@article{DietzHasseFerrarisetal.2013, author = {Dietz, Mariana S. and Hasse, Daniel and Ferraris, Davide M. and G{\"o}hler, Antonia and Niemann, Hartmut H. and Heilemann, Mike}, title = {Single-molecule photobleaching reveals increased MET receptor dimerization upon ligand binding in intact cells}, series = {BMC Biophysics}, volume = {6}, journal = {BMC Biophysics}, number = {6}, issn = {2046-1682}, doi = {10.1186/2046-1682-6-6}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-121835}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Background: The human receptor tyrosine kinase MET and its ligand hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor are essential during embryonic development and play an important role during cancer metastasis and tissue regeneration. In addition, it was found that MET is also relevant for infectious diseases and is the target of different bacteria, amongst them Listeria monocytogenes that induces bacterial uptake through the surface protein internalin B. Binding of ligand to the MET receptor is proposed to lead to receptor dimerization. However, it is also discussed whether preformed MET dimers exist on the cell membrane. Results: To address these issues we used single-molecule fluorescence microscopy techniques. Our photobleaching experiments show that MET exists in dimers on the membrane of cells in the absence of ligand and that the proportion of MET dimers increases significantly upon ligand binding. Conclusions: Our results indicate that partially preformed MET dimers may play a role in ligand binding or MET signaling. The addition of the bacterial ligand internalin B leads to an increase of MET dimers which is in agreement with the model of ligand-induced dimerization of receptor tyrosine kinases.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Gupta2021, author = {Gupta, Rohini}, title = {Intracellular self-activation of the TrkB kinase domain causes FAK phosphorylation and disrupts actin filopodia dynamics}, doi = {10.25972/OPUS-23382}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-233829}, school = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The tropomysin receptor kinase B (TrkB), the receptor for the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), plays an important role in neuronal survival, neuronal differentiation, and cellular plasticity. Conventionally, TrkB activation is induced by binding of BDNF at extracellular sites and subsequent dimerization of receptor monomers. Classical Trk signaling concepts have failed to explain ligand-independent signaling of intracellular TrkB or oncogenic NTRK-fusion proteins. The intracellular activation domain of TrkB consists of a tyrosine kinase core, with three tyrosine (Y) residues at positions 701, 705 and 706, that catalyzes the phosphorylation reaction between ATPĪ³ and tyrosine. The release of cisautoinhibition of the kinase domain activates the kinase domain and tyrosine residues outside of the catalytic domain become phosphorylated. The aim of this study was to find out how ligand-independent activation of TrkB is brought about. With the help of phosphorylation mutants of TrkB, it has been found that a high, local abundance of the receptor is sufficient to activate TrkB in a ligand-independent manner. This self-activation of TrkB was blocked when either the ATP-binding site or Y705 in the core domain was mutated. The vast majority of this self-active TrkB was found at intracellular locations and was preferentially seen in roundish cells, lacking filopodia. Live cell imaging of actin dynamics showed that self-active TrkB changed the cellular morphology by reducing actin filopodia formation. Signaling cascade analysis confirmed that self-active TrkB is a powerful activator of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). This might be the reason why self-active TrkB is able to disrupt actin filopodia formation. The signaling axis from Y705 to FAK could be mimicked by expression of the soluble, cytosolic TrkB kinase domain. However, the signaling pathway was inactive, when the TrkB kinase domain was targeted to the plasmamembrane with the help of artificial myristoylation membrane anchors. A cancer-related intracellular NTRK2-fusion protein (SQSTM1-NTRK2) also underwent constitutive kinase activation. In glioblastoma-like U87MG cells, self-active TrkB kinase reduced cell migration. These constitutive signaling pathways could be fully blocked within minutes by clinically approved, anti-tumorigenic Trk inhibitors. Moreover, this study found evidences for constitutively active, intracellular TrkB in tissue of human grade IV glioblastoma. In conclusion, the data provide an explanation and biological function for selfactive, constitutive TrkB kinase domain signaling, in the absence of a ligand.}, language = {en} } @article{PerrellaMontagueBrownetal.2022, author = {Perrella, Gina and Montague, Samantha J. and Brown, Helena C. and Garcia Quintanilla, Lourdes and Slater, Alexandre and Stegner, David and Thomas, Mark and Heemskerk, Johan W. M. and Watson, Steve P.}, title = {Role of tyrosine kinase Syk in thrombus stabilisation at high shear}, series = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences}, volume = {23}, journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences}, number = {1}, issn = {1422-0067}, doi = {10.3390/ijms23010493}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-284243}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Understanding the pathways involved in the formation and stability of the core and shell regions of a platelet-rich arterial thrombus may result in new ways to treat arterial thrombosis. The distinguishing feature between these two regions is the absence of fibrin in the shell which indicates that in vitro flow-based assays over thrombogenic surfaces, in the absence of coagulation, can be used to resemble this region. In this study, we have investigated the contribution of Syk tyrosine kinase in the stability of platelet aggregates (or thrombi) formed on collagen or atherosclerotic plaque homogenate at arterial shear (1000 s\(^{-1}\)). We show that post-perfusion of the Syk inhibitor PRT-060318 over preformed thrombi on both surfaces enhances thrombus breakdown and platelet detachment. The resulting loss of thrombus stability led to a reduction in thrombus contractile score which could be detected as early as 3 min after perfusion of the Syk inhibitor. A similar loss of thrombus stability was observed with ticagrelor and indomethacin, inhibitors of platelet adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor and thromboxane A\(_2\) (TxA\(_2\)), respectively, and in the presence of the Src inhibitor, dasatinib. In contrast, the Btk inhibitor, ibrutinib, causes only a minor decrease in thrombus contractile score. Weak thrombus breakdown is also seen with the blocking GPVI nanobody, Nb21, which indicates, at best, a minor contribution of collagen to the stability of the platelet aggregate. These results show that Syk regulates thrombus stability in the absence of fibrin in human platelets under flow and provide evidence that this involves pathways additional to activation of GPVI by collagen.}, language = {en} } @article{PilsKoppPetersonetal.2012, author = {Pils, Stefan and Kopp, Kathrin and Peterson, Lisa and Tascon, Julia Delgado and Nyffenegger-Jann, Naja J. and Hauck, Christof R.}, title = {The Adaptor Molecule Nck Localizes the WAVE Complex to Promote Actin Polymerization during CEACAM3-Mediated Phagocytosis of Bacteria}, series = {PLoS One}, volume = {7}, journal = {PLoS One}, number = {3}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0032808}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-131747}, pages = {e32808}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Background: CEACAM3 is a granulocyte receptor mediating the opsonin-independent recognition and phagocytosis of human-restricted CEACAM-binding bacteria. CEACAM3 function depends on an intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-like sequence that is tyrosine phosphorylated by Src family kinases upon receptor engagement. The phosphorylated ITAM-like sequence triggers GTP-loading of Rac by directly associating with the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Vav. Rac stimulation in turn is critical for actin cytoskeleton rearrangements that generate lamellipodial protrusions and lead to bacterial uptake. Principal Findings: In our present study we provide biochemical and microscopic evidence that the adaptor proteins Nck1 and Nck2, but not CrkL, Grb2 or SLP-76, bind to tyrosine phosphorylated CEACAM3. The association is phosphorylation-dependent and requires the Nck SH2 domain. Overexpression of the isolated Nck1 SH2 domain, RNAi-mediated knock-down of Nck1, or genetic deletion of Nck1 and Nck2 interfere with CEACAM3-mediated bacterial internalization and with the formation of lamellipodial protrusions. Nck is constitutively associated with WAVE2 and directs the actin nucleation promoting WAVE complex to tyrosine phosphorylated CEACAM3. In turn, dominant-negative WAVE2 as well as shRNA-mediated knock-down of WAVE2 or the WAVE-complex component Nap1 reduce internalization of bacteria. Conclusions: Our results provide novel mechanistic insight into CEACAM3-initiated phagocytosis. We suggest that the CEACAM3 ITAM-like sequence is optimized to co-ordinate a minimal set of cellular factors needed to efficiently trigger actin-based lamellipodial protrusions and rapid pathogen engulfment.}, language = {en} }