Nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling of C-ABL tyrosine kinase.

The ubiquitously expressed nonreceptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl contains three nuclear localization signals, however, it is found in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm of proliferating fibroblasts. A rapid and transient loss of c-Abl from the nucleus is observed upon the initial adhesion of fibroblasts onto a fibronectin matrix, suggesting the possibility of nuclear export [Lewis, J., Baskaran, R. , Taagepera, S., Schwartz, M. & Wang, J. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93, 15174-15179]. Here we show that the C terminus of c-Abl does indeed contain a functional nuclear export signal (NES) with the characteristic leucine-rich motif. The c-Abl NES can functionally complement an NES-defective HIV Rev protein (RevDelta3NI) and can mediate the nuclear export of glutathione-S-transferase. The c-Abl NES function is sensitive to the nuclear export inhibitor leptomycin B. Mutation of a single leucine (L1064A) in the c-Abl NES abrogates export function. The NES-mutated c-Abl, termed c-Abl NES(-), is localized exclusively to the nucleus. Treatment of cells with leptomycin B also leads to the nuclear accumulation of wild-type c-Abl protein. The c-Abl NES(-) is not lost from the nucleus when detached fibroblasts are replated onto fibronectin matrix. Taken together, these results demonstrate that c-Abl shuttles continuously between the nucleus and the cytoplasm and that the rate of nuclear import and export can be modulated by the adherence status of fibroblastic cells.

Integrin regulation of c-Abl tyrosine kinase activity and cytoplasmic-nuclear transport.

The product of the c-abl protooncogene is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase found in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. We report herein that cell adhesion regulates the kinase activity and subcellular localization of c-Abl. When fibroblastic cells are detached from the extracellular matrix, kinase activity of both cytoplasmic and nuclear c-Abl decreases, but there is no detectable alteration in the subcellular distribution. Upon adhesion to the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin, a transient recruitment of a subset of c-Abl to early focal contacts is observed coincident with the export of c-Abl from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The cytoplasmic pool of c-Abl is reactivated within 5 min of adhesion, but the nuclear c-Abl is reactivated after 30 min, correlating closely with its return to the nucleus and suggesting that the active nuclear c-Abl originates in the cytoplasm. In quiescent cells where nuclear c-Abl activity is low, the cytoplasmic c-Abl is similarly regulated by adhesion but the nuclear c-Abl is not activated upon cell attachment. These results show that c-Abl activation requires cell adhesion and that this tyrosine kinase can transmit integrin signals to the nucleus where it may function to integrate adhesion and cell cycle signals.

Cell-cycle-regulated localization of tyrosine and threonine phosphoepitopes at the kinetochores of mitotic chromosomes.

We have detected novel phosphotyrosine epitopes at the kinetochores of mitotic chromosomes in rat kangaroo PtK1 and mouse P388D1 tissue culture cells. Immunofluorescence labeling of detergent-resistant cytoskeletons reveals that these phosphotyrosine epitopes are tightly bound at the centrosomes and kinetochores of mitotic cells. These phosphoepitopes are found at the kinetochores during only prophase and prometaphase. Inclusion of a mixture of phosphatase inhibitors in the cell extraction procedure was necessary to preserve these previously undetected phosphotyrosine epitopes. The use of the phosphatase inhibitor mixture also improved the detection of the centrosome and kinetochore antigens recognized by the monoclonal antibody MPM-2. The MPM-2 antibody labels a subset of phosphothreonine-containing antigens found primarily during M phase. Ultrastructural immunolabeling studies indicated that both the phosphotyrosine and the MPM-2 phosphoepitopes were contained in both the outer and the inner dense plaques of the kinetochore. We developed large-scale chromosome isolation procedures designed to maintain chromosome protein phosphorylation. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the phosphotyrosine and MPM-2 antibodies recognized a number of chromosomal proteins, some of which were concentrated in the chromosome scaffold fraction prepared by nuclease digestion and salt extraction of whole chromosomes. The strictly regulated appearance of the phosphotyrosine and MPM-2 epitopes at the kinetochores of chromosomes during various stages of mitosis suggests that these phosphoepitopes may be involved in signal transduction pathways controlling kinetochore assembly and function during mitosis.

The MPM-2 antibody inhibits mitogen-activated protein kinase activity by binding to an epitope containing phosphothreonine-183.

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are a family of serine/threonine kinases implicated in the control of cell proliferation and differentiation. We have found that activated p42mapk is a target for the phosphoepitope antibody MPM-2, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes a cell cycle-regulated phosphoepitope. We have determined that the MPM-2 antibody recognizes the regulatory region of p42mapk. Binding of the MPM-2 antibody to active p42mapk in vitro results in a decrease in p42mapk enzymatic activity. The MPM-2 phosphoepitope can be generated in vitro on bacterially expressed p42mapk by phosphorylation with either isoform of MAP kinase kinase (MKK), MKK1, or MKK2. Analysis of p42mapk proteins mutated in their regulatory sites shows that phosphorylated Thr-183 is essential for the binding of the MPM-2 antibody. MPM-2 binding to Thr-183 is affected by the amino acid present in the other regulatory site, Tyr-185. Substitution of Tyr-185 with phenylalanine results in strong binding of the MPM-2 antibody, whereas substitution with glutamic acid substantially diminishes MPM-2 antibody binding. The MPM-2 phosphoepitope antibody recognizes an amino acid domain incorporating the regulatory phosphothreonine on activated p42mapk in eggs during meiosis and in mammalian cultured cells during the G0 to G1 transition.

DNA topoisomerase II alpha is the major chromosome protein recognized by the mitotic phosphoprotein antibody MPM-2.

We have determined that the major mitotic phosphoprotein in chromosomes recognized by the antiphosphoprotein antibody MPM-2 is the 170-kDa isoform of topoisomerase II (topo II), the isoform predominant in proliferating cells. As a prerequisite to making this discovery, it was necessary to develop protocols to protect chromosomal proteins from dephosphorylation during cell extraction and chromosome isolation procedures. Immunofluorescence analysis of the large chromosomes prepared from Indian Muntjac cells revealed colocalization of MPM-2 and anti-topo II antibodies to the chromosomal centromeres and to the axial regions of the chromosomal arms. For biochemical fractionation studies, large quantities of chromosomes from the P388D1 mouse lymphocyte cell line were isolated and treated to remove DNA and histone proteins. Immunoblot and immunoprecipitation experiments with this chromosome scaffold fraction identified the major MPM-2-reactive phosphoprotein to be DNA topo II. Using a panel of anti-peptide antibodies specific to the isoforms of topo II, we determined that the major phosphoprotein recognized by MPM-2 is the 170-kDa isoform of topo II, topo II alpha. The 180-kDa isoform, topo II beta, present in the isolated chromosomes in much smaller quantities, is also recognized by MPM-2. The mitotic phosphorylation of the topo II proteins may be critical for proper chromosome condensation and segregation.