The IRS-pathway operates distinctively from the Stat-pathway in hematopoietic cells and transduces common and distinct signals during engagement of the insulin or interferon-alpha receptors.

Binding of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) to its receptor on hematopoietic cells activates the signal transducers and activators of transcription (Stat)- and insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-pathways, and regulates expression of antiproliferative and antiviral activities. However, it remains unknown whether these two pathways cooperate in the generation of IFN-alpha responses or function independently, and whether IRS-proteins transduce distinct downstream signals in response to IFNs or insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1-mediated activation. Our data show that in response to IFN-alpha treatment, IRS-1 functions selectively as a docking protein for the SH2 domains of the p85 subunit of the PI 3'-kinase, but not the SH2 domain of Grb-2 which is engaged during insulin/IGF-1 signaling. In studies with THP-1 human myelomonocytic cells and 32D mouse myeloid cells, which are IRS-defective, we found that the IFN-alpha-regulated activation of Stat-1, Stat-2, and Stat-3 does not require the function of the IRS-system. Furthermore, THP-1 cells are responsive to the protective effect of IFN-alpha against vesicular stomatitis virus. Both 32D and THP-1 cells were resistant to the growth inhibitory effect of IFN-alpha, but this effect was not reversible by expression of IRS-1 or IRS-2 alone in 32D cells. Taken altogether these data show that: (1) The IRS-system transduces common and distinct signals in response to IFN-alpha or insulin/lGF-1 stimulation of hematopoietic cells. (2) The IRS-pathway operates separately from the Stat-pathway, and its function is not essential for the generation of the antiviral effect of IFN-alpha. (3) Neither the IRS- nor the Stat-pathways alone are sufficient to mediate the antiproliferative effects of IFN-alpha in hematopoietic cells, and additional signaling elements are required.

Activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase serine kinase by IFN-alpha.

During engagement of the type I IFN receptor, IRS-1 is phosphorylated on tyrosine and associates with the p85 regulatory subunit of the phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3'-kinase, which is a dual-specificity enzyme possessing both lipid and serine kinase activities. We sought to determine whether treatment of cells with IFN-alpha activates the PI 3'-kinase serine kinase. 32P-labeling experiments and phosphoaminoacid analysis of immunoprecipitated IRS-1 protein demonstrated that, in addition to tyrosine phosphorylation, IFN-alpha induces its phosphorylation on serine residues. In vitro kinase assays on alphaIRS-1 immunoprecipitates also demonstrated IFN-alpha-dependent serine phosphorylation of IRS-1, suggesting that the protein associates with an IFN-alpha-regulated serine kinase. Furthermore, IFN-alpha-dependent phosphorylation of IRS-1 was detected in in vitro kinase assays on alpha p85 immunoprecipitates, and was inhibited by pretreatment of cells with the specific PI 3'-kinase inhibitor wortmannin, consistent with a regulatory role of the PI 3'-kinase serine kinase on the phosphorylation of the protein. Treatment of cells with wortmannin also inhibited the phosphorylation of the p85 subunit of PI 3'-kinase and the type I IFN-regulated activation of the Map kinase, but had no inhibitory effect on the IFN-alpha-induced activation of Tyk-2 and Jak-1 kinases nor on the activation of Stat-1, Stat-2, and Stat-3. Taken all together, these data establish that the PI 3'-kinase serine kinase is activated by IFN-alpha and may play an important role in the transmission of type I IFN receptor-generated signals.

Interaction of the c-cbl proto-oncogene product with the Tyk-2 protein tyrosine kinase.

The c-cbl proto-oncogene product (p120cbl) forms a stable complex with the Tyk-2 protein tyrosine kinase in various human cell lines of diverse hematopoietic origin. In U-266 myeloma and 293T embryonic kidney cells, p120cbl is rapidly phosphorylated on tyrosine in an IFN alpha-dependent manner. p120cbl also acts as a specific substrate for the Tyk-2-associated SHP-1 phosphatase in vitro, suggesting that this phosphatase plays a regulatory role on the phosphorylation of the protein. These data provide evidence that p120cbl interacts with the functional Type I IFN receptor complex, and suggest its involvement in IFN alpha signaling.