. Analysis of the 5' end of the gene shows that it does not contain the typical TATA and CAAT sequences found in other genes. This is consistent with the finding that transcription of the gene is initiated at multiple sites.

Characterization of human blood coagulation factor XII cDNA. Prediction of the primary structure of factor XII and the tertiary structure of beta-factor XIIa.

A human liver cDNA library was screened by colony hybridization with two mixtures of synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides as probes. These oligonucleotides encoded regions of beta-factor XIIa as predicted from the amino acid sequence. Four positive clones were isolated that contained DNA coding for most of factor XII mRNA. DNA sequence analysis of these overlapping clones showed that they contained DNA coding for part of an amino-terminal extension, the complete amino acid sequence of plasma factor XII, a TGA stop codon, a 3' untranslated region of 150 nucleotides, and a poly(A)+ tail. The cDNA sequence predicts that plasma factor XII consists of 596 amino acid residues. Within the predicted amino acid sequence of factor XII, we have identified three peptide bonds that are cleaved by kallikrein during the formation of beta-factor XIIa. Comparison of the structure of factor XII with other proteins revealed extensive sequence identity with regions of tissue-type plasminogen activator (the epidermal growth factor-like region and the kringle region) and fibronectin (type I and type II homologies). As the type II region of fibronectin contains a collagen-binding site, the homologous region in factor XII may be responsible for the binding of factor XII to collagen. The carboxyl-terminal region of factor XII shares considerable amino acid sequence homology with other serine proteases including trypsin and many clotting factors. A preliminary structural model of beta-factor XIIa is proposed based on the known high resolution x-ray diffraction structures of trypsin, chymotrypsin, and elastase.