Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 and Rac activation by chemokine and integrin receptors controls NK cell transendothelial migration

J Immunol. 2003 Mar 15;170(6):3065-73. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.170.6.3065.

Abstract

Protein tyrosine kinase activation is an important requisite for leukocyte migration. Herein we demonstrate that NK cell binding to endothelium activates proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk-2) and the small GTP binding protein Rac that are coupled to integrin and chemokine receptors. Chemokine-mediated, but not integrin-mediated, Pyk-2 and Rac activation was sensitive to pretreatment of NK cells with pertussis toxin, a pharmacological inhibitor of G(i) protein-coupled receptors. Both Pyk-2 and Rac are functionally involved in chemokine-induced NK cell migration through endothelium or ICAM-1 or VCAM-1 adhesive proteins, as shown by the use of recombinant vaccinia viruses encoding dominant negative mutants of Pyk-2 and Rac. Moreover, we found that Pyk-2 is associated with the Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vav, which undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation upon integrin triggering. Finally, we provide direct evidence for the involvement of Pyk-2 in the control of both chemokine- and integrin-mediated Rac activation. Collectively, our results indicate that Pyk-2 acts as a receptor-proximal link between integrin and chemokine receptor signaling, and the Pyk-2/Rac pathway plays a pivotal role in the control of NK cell transendothelial migration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Adhesion / immunology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Transformed
  • Cell Movement / immunology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelium / cytology
  • Endothelium / enzymology
  • Endothelium / immunology*
  • Endothelium / metabolism
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 2
  • Humans
  • Integrin alpha4beta1 / physiology
  • Integrins / metabolism
  • Integrins / physiology*
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / pharmacology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / cytology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / enzymology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / physiology
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proline / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / physiology*
  • Receptors, Chemokine / physiology*
  • Tyrosine / metabolism
  • Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / pharmacology
  • rac GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • rac GTP-Binding Proteins / physiology

Substances

  • Integrin alpha4beta1
  • Integrins
  • Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1
  • Receptors, Chemokine
  • Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Tyrosine
  • Proline
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 2
  • rac GTP-Binding Proteins