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Shc proteins participate in a variety of processes regulating cell proliferation, survival and apoptosis. The two ubiquitously expressed isoforms, p52Shc/p46Shc, couple tyrosine kinase receptors to Ras by recruiting Grb2/Sos complexes to a membrane-proximal localization. Tyrosine residues 239/240 and 317 become phosphorylated following receptor engagement and, as such, form two Grb2 binding sites, which have been proposed to be differentially coupled to Myc-dependent survival and to fos-dependent proliferation, respectively. Here, we have addressed the individual function of YY239/240 and Y317 in T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) signaling. We show that p52Shc is phosphorylated on both YY239/240 and Y317 following TCR engagement. Mutation of either YY239/240 or Y317 results in impaired interaction with Grb2 and inhibition of Ras/MAP kinase activation and CD69 induction, supporting a role for both Grb2 binding sites in this function. Substitution of either YY239/240 or Y317 also results in a defective activation of Rac and the coupled stress kinases JNK and p38. Furthermore, mutation of Y317 or, to a larger extent, of YY239/240, results in increased activation-induced cell death, which in cells expressing the FF239/240 mutant is accompanied by impaired TCR-dependent c-myc transcription. The data underline a pleiotropic and nonredundant role of Shc, mediated by both YY239/240 and Y317, in T-cell activation and survival.

Correlative evidence links stress, accumulation of oxidative cellular damage and ageing in lower organisms and in mammals. We investigated their mechanistic connections in p66Shc knockout mice, which are characterized by increased resistance to oxidative stress and extended life span. We report that p66Shc acts as a downstream target of the tumour suppressor p53 and is indispensable for the ability of stress-activated p53 to induce elevation of intracellular oxidants, cytochrome c release and apoptosis. Other functions of p53 are not influenced by p66Shc expression. In basal conditions, p66Shc-/- and p53-/- cells have reduced amounts of intracellular oxidants and oxidation-damaged DNA. We propose that steady-state levels of intracellular oxidants and oxidative damage are genetically determined and regulated by a stress-induced signal transduction pathway involving p53 and p66Shc.

The middle T oncogene of murine polyomavirus (PymT) rapidly transforms and immortalizes murine embryonic endothelial cells (EC), leading to the formation of vascular tumors in newborn mice, by recruitment of host, non-transformed EC. These tumors are reminiscent of human vascular tumors like cavernous hemangioma, Kaposi's sarcoma or those characterizing Kasabach-Merrit syndrome. Here we investigate the in vitro and in vivo behavior of human primary umbilical cord vein EC expressing PymT. While PymT has been unable to transform human fibroblasts in earlier experiments or controls done here, mT expressing EC (PymT-EC) derived by infection with pLX-PymT retrovirus induce hemangiomas in nu/nu mice. These tumors contain not only human cells but also recruited mouse EC as shown by the presence of human and murine CD31 positive EC. In vitro analysis shows that PymT-EC retain endothelial specific markers like CD31, Von Willebrand factor, and VE-cadherin, and reach the confluence without signs of overgrowth. They are also responsive to vascular endothelial growth factor-A. However, their proliferation rate is increased. The balance between urokinase-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 is modified; RNA and catalytic activity for the former are elevated while PAI-1 RNA is reduced. In contrast with murine model, where the PymT EC cells become immortal, the effects induced by PymT in human EC are transient. After 12-15 passages, human PymT EC stop proliferating, assume a senescent phenotype, and lose the ability to induce hemangiomas. At the same time both the amount of middle T protein and the level of activation of pp60c-src lower.

The Shc adaptor is responsible for coupling receptor tyrosine kinases and tyrosine kinase-associated receptors to the Ras/MAP kinase pathway. Shc is believed to be regulated by a change in subcellular localization from the cytosol to the plasma membrane, where it recruits Grb-2/Sos complexes and hence permits juxtaposition of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Sos to Ras, resulting in GDP/GTP exchange and Ras activation. Shc has been recently shown to inducibly colocalize in detergent-resistant membrane rafts together with the activated TCR and associated signaling molecules. To understand whether Shc localization in membrane rafts is sufficient to regulate Shc function, we constructed a Shc chimera containing the Ras membrane localization motif at the C-terminus. We show that membrane targeted Shc was constitutively localized in the plasma membrane of T-cells, and was mostly compartmentalized in lipid rafts. Membrane targeted Shc was phosphorylated on tyrosine residues and bound Grb-2/Sos in the absence of TCR engagement. Furthermore, expression of membrane targeted Shc resulted in constitutive downstream signaling, including Erk2 activation and enhancement of TCR dependent activation of the TCR responsive transcription factor NF-AT. Hence localization of Shc in membrane rafts is sufficient for Shc to acquire a signaling competent state. Interestingly, a membrane targeted Shc mutant lacking both Grb-2 binding sites was not only incapable of signaling in the absence of TCR triggering, but transdominantly inhibited endogenous Shc, supporting a non redundant role for Shc in the activation of the Ras/MAP kinase pathway in T-cells.

Functional interactions between protein kinase A (PKA) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) signalling pathways have been suggested. Unlike the type II isoform of PKA (PKAII), the type I (PKAI) and/or its regulatory subunit RIalpha are generally overexpressed in cancer cells and are induced following transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha)/EGF-R-dependent transformation. Downregulation of RIalpha/PKAI inhibits TGF alpha expression and EGF-R-dependent signalling. We have previously shown that addition of EGF to quiescent human normal epithelial MCF-10A cells determines PKAI expression and cell membrane translocation before cells enter S phase, while PKAI inhibition prevents S phase entry. Constitutive overexpression of PKAI confers the ability to grow in serum free medium, bypassing EGF requirement. Here we demonstrate a direct interaction of PKAI, but not of PKAII, with the activated EGF-R, that occurs within 5 min following EGF treatment of MCF-10A cells. Moreover, induction of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity following EGF-R activation is mimicked by PKAI overexpression and inhibited by downregulators of PKAI. Finally, the PKAI-EGF-R association occurs through the binding of RIalpha to the SH3 domain(s) of Grb2 adaptor protein, thus allowing the recruitment of the PKAI holoenzyme to the activated EGF-R. This is the first demonstration of a direct interaction of PKAI with the activated EGF-R macromolecular signalling complex.

Hemopoietic cell proliferation is mediated by non-tyrosine and tyrosine kinases that signal via uncommon and common sets of downstream effector molecules including the Grb2/c-Cbl. In the present study we evaluated tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Cbl and the interaction of the Grb2/c-Cbl complex with signaling proteins upon activation of non-tyrosine (c-Mpl) and tyrosine kinase (c-Kit) receptors leading to myeloid cell proliferation. By using the growth factor dependent M-07e cell line, we found that both c-Mpl and c-Kit ligands, namely: SCF and TPO, induce c-Cbl tyrosine phosphorylation. In these cells the adaptor protein Grb2 constitutively binds a substantial fraction of c-Cbl through the N-terminal SH3 domain. In vitro experiments showed that the stable Grb2/c-Cbl complex interacts, through the Grb2 SH2 domain, with the SCF-activated c-Kit. By contrast stimulation with TPO leads to the formation of a Grb2 complex containing JAK2. In vitro and in vivo experiments support the hypothesis that Grb2 mediates the association of c-Kit with c-Cbl. Moreover we found that, upon SCF stimulation, the Grb2/c-Cbl complex recruits Shc, probably via Grb2. By contrast the Ras exchanger factor (Sos1) was not detected in anti-c-Cbl immunoprecipitates suggesting that Grb2/Sos1 and Grb2/c-Cbl are present in different complexes. Taken together our results demonstrate that c-Cbl plays an important role in coupling both tyrosine and non-tyrosine kinase receptors to downstream effector molecules and that different signaling molecules interact with Grb2/c-Cbl complex when non-tyrosine or tyrosine kinase receptors are activated.

T-cell antigen receptor stimulation results in recruitment to the zeta chain and phosphorylation both of the syk family protein tyrosine kinase ZAP-70 and of the Shc adaptor protein, which transduces activating signals to Ras. Both ZAP-70 and Ras are required for T-cell activation. We have investigated the functional link between these two molecules in TCR signaling. She was found to associate with ZAP-70 in response to TCR triggering. This association was dependent on the presence of the aminoterminal phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domain of She. The analysis of She binding to a potential PTB domain binding site on ZAP-70 confirmed the interaction of the She PTB domain with ZAP-70 and identified the ZAP-70 phosphotyrosine residue involved in this interaction. To test the role of the She PTB domain in transducing TCR derived signals we measured the effects of the isolated She PTB domain on the activation of the T-cell specific transcription factor NF-AT. The isolated She PTB domain was designed to compete non productively with endogenous She for binding to up-stream tyrosine phosphorylated proteins and thus interfere with coupling to regulators of Ras activation. A significant inhibition of NF-AT activation by TCR triggering was observed, showing a functional involvement of She in TCR signaling through its PTB domain and suggesting an important role for She association with ZAP-70.

In murine fibroblasts activation of the Shc/Grb-2 pathway by the ErbB-2 kinase involves tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc products and the formation of Shc/ErbB-2, Shc/Grb-2 and Grb-2/ErbB-2 complexes. Tyr 1139 of ErbB-2 bound to the Grb-2 SH2 domain in vitro as well as in intact cells. Tyr 1221 and 1248 are binding sites of gp185ErbB-2 for Shc SH2 domain in vitro whereas Tyr 1196 and 1248 are major binding sites of ErbB-2 for Shc PTB domain. Inhibition of Shc/ErbB-2 complex formation in intact cells was obtained by simultaneous mutational inactivation of Shc SH2 and Shc PTB binding sites of gp185ErbB-2. Shc/ErbB-2 complexes are formed upon activation of the ErbB-2 kinase and tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc proteins; they are located in both cytosol and cellular membranes. ErbB-2 activation induces also translocation of Grb-2 from cytosol to membranes. This network of protein-protein interactions may reflect the ability of the Shc/Grb-2 pathway to act as a molecular switch controlling different cellular functions regulated by RTK activation. In fact the Ras GDP exchanger mSOS was recruited in Grb-2/ErbB-2 complexes; furthermore besides mSOS, other polypeptides present in either cytosolic or membrane preparations were able to complex in vitro with Grb-2 SH3 domains.

The Shc gene encodes three overlapping proteins which all contain a carboxy-terminal SH2 domain. Shc proteins are ubiquitously expressed and are downstream targets and effectors of activated tyrosine kinases (TK). We investigated tyrosine-phosphorylation of Shc proteins in normal and transformed cells. In tumor cells with known TK gene alterations Shc proteins were constitutively phosphorylated and complexed with the activated TK. No constitutive Shc phosphorylation was found in primary cell cultures and normal tissues. In 14 of 27 tumor cell lines with no reported TK alterations, Shc proteins were constitutively phosphorylated and formed stable complexes with novel tyrosine-phosphorylated polypeptides. Ten distinct Shc-associated phosphoproteins were identified with molecular weights ranging from 30 to 200 kDa. In a subset of carcinoma cell lines, phosphorylated Shc proteins complexed with a p175 phosphoprotein that was identified as the constitutively activated EGFR. In one glioblastoma cell line, a Shc-associated p190 was identified as the activated PDGFR. In 13 of 14 acute leukemia samples phosphorylated Shc proteins were constitutively complexed with a p140 phosphoprotein. Some of the Shc-associated phosphoproteins (EGFR, PDGFR, erbB-2, Met, bcr-abl, H4-ret) bound both the Shc- and Grb2-SH2 domains in vitro; others (p175; p70-p80) only the Shc-SH2 domain and yet others (p140) only the Grb2-SH3 domains. These results indicate that Shc proteins are common substrates of constitutively activated TKs and that the analysis of Shc phosphorylation allow the identification of tumors with constitutive TK activation.

The receptor of Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Scatter Factor (HGF) is a tyrosine kinase which regulates cell motility and growth. After ligand-induced tyrosine phosphorylation, the HGF receptor associates with the Shc adaptor, via the SH2 domain. Site-directed mutagenesis of the HGF receptor indicates that phosphotyrosines Y1349VHV and Y1356VNV can work as docking sites for Shc. The Kd of this interaction, measured in real time using synthetic phosphopeptides and recombinant Shc on a BIAcore biosensor, is 150 nm for both sites. After stimulation of the HGF receptor, Shc is phosphorylated on Y317VNV, generating an high affinity binding site for Grb2 (Kd = 15 nM). This duplicates the high affinity binding site for Grb2 present on the HGF receptor (Y1356VNV). Thus HGF stimulation can trigger the Ras pathway by recruiting Grb2 both directly through the receptor, and indirectly, through Shc. Overexpression of wild-type Shc, but not of the Y317-->F mutant, enhances cell migration and growth in response to HGF. These data show that Shc is a relevant substrate of the HGF receptor, and works as an 'amplifier' of the motogenic as well as of the mitogenic response.

The high affinity receptor for GM-CSF consists of a unique alpha subunit and a beta subunit that is shared with receptors for IL-3 and IL-5. Activation of GM-CSF receptor (GMR) triggers two distinct cytoplasmic signalling pathways, JAK2 and Ras, and is sufficient to maintain proliferation of growth factor-dependent cell lines. Shc proteins are phosphorylated upon activation of GMR and may be involved in the transmission of GM-CSF signals to Ras. To define the role of Shc proteins in cells stimulated with GM-CSF, we investigated both the network of interactions that involve Shc after GM-CSF stimulation and the effects of overexpressing Shc proteins on the proliferative response to GM-CSF. Two cytoplasmic complexes, Grb2/Sos and Grb2/p140 bind through the Grb2 SH2 domain to phosphorylated Shc, and are thereby recruited to the beta subunit. Both complexes are stable, even in the absence of ligand, and depend on the direct association of p140 and Sos respectively with the SH3 domains of Grb2. p140 is an uncharacterized protein constitutively phosphorylated on tyrosine and, in its Grb2-bound form, expressed only in hematopoietic cells, the oligomeric complex formed by phosphorylated beta subunit-phosphorylated Shc-Grb2-SoS-p140 is also induced by IL-3 and L-5 stimulation of growth-factor dependent cell lines. Overexpression of wild-type Shc proteins in growth factor-dependent cells increases both MAP kinase activation and proliferation in response to GM-CSF. These effects require the association of Shc with Grb2. Taken together these results indicate that phosphorylation of Shc proteins is a crucial step in the transmission of GM-CSF proliferative stimuli, since it creates a high affinity binding site for the Grb2/SoS complex, whose function is to activate Ras and, for the Grb2/p140 complex, whose function remains unknown.

cDNA clones of the human c-fes mRNA were isolated. Nucleotide analysis showed that c-fes mRNA contains a 2514 nucleotide open reading frame, which could encode for a 93 kDa protein, and both 5' and 3' v-fes nonhomologous sequences. Primer extension experiments confirmed that the longest isolated cDNAs are about the same length as the entire human c-fes mRNA. Sequence comparison between human c-fes cDNA and the corresponding genomic regions identified a 5' viral-non homologous exon (exon 1) located 491 bp upstream from the first v-fes homologous exon. The genomic region surrounding c-fes exon 1 contains a CpG island and acts as a promoter in vitro. Analysis of the 5' end of mouse c-fes cDNA suggested that the 5' human and mouse gene structure are similar.