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Biomedical subjects

J P Borg

Publications and source records attributed to J P Borg.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The role of the Shc phosphotyrosine interaction/phosphotyrosine binding domain and tyrosine phosphorylation sites in polyoma middle T antigen-mediated cell transformation.

The phosphotyrosine interaction (PI)/phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domain of Shc binds specific tyrosine-phosphorylated motifs found on activated growth factor receptors and proteins such as polyoma virus middle T antigen (MT). Phenylalanine 198 (Phe198) has been identified as a crucial residue involved in the interaction of the Shc PI/PTB with phosphopeptides. In NIH 3T3 cells expressing MT, p52 Shc carrying the F198V mutation is weakly phosphorylated and does not bind MT or Grb2. Overexpression of the PI/PTB domain alone as Shc amino acids 1-238 acted in a dominant interfering fashion blocking MT-induced transformation. However, expression of a slightly longer construct, Shc 1-260, which encompasses Tyr239/Tyr240, a novel Shc tyrosine phosphorylation site, did not block transformation. This was found to be due to the ability of Shc 1-260 to become tyrosine-phosphorylated and bind Grb2. Furthermore, full-length Shc in which Tyr239/Tyr240 had been mutated to phenylalanine did not become tyrosine-phosphorylated or bind Grb2 but did inhibit colony formation in soft agar. Conversely, p52 Shc carrying a mutation in the other tyrosine phosphorylation site, Tyr317, became heavily tyrosine-phosphorylated, bound Grb2, and gave rise to colonies in soft agar.

3T3 Cells↗

[Receptors for factors of the VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Family)].

Growth factors of the VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) family comprises 4 well characterized members that play a crucial role in the biology of blood vessels. They interact with 3 high affinity tyrosine kinase receptors (FLT1/VEGFR1, FLK1/KDR/VEGFR2, FLT4/VEGFR3). VEGF/VEGFR interactions have essential functions in blood vessel formation during development, specific phases of adult life, and in some pathological processes with neo-vascularization such as tumor growth.

Adult↗

Interaction with the phosphotyrosine binding domain/phosphotyrosine interacting domain of SHC is required for the transforming activity of the FLT4/VEGFR3 receptor tyrosine kinase.

The FLT4 gene encodes two isoforms of a tyrosine kinase receptor, which belongs to the family of receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor. As the result of an alternative processing of primary mRNA transcripts, the long isoform differs from the short isoform by an additional stretch of 65 amino acid residues located at the C terminus and containing three tyrosine residues, Tyr1333, Tyr1337, and Tyr1363. Only the long isoform is endowed with a transforming capacity in fibroblasts. We show that this activity is related to the capacity of the tyrosine 1337-containing sequence to interact with the phosphotyrosine binding domain of the SHC protein. This demonstrates that a functional property of this newly described domain includes relay of mitogenic signals. In addition, it shows that the same receptor can mediate different functions through the optional binding of the phosphotyrosine binding domain and that the alternative use of this domain is sufficient to direct the signal toward different pathways.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

The phosphotyrosine interaction domains of X11 and FE65 bind to distinct sites on the YENPTY motif of amyloid precursor protein.

The phosphotyrosine interaction (PI) domains (also known as the PTB, or phosphotyrosine binding, domains) of Shc and IRS-1 are recently described domains that bind peptides phosphorylated on tyrosine residues. The PI/PTB domains differ from Src homology 2 (SH2) domains in that their binding specificity is determined by residues that lie amino terminal and not carboxy terminal to the phosphotyrosine. Recently, it has been appreciated that other cytoplasmic proteins also contain PI domains. We now show that the PI domain of X11 and one of the PI domains of FE65, two neuronal proteins, bind to the cytoplasmic domain of the amyloid precursor protein ((beta)APP). (beta)APP is an integral transmembrane glycoprotein whose cellular function is unknown. One of the processing pathways of (beta)APP leads to the secretion of A(beta), the major constituent of the amyloid deposited in the brain parenchyma and vessel walls of Alzheimer's disease patients. We have found that the X11 PI domain binds a YENPTY motif in the intracellular domain of (beta)APP that is strikingly similar to the NPXY motifs that bind the Shc and IRS-1 PI/PTB domains. However, unlike the case for binding of the Shc PI/PTB domain, tyrosine phosphorylation of the YENPTY motif is not required for the binding of (beta)APP to X11 or FE65. The binding site of the FE65 PI domain appears to be different from that of X11, as mutations within the YENPTY motif differentially affect the binding of X11 and FE65. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we have identified a crucial residue within the PI domain involved in X11 and FE65 binding to (beta)APP. The binding of X11 or FE65 PI domains to residues of the YENPTY motif of (beta)APP identifies PI domains as general protein interaction domains and may have important implications for the processing of (beta)APP.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Mutation at tyrosine residue 1337 abrogates ligand-dependent transforming capacity of the FLT4 receptor.

In humans, the FLT4 gene encodes two isoforms of a tyrosine kinase receptor, which differ in their carboxy terminal regions. As compared to the short form, the long form has an additional stretch of 65 amino acids containing three tyrosine residues (Y1333, Y1337 and Y1363). Once expressed in fibroblast cells, only the long form is able to elicit both anchorage-independent growth in a soft agar assay and tumors in nude mice, and thus appears endowed with a potential ligand-dependent transforming capacity. Replacement of tyrosine 1337 by phenylalanine abrogates the transforming capacity of the long form. This residue was identified as a potential autophosphorylation site, and a docking site for a substrate important in the signal transduction specific of the long FLT4 isoform. We demonstrate that the GRB2 and SHC cytoplasmic substrates are involved in FLT4 signal transduction. SHC interaction could be crucial to FLT4-mediated transforming activity associated with the long isoform. Finally, trancripts for the two forms are detected in tissues positive for FLT4 gene expression.

3T3 Cells↗

Biochemical characterization of two isoforms of FLT4, a VEGF receptor-related tyrosine kinase.

The FLT4 gene encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor related to the two identified receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), FLT1 and FLK1/KDR. Two isoforms of FLT4, differing by their C-terminal ends, have been identified. The long form has 65 additional amino acid residues. We have shown that FLT4 is a highly glycosylated, relatively stable, cell surface associated kinase of approximately 180 kDa. In order to study the signal transduction molecules associated with the FLT4 pathway, and in the absence of a known ligand, we constructed two chimeric molecules (FF4S and FF4L) made of the extracellular region of the CSF1 receptor (Fms gene product) and of the transmembrane and intracellular regions of either form of FLT4. These two chimeric forms were expressed in Rat 2 transfectants. We assayed the ligand-induced capacity of the FF4 short and long forms to sustain growth of Rat 2 cells in semisolid medium. In a soft agar assay, only the long form was able to induce the growth of Rat 2 cells upon ligand treatment. The two forms of FLT4 therefore have different functional capacities. We looked for association and/or phosphorylation of phospholipase C gamma (PLC gamma) and phosphatidylinositol-3'-phosphate (PI3K), after stimulation of the FF4 molecules by CSF1. Finally, we have studied the expression of the Flt4 gene in mouse embryos and in the adult by in situ hybridization. Flt4 transcripts were found at day 12.5 post-coïtum and thereafter, including the adult mouse, predominantly in the pericardium, pleural membranes and in the lung.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase immunodominant CD4+ T cell epitopes: a peptide-based multiparametric assessment in the mouse.

We previously identified an immunodominant CD4+ T cell determinant in the carboxy-terminal region of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT528-543). The present study aimed at enumerating all the potential sites of HIV-1 RT recognized by Th cells in the BALB/c (H-2d) mouse model. To achieve this we used a panel of 62 overlapping 15-mer synthetic peptides covering the whole RT sequence to assay the following parameters: (i) immunogenicity in naive BALB/c mice injected either with peptides pools or individual peptides; (ii) antigenicity, as detected by their ability to restimulate in vitro T cells from BALB/c mice primed with native RT; (iii) MHC class II (Ad)-binding capacity as measured by the inhibition of the antigen-specific, Ad-restricted presentation of unfolded apamin (4-Acm) by fixed antigen-presenting cells to Ad/4-Acm-specific, interleukin-2-producing T hybridoma cells; and (iv) the presence of typical or degenerate consensus Ad-binding motifs. The results in this study permitted identification of three novel immunodominant RT mouse CD4+ T cell sites (RT276-290, RT375-389 and RT411-425) located in regions of limited polymorphism among RT from several HIV isolates. Some of these RT segments were found to be in the vicinity of B cell or H-2Kk- or HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes. Finally, the approach used in this study was found to be very efficient for enumerating most T cell recognition sites in a complex protein, a result that would have not been achieved by a single parameter-based analysis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The FLT4 gene encodes a transmembrane tyrosine kinase related to the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor.

Three receptor tyrosine kinases, FLT1, FLK1 and FLT4, contain seven immunoglobin-like domains in their extracellular region and are strongly related by sequence similarities to each other and, to a lesser degree, to the class III receptors CSF1R/FMS, PDGFR, SLFR/KIT and FLT3/FLK2. They constitute a family of receptors putatively involved in the growth regulation of endothelial cells. We describe here the structure and pattern of expression of the human FLT4 gene. Two FLT4 transcripts of 5.8 and 4.5 kb are expressed in the human placenta and several hematopoietic cell lines. In mouse, a 5.8-kb transcript is expressed in a variety of tissues. A translational product 1298 amino acids in length is predicted to be encoded by the largest open reading frame. The FLT4 protein, when transiently expressed in Cos-7 cells and immunoprecipitated with a FLT4-specific rabbit immune serum, has an apparent molecular weight of 170 kDa.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Enhanced neutral protease activity in proliferating rheumatoid synovial cells.

Proteolytic enzymes associated with rheumatoid synovial cells (RSC) have been implicated in the degradation of articular cartilage. Proteases have been measured in proliferating rheumatoid synovial cells (P-RSC), proliferating nonrheumatoid synovial cells (P-NSC), and their nonproliferating counterparts (NP-RSC and NP-NSC). The P-RSC and P-NSC exhibit enhanced total surface-associated plus secreted neutral protease activity, as compared with NP-RSC and NP-NSC. The P-RSC exhibited significantly higher protease activity in this category compared to P-NSC. The RSC also secreted higher levels of secreted proteases alone compared to NSC. The secreted protease activity alone was not related to the proliferative state of the cells. Extractable protease activity was measured in early-passaged and serially-passaged P-RSC, NP-RSC, P-NSC, and NP-NSC. Extractable cellular protease activity measured at pH ranges from 5.0 through 8.0 was not significantly different between P-RSC and NP-RSC or between P-NSC and NP-NSC. The RSC contained elevated extractable cellular protease activity measured at pH ranges from 5.0 through 8.0 compared to extracts from later-passaged cells. The neutral protease activity in the early-passaged RSC was also higher than that measured at pH 6.0 or 8.0. In synovial cells cellular protease activity was related to the proliferative state and the origin of the cells. The P-RSC exhibited the highest levels of surface associated plus secreted neutral protease activity. The RSC also possessed the highest levels of extractable protease activity compared to NSC.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗