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J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 280, Issue 29, 27251-27261, July 22, 2005
Janus Kinases Affect Thrombopoietin Receptor Cell Surface Localization and Stability*![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ¶![]() ![]() ||
From the
Received for publication, February 7, 2005 , and in revised form, May 12, 2005.
The thrombopoietin receptor (TpoR) regulates hematopoietic stem cell renewal, megakaryocyte differentiation, and platelet formation. TpoR signals by activating Janus kinases JAK2 and Tyk2. Here we show that, in addition to signaling downstream from the activated TpoR, JAK2 and Tyk2 strongly promote cell surface localization and enhance total protein levels of the TpoR. This effect is caused by stabilization of the mature endoglycosidase H-resistant form of the receptor. Confocal microscopy indicates that TpoR colocalizes partially with recycling transferrin in Ba/F3 cells. The interaction with JAK2 or Tyk2 appears to protect the receptor from proteasome degradation. Sequences encompassing Box1 and Box2 regions of the receptor cytosolic domain and an intact JAK2 or Tyk2 FERM domain are required for these effects. We discuss the relevance of our results to the reported defects of TpoR processing in myeloproliferative diseases and to the mechanisms of Tpo signaling and clearance via the TpoR.
The thrombopoietin receptor (TpoR)1 is a member of the cytokine receptor superfamily that regulates hematopoietic stem cell renewal (1), megakaryocyte differentiation, and platelet formation (2, 3). Downstream signaling mediated by the TpoR is dependent on two cytoplasmic Janus tyrosine kinases, JAK2 and Tyk2 (4-8), with JAK2 being the main JAK required for TpoR effects (9, 10). Ligand binding triggers activation and phosphorylation of JAKs and of the cytoplasmic domain of the TpoR, providing docking sites for the Src homology 2 domains of many signaling proteins, such as the signal transducers and activators of transcription 1, 3, and 5 (STAT1, STAT3, and STAT5, respectively), Shc, SHIP, Grb2, SOS, Vav, Cbl, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (8, 11-16).
Recently it has been found that JAK proteins may play important roles in regulating the cellular localization and traffic of their cognate receptors. In the case of the EpoR and oncostatin M receptor, expression of their cognate JAKs, JAK2 and JAK1, was found important for receptor cell surface localization, with enhanced endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi maturation. The overall cellular levels of these receptors were not changed by the presence or absence of JAKs (17, 18). Sequences encompassing the N-terminal domain JH7-JH6 regions of JAKs were required for these effects. Early on after the discovery of the JAK-STAT pathway, the IFNAR1 subunit of the type I IFN receptor complex was shown to require the expression of Tyk2 for stability at the cell surface (19). This effect was mediated by sequences in the JH7-JH6 region of Tyk2 (20). Tyk2 expression leads to enhanced protein levels of IFNAR1 by preventing endosomal targeting (21). JAK3 was found to promote cell surface localization of the common gamma (
The traffic of the TpoR to and from the cell surface is special among cytokine receptors for three reasons. First, TpoR was found to recycle to the membrane in hematopoietic cells after activation and withdrawal of ligand (24). Second, clearance of circulating Tpo may occur via binding, internalization of the ligand-receptor complex, and degradation of Tpo by platelets, which express high affinity receptors for Tpo (25-28). TpoR apparently is not recycled in platelets, but its recycling in myeloid progenitors and hematopoietic cell lines may be relevant for Tpo functions in early hematopoiesis. Third and most interestingly, TpoR traffic, maturation, glycosylation, and stability were found to be altered in myeloproliferative diseases such as polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, and idiopathic myelofibrosis (29, 30). Whether this defective maturation is linked to the pathogenesis of these diseases or is a sign of stress hematopoiesis (31) is not known, but all available evidence indicates that the study of TpoR traffic may reveal novel regulation mechanisms. Thus, we investigated whether the two JAKs can affect TpoR traffic and metabolism. Here we show that JAK2 and Tyk2, but not JAK1 or JAK3, strongly promote cell surface localization of the TpoR by stimulating recycling and enhancing the protein stability of the mature, Golgi-processed form of the TpoR. Expression of JAK2 or Tyk2 did not change the internalization kinetics of the TpoR, whereas it promoted recycling. Under cycloheximide treatment, which blocks protein synthesis, inhibitors of proteasome degradation prolonged the half-life of the mature TpoR band in the absence of overexpressed JAK2 or Tyk2, suggesting that a fraction of the mature TpoR is normally degraded via the proteasome. Confocal microscopy studies suggest that JAK2 and Tyk2 prevent degradation of an intracellular pool of TpoR, which partially colocalizes with recycling transferrin. By site-directed mutagenesis, we show that an intact FERM domain of JAK2 or of Tyk2 is required for this effect and that receptor sequences encompassing Box1 and Box2 are likely to make the first contact with JAK FERM domains. Although a hydrophobic motif preceding Box1 is not required for JAK2-dependent traffic effects, this motif is crucial, as for the homologous EpoR, for switching on JAK kinase activity upon ligand binding to the TpoR extracellular domain. We discuss the significance of our data for the mechanisms of signaling, down-modulation, and recycling of the TpoR.
cDNA ConstructsReceptors were tagged after the cleavage site of the signal sequence as described (32). The HA-tagged mouse TpoR and the HA-tagged human c were subcloned into the pMX-IRES-GFP bicistronic retroviral vector upstream of the IRES as described previously (33). The human IL-9R and the human JAK3 were subcloned into the pREX-IRES-CD4 vector, and the murine JAK1 and the human Tyk2 were subcloned into the pREX-IRES-CD2 vector. Furthermore, we used the previously described HA-tagged EpoR, wild type JAK2, and kinase-inactive JAK2 cloned in the same vectors (17). cDNAs coding for the mutated HA-tagged TpoR were generated by PCR using native Pfu polymerase (Stratagene) and overlap extension primers. cDNAs coding for the mutated JAKs were generated using the QuikChange Site-directed Mutagenesis Kit (Stratagene). We constructed two distinct clones for each mutant cDNA.
CellsBa/F3 cells are IL-3-dependent mouse pro-B cells (34) cultured in RPMI 1640 medium (Invitrogen) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, antibiotics, and a 5% supernatant of the WEHI-3B cell line as a source of IL-3. Generation of Stable Cell LinesHigh titer replicative-defective retroviral supernatants were generated by calcium phosphate transient transfection of BOSC packaging cells with the bicistronic vectors encoding the different constructs, as described previously (39). Viruses have been used to transduce Ba/F3 cells by centrifugation in the presence of 4 µg/ml Polybrene (Sigma). The efficiency of infection was usually around 40-50%. Populations of cells expressing the marker above a predetermined level (top 10%) were isolated by a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). Surface Expression of HA-TpoR and HA-EpoRSurface expression of receptors was measured in Ba/F3 cells by flow cytometry using 10 µg/ml monoclonal anti-HA antibody (HA.11, Covance) and 5 µg/ml R-phycoerythrin-conjugated donkey F(ab')2 anti-mouse IgG secondary antibody (Jackson ImmunoResearch), as described previously (17). The monoclonal HA.11 antibody was iodinated with Na125I to a specific activity of 15 Curies/g using IODO-GEN-precoated tubes (Pierce) following the recommendations of the manufacturer. 125I-Anti-HA binding was used to measure the cell surface localization of the TpoR. The cells were incubated for 2 h at 4 °C with 2 µg/ml 125I-anti-HA in the presence or absence of 200 µg/ml cold anti-HA and then separated from unbound antibodies by a centrifugation through a cushion of serum. Bound and unbound antibody fractions were measured using a gamma counter. All measurements were done in triplicate.
Immunoprecipitation, Endoglycosidase H (Endo-H) Digestion, and ImmunoblottingBa/F3 cells were lysed in Nonidet P-40 buffer with sodium orthovanadate, sodium fluoride, phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, and Complete protease inhibitor mixture (Roche Applied Science), as described previously (40). The lysates were then incubated with antibodies against the HA tag (monoclonal HA.11). Immune complexes were recovered by binding to protein G-agarose beads (Invitrogen). Proteins bound to the beads were then eluted with 0.5% SDS and 1%
Ba/F3 cells stably transduced were lysed directly in Laemmli buffer. Proteins were separated on 10% SDS-polyacrylamide gels, and Western blot analysis was performed with anti-JAK1 (Upstate%20Biotechnology">Upstate Biotechnology), anti-JAK2 (C-20, Santa Cruz), anti-JAK3 (C-21, Santa Cruz), anti-Tyk2 (C-20, Santa Cruz), anti-CIS (N-19, Santa Cruz), anti-HA, or anti-
Measurements of TpoR Half-life, Degradation, and RecyclingStably transduced Ba/F3 cells were incubated at 37 °C with 20 µg/ml cycloheximide for different periods of time to block protein synthesis. Control cells were kept nontreated to have 100% cell surface localization of the TpoR and
Internalization MeasurementsBa/F3 cells expressing the HA-tagged TpoR or
Confocal MicroscopyTransferrin-Alexa 488 (Molecular Probes) was absorbed and recycled by the cells for 25 min at 37 °C and then washed. Adherence of Ba/F3 cells was achieved by spinning the cells softly on poly-L-lysine-treated coverslips. Cells were then fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde for 20 min and permeabilized with 0.05% saponin (Sigma). Quenching of the fluorescence and blocking of the nonspecific labeling were realized by the addition of 50 mM glycine at all steps and 100 µg/ml goat
Image acquisitions were made on a Bio-Rad MRC-1024 confocal laser scanning imaging system associated with the Lasersharp 2000 (Bio-Rad) acquisition software. For the LAMP1 staining, similar experiments were performed with HeLa cells that were transiently transfected using ExGen500 with the cDNA coding for the HA-tagged TpoR or c. The cells were incubated with rabbit polyclonal HA.11 followed by a goat anti-rabbit IgG linked to Alexa Fluor 568 and anti-human LAMP1 (H4A3, Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank) followed by a goat anti-mouse IgG linked to Alexa Fluor 647. Assay for Tpo-dependent ProliferationBa/F3 cells expressing wild type TpoR or mutated TpoR were washed three times in RPMI 1640 medium to remove IL-3 completely. Washed cells were plated at 100,000 cells/well in a 24-well plate with 1 ng/ml Tpo in RPMI supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Proliferation was measured after 3, 5, and 7 days using a Coulter Counter Z1. All experiments were done in triplicate.
Dual Luciferase AssaysSTAT1 and STAT3 transcriptional activation was assessed by measuring luciferase production in
Effect of JAK Proteins on Cell Surface Levels of TpoRTo study the effect of the different Janus kinases on the cell surface expression of the TpoR, we constructed four different Ba/F3 cell lines overexpressing JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, or Tyk2, as we have described previously for JAK2 (40). This was achieved by retroviral transduction using bicistronic retroviral vectors, which code for the gene of interest separated from a marker (GFP, CD4, or CD2) by an IRES (33). The cells were sorted for high marker expression (CD4 or CD2), and the JAK protein levels were measured by Western blot (Fig. 1A). Compared with parental Ba/F3 cells, the transduced cells overexpressed 7-10-fold higher levels of JAKs. Parental Ba/F3 cells and the JAK-expressing cells were then transduced by a TpoR expressing an HA tag at the N terminus. Surface levels of TpoR were measured by FACS analysis using monoclonal HA.11 antibody. Fig. 1B shows that JAK2 and Tyk2 increased 3-4 times the TpoR cell surface levels, whereas JAK3 had no influence on the surface pool of TpoR. Although JAK2 and Tyk2 are the Janus kinases activated by TpoR, JAK1 was also found in a complex with the TpoR and other signaling molecules (i.e. SH-PTP2) (46), although Tpo binding to the TpoR does not activate JAK1. In Fig. 1B we show that overexpression of JAK1 increases the cell surface levels of TpoR weakly, but this effect is much less significant than the effect of JAK2 or Tyk2. In all cases, the increases in cell surface receptor levels were detected for similar GFP levels, which indicate similar expression of the bicistronic constructs coding for the receptors in the absence or presence of JAK overexpression. Determination of the Structural Requirements of JAK2 and Tyk2 for Enhancing TpoR Cell Surface LevelsNext, we investigated whether these increases were linked to the kinase activity of JAK2. Wild type JAK2 and JAK2 K882D (kinase-inactive JAK2) were transduced in IL-9R-expressing Ba/F3 cells proliferating in 50 units/ml IL-9. The use of IL-9 allowed us to avoid the negative selection against JAK2 K882D observed in IL-3-proliferating Ba/F3 because IL-3 signaling requires JAK2 activity. Cell surface TpoR levels were enhanced in the presence of mutated JAK2 K882D, but not to the level induced by the wild type JAK2 (Fig. 1C). This is in opposition to the EpoR, where JAK2 K882D was able to promote the receptor cell surface expression to at least the same extent as the wild type JAK2 (Fig. 1C and Ref. 17) and where JAK2 activity was shown to be required for targeting the receptor for degradation (47). For the TpoR, the kinase activity of the JAK2 JH1 domain could be involved in regulating receptor cell surface levels.
Because the positive effects of JAKs on cytokine receptor cell surface levels involved the N terminus FERM domains of JAKs (17, 18, 20), we also tested whether this was true for the JAK2/Tyk2-TpoR interaction. We introduced mutations in the FERM domain of JAK2 and Tyk2 by replacing a conserved tyrosine residue by an alanine, singly (Tyr
Detection of the Enhancement by JAK2 and Tyk2 of Cell Surface TpoR Levels by 125I-labeled Anti-HA Antibody and by Confocal MicroscopyTo prove that the enhancement of TpoR cell surface localization was not an artifact of the multistep labeling with a phycoerythrin-labeled secondary antibody or the result of a redistribution effect, we performed binding assays with the same monoclonal HA.11 antibody directly iodinated with 125I. Again, the TpoR cell surface localization was increased more than 3-fold in the presence of JAK2 and Tyk2, confirming the FACS results (Fig. 2A). Immunofluorescence staining on saponin-permeabilized Ba/F3 cells was performed to verify the distribution of the TpoR in the presence or absence of overexpressed JAK2 and Tyk2. By confocal imaging, the TpoR distribution was comparable between the cells, with essentially an image of a rim on the plasma membrane (Fig. 2B). The staining intensity was largely increased in the presence of overexpressed JAK2 or Tyk2. In summary, JAK2 and Tyk2 strongly promoted increased surface levels of the TpoR. These observations initially documented by FACS were confirmed by radioactive labeling and by confocal microscopy. The effects of JAK2 and Tyk2 required an intact N-terminal FERM domain. Although JAK1 weakly increased TpoR cell surface levels also, JAK3 had no effect. Because TpoR is known to activate primarily JAK2 and Tyk2, and not JAK1 or JAK3, these results suggest that cognate JAKs affect receptor cellular localization as a function of their ability to interact and be utilized by the receptor. Our results suggest that for receptors that may utilize several JAKs, an additional layer of regulation may be represented by different extents to which those JAKs affect receptor traffic. Effect of Janus Kinases on TpoR Protein LevelsThe next question was whether the TpoR cell surface localization correlated with the total receptor protein levels. TpoR was immunoprecipitated from stably transduced Ba/F3 cells overexpressing each of the four JAKs or control mock-infected cells. By Western blot and SDS-PAGE on 10% Tris-glycine gels, the receptor migrated as two different bands of 95 and 80 kDa (Fig. 2C). The intensity of the 95-kDa complex was increased strongly in the presence of JAK2 or Tyk2. Again, JAK1 had a marginal effect, whereas JAK3 did not change the basal receptor expression levels. By densitometry, JAK2 and Tyk2 enhanced by 3.5-4-fold the levels of the 95 kDa band, which was in total agreement with the results obtained by FACS and by binding assays. The intensity of the 80 kDa band did not vary among the different samples. To test whether the 95 kDa band was in fact the TpoR mature Golgi-processed form that includes the cell surface pool, we performed an Endo-H digestion on the immunoprecipitated receptor (Fig. 2D). The 80 kDa band was sensitive to Endo-H digestion, as shown by its shift in size after digestion. This band thus corresponds to the immature form of the receptor. The 95 kDa band was resistant to Endo-H digestion, demonstrating that this band corresponds to the Golgi-processed TpoR. This band reflects therefore both the cell surface and mature intracellular pool of TpoR. Furthermore, only this upper TpoR band can become tyrosine phosphorylated after the addition of ligand (not shown). Thus, the pool of mature TpoR is likely to contain the cell surface TpoR, the intracellular (Golgi) pool as well as the recycling TpoR. For the EpoR and the oncostatin M receptor, expression of the cognate Janus kinases promotes maturation to the Endo-H-resistant band, but the total receptor protein levels remain constant (17, 18), whereas expression of Tyk2 promotes cell surface levels of IFNAR1 and is required for protein stability at the cell surface (19, 21). In the case of the TpoR, the intensity of the 80 kDa band was constant (and not decreased as for the homologous EpoR Endo-H-sensitive band), whereas the Endo-H-resistant band was increased strongly by JAK2 or Tyk2 overexpression. These data suggest that JAK2 and Tyk2 may reduce TpoR internalization, increase the recycling rate, or stabilize the mature intracellular pool. JAK2 and Tyk2 Promote Stabilization of a Mature Intracellular Pool of TpoRTo assess the internalization rate of the TpoR, the monoclonal HA.11 antibody was first iodinated with 125I, then used to label the TpoR at the cell surface and to follow TpoR internalization. Cells were washed and allowed to warm up to 37 °C for different periods of time. Internalization occurred, and the antibodies remaining bound to the cell surface were removed by a strong acid wash (pH 0.5) at 4 °C for 1 h. The average results from three different experiments showed that TpoR internalization was not blocked or reduced in the presence of JAK2 or Tyk2 (Fig. 3A).
The half-lives of the two TpoR forms (immature and mature) were then tested by incubating the cells at 37 °C in the presence of cycloheximide to block new protein synthesis. At the indicated times (hours), we measured the disappearance of the TpoR from the cell surface of living cells by FACS analysis. Values were normalized to the signal obtained in control samples assayed in parallel at each time point. Fig. 3B shows that JAK2 or Tyk2 increased the TpoR abundance on the cell surface after 15 h of cycloheximide treatment. Even for the TpoR in parental Ba/F3 cells, the stability at the cell surface was extremely long compared with that of a known internalized and degraded cytokine receptor as the To dissect the consequences of cycloheximide treatment on the TpoR total protein pool, Western blot experiments were performed on Ba/F3 cell lysates treated for the same periods of time (Fig. 3C). In the presence of JAK2 or Tyk2, the stability of the 95-kDa complex was prolonged for more than 28 h compared with parental Ba/F3 cells expressing the TpoR. In contrast, the 80 kDa band had nearly completely disappeared after 3 h of treatment in all cases, showing that the two forms of the TpoR exhibit different half-lives. Interestingly, at late time points, such as 20-25 h, the levels detected at the cell surface were more stable than the total pool of mature TpoR, which contains the cell surface but also the Golgi and recycling pool. We do not have definitive proof, but the most likely explanation would be that that the TpoR recycles at higher rates at these late times. In summary, JAK2 and Tyk2 did not affect the TpoR internalization rate but strongly increased the stability of the cell surface TpoR. Fig. 3D shows that in the presence of cycloheximide, the decrease in the levels of mature TpoR at 20 h (similar to Fig. 3C) is significantly prevented by two different proteasome inhibitors, MG132 and lactacystin (left panel). In contrast, two lysosome inhibitors, chloroquine and leupeptin, failed to increase the levels of the mature TpoR band after 20 h of cycloheximide. Even at high concentrations (200 µM) compared with the usual 50-100 µM concentrations, the lysosome inhibitors failed to enhance the stability of the TpoR. For the proteasome inhibitors, the stabilization effects were noticed starting with 3 h of treatment. In the presence of JAK2, which itself results in stabilization of the mature TpoR band, the proteasome inhibitors exert a modest effect, suggesting that in fact the presence of JAK2 may protect the TpoR from proteasome degradation, and this in turn may result in enhanced recycling. With respect to lysosomes, it is still possible that they play a role in TpoR degradation, but under cycloheximide treatment, we were not able to observe any stabilization of the mature form of the receptor in the presence of lysosome inhibitors.
To study traffic of the TpoR to and from the cell surface further, confocal imaging experiments were performed on Ba/F3 cells permeabilized with saponin and fixed with paraformaldehyde. Adherence was achieved by spinning the cells on poly-L-lysine-coated coverslips. First, transferrin was used as a marker for rapid recycling to the cell surface through the early endosome compartment. Living cells were first incubated at 37 °C for 25 min with transferrin to allow internalization and distribution in recycling endosomes and then fixed prior to receptor labeling. Colocalization was observed between transferrin and TpoR essentially in small vesicles just under the cell membrane (Fig. 4A). Ba/F3 cells expressing HA-tagged
Second, LAMP1 was used as a lysosomal compartment marker. Colocalization was not detected between LAMP1 and TpoR (Fig. 4B), whereas colocalization between c and LAMP1 could be detected (Fig. 4B), as described previously (22). As expected, transferrin staining did not colocalize with the LAMP1 signal in Ba/F3 cells (not shown). However, because it was difficult to establish clearly a lack of colocalization between LAMP1 and TpoR in Ba/F3 cells, which have a small cytoplasm, we also transfected HeLa cells with vectors coding for the HA-tagged forms of the TpoR or c and stained for HA and LAMP1. We chose to use HeLa Tet-Off cells because they were highly transfectable by ExGen500 and because they can be also used for tetracycline-dependent gene expression. These cells were adherent and had well spread cytoplasmic structures. Their morphology is a bit different from that of parental HeLa cells, and upon transfection with ExGen500 they adopted a rounded appearance atypical for adherent cells. However, this cationic polymer transfection agent is nontoxic and allows them to grow at the normal, fast rate. The resolution of cytoplasmic structures in the transfected cells was very good. As shown in Fig. 4C, TpoR did not colocalize with LAMP1, irrespective or not of JAK2 overexpression. In contrast, c colocalized with LAMP1, as described previously (22).
Taken together these results show that in the absence of ligand, the TpoR and not the
Determination of the TpoR Cytosolic Sequences Required for the JAK-dependent Increase in Cell Surface Expression and Protein LevelsTpoR is able to bind and activate both JAK2 and Tyk2 (4-8), but it is not clear whether the sequence requirement on the receptor is the same for both of them. To determine exactly which receptor sequences are important for the effects of JAK proteins on receptor protein and cell surface levels, we mutagenized the juxtamembrane sequence of the TpoR. Thus, groups of two or three amino acids were replaced by alanines (Fig. 5A). Mutations covered the 11 residues preceding Box1. Within this region, there are three hydrophobic residues (
First, we determined whether these mutant receptors are functional. Tpo-induced proliferation was assayed 3, 5, and 7 days after switching the cells to 1 ng/ml Tpo (Fig. 5B). The proliferation was totally abolished when the two last residues of the hydrophobic motif preceding Box1 (residues) Leu519-Trp520 were mutated, consistent with results obtained for the equivalent mutations in EpoR. However, mutation of Leu515 to Ala had no effect. This is in opposition with the EpoR where the equivalent residue Leu253 was required for Epo-induced proliferation (39). This difference could be the result of a different orientation/structure of the TpoR and EpoR juxtamembrane domains. In fact, this is the case because of a five-amino acid insertion at the end of the transmembrane domain of the TpoR.3 However, mutation or deletion of this transmembrane motif did not change in any way the effects of JAK2 on increasing the cell surface levels of TpoR.3
Mutations of Box1, Box2, or of the Gln532-Tyr533-Leu534 sequence between Box1 and Box2 abrogated completely the proliferation. To determine the sequence requirements for the JAKs to bind to the TpoR, cell surface levels of the TpoR mutants were assessed by FACS in parental Ba/F3 cells and in Ba/F3-JAK2 or Ba/F3-Tyk2 cells (Fig. 5C). Values were normalized to those of the wild type TpoR surface level in parental Ba/F3 cells (considered as 100%). Mutation of the hydrophobic motif Leu519-Trp520 decreased cell surface levels in control parental Ba/F3 cells, whereas cell surface levels of mutants Arg513
Fig. 5C shows that JAK2 was inefficient to promote TpoR cell surface levels when Box1 residues were mutated and was less efficient when the Gln532-Tyr533-Leu534 sequence between Box1 and Box2 was mutated. Mutation of the hydrophobic motif, especially of the two hydrophobic residues preceding Box1, Leu519-Trp520, did not modify the effect of JAK2. In contrast, the ability of Tyk2 to promote TpoR traffic was decreased by these mutations (Leu519
JAK2 and Tyk2 Affect TpoR Traffic Similarly but Function to Different Extents in TpoR SignalingJAK2 and Tyk2 promote the stabilization of mature TpoR and enhance cell surface receptor levels to apparently similar extents. However, JAK2 is the main JAK utilized by TpoR (9, 10), and it is unclear whether Tyk2 plays a role in TpoR signaling.
First, we tested whether Tyk2 can, in the absence of JAK2, mediate TpoR signaling represented by STAT and MAP kinase activation in the human fibrosarcoma cell line
We also tested whether coexpressing both JAKs, JAK2 and Tyk2, leads to a synergic transcriptional effect. We did not detect a significant increase in signaling by JAK2 when Tyk2 was overexpressed (Fig. 6B). In Ba/F3 cells overexpressing JAK2 or Tyk2 and the TpoR, phosphorylation of STAT1, 3, and 5 by Western blot was nearly identical between the two cell types after 15 min of Tpo stimulation (Fig. 6C). Interestingly, the activation of STATs was prolonged for more than 3 h in the presence of JAK2. Also, the levels of CIS were increased at late time points (2-3 h) mainly in JAK2-overexpressing cells, demonstrating a more sustained activation of the signaling pathway in the presence of JAK2. It remains to be determined why Tyk2 is much less effective in mediating TpoR signaling and whether its equivalent effects on traffic and on the initial signaling events induced by Tpo are relevant for megakaryocyte and myeloid differentiation or for the pathologic response induced by excessive Tpo levels in certain thrombocythemia cases.
Our main observation is that JAK2 and Tyk2, the two Janus kinases reported to function in signal transduction of the TpoR (4-10), also profoundly affect the levels of the receptor on the cell surface. The interaction between JAK2 or Tyk2 and the TpoR enhance the stability of the mature Endo-H-resistant form of the receptor. Although JAK2 and Tyk2 appear equivalent in their ability to promote TpoR stability, JAK2 was much stronger in transducing ligand-dependent signaling than Tyk2.
Our data provide support to the emerging notion that JAKs are integral parts of cytokine receptor complexes, with important effects on receptor availability and fate. A chaperone role has been suggested for JAKs with respect to several cytokine receptors (17, 18), a role that has been revisited for We introduced mutations in the FERM domains of JAK2 and Tyk2 and found that an intact FERM domain is required for the effects of JAKs on TpoR stability and cell surface expression. This result is consistent with the role of FERM domains in JAK-promoted traffic of other cytokine receptors (17-20). However, the kinase-inactive JAK2, which promotes traffic of EpoR to the cell surface to the same or a higher extent than the wild type JAK2 (17), is less able to increase TpoR cell surface levels compared with the wild type JAK2. This is unusual because for the EpoR, JAK2 activity is required to target internalized receptors to lysosomes for degradation (47). These results suggest that the JAK2 domain may have an additional role in promoting TpoR stability and that the recycling function of TpoR (24), which is not present for other receptors, may require different interactions with JAK2. Our results showing that proteasome and not lysosome inhibitors enhance the stability of the mature form of the TpoR after 20 h of cycloheximide treatment (Fig. 3D) suggest that a fraction of the cell surface TpoR is degraded via the proteasome. The combined action of JAK2 and proteasome inhibitors was modest compared with their individual effects, suggesting that JAK2 binding to the TpoR protects against proteasome degradation. Current experiments are examining the possibilities that TpoR may couple to the ubiquitinylation machinery via SOCS/CIS proteins or directly via ubiquitinylation of cytoplasmic lysines. Because the TpoR recycles (24), a higher stability promoted by JAK2 is likely to enhance the total amount of TpoR that recycles. We have investigated the TpoR sequence requirements for the JAK-dependent effects on traffic. For JAK2, TpoR sequences located in Box1 and between Box1 and Box2 were required. The residues located before Box1 could be mutated to alanine without affecting JAK2-dependent traffic. When receptor function was assayed, we could see that mutations in Box1 and in the region between Box1 and Box2 decreased or abolished signaling. Also, mutation of the two hydrophobic residues Leu519-Trp520 preceding Box1 affected function. Such a separation between juxtamembrane residues that are involved in traffic/binding and in switching on JAK2 activity after receptor activation has been described for the EpoR (17). Particularly, the hydrophobic residues preceding Box1 (Leu253, Ile257, Trp258) were among such switch residues (17, 39). In the case of the TpoR, only the last two hydrophobic residues, Leu519 and Trp520 (which align with EpoR Ile257 and Trp258), appear to be important for function, in contrast to EpoR where all three residues are important. Unexpectedly, mutation of these two switch residues, Leu519 and Trp520, to Ala, although it did not affect JAK2-dependent traffic, decreased traffic induced by Tyk2. In Fig. 5B, it becomes apparent that the sequences in TpoR necessary for Tyk2 effects are broader and start earlier than those necessary for JAK2 binding. Our assay for receptor-JAK binding is quite sensitive, as shown by the read-out by FACS of an increased receptor level on the cell surface. Thus, binding of JAK2 and Tyk2 to the TpoR juxtamembrane domain may involve different residues, and this is interesting because TpoR appears to be close in sequence and behavior with IFNAR1, a type II cytokine receptor. Expression of JAK2 and Tyk2 leads to similar increases in cell surface receptor levels and protein levels, and these increases involved the same Endo-H-resistant population of receptors. However, when we tested the ability of each JAK to transduce a signal, we found that Tyk2 was much weaker than JAK2. Although initial signaling events were triggered by Tyk2 with similar efficiency, only JAK2 led to sustain signaling, which is required for the biologic effects of TpoR (55). Thus, JAK2 and Tyk2 may induce similar stabilization of mature receptor, but their signal transduction abilities differ. Although the Tyk2 knock-out mouse has not been reported to exhibit defects in TpoR signaling (e.g. megakaryocyte formation or stem cell renewal) (56), it is possible that the relative expression levels of JAK2 and Tyk2 may be relevant for differentiation. Furthermore, in pathologic situations where very high levels of Tpo are produced, it is conceivable that activation of both JAK2 and Tyk2 will take place and that excessive signaling via these two kinases may occur. Thus, it will be important in the future to determine whether signaling via multiple JAKs is just a redundancy or whether it may have precise roles. This problem is shared with other cytokine receptors, such as those belonging to the gp130 class of receptors, which are also known to activate several JAKs (57). The effects of JAK2 and Tyk2 on stabilizing the mature form of the TpoR and promoting higher cell surface expression may be relevant for ligand clearance by myeloid progenitors and for the pathogeny of myeloproliferative diseases. Interestingly, in polycythemia vera and idiopathic myelofibrosis, defects in TpoR processing were reported. Compared with platelets and megakaryocytes from healthy donors, platelets and megakaryocytes from these patients exhibit lower TpoR protein levels, and most of the receptors are immature and Endo-H-sensitive (29, 30). Our data would suggest that a defect in JAK2, Tyk2, or an associated protein may be involved in this decrease of the mature TpoR in myeloproliferative diseases. Indeed, we and others have just observed that most polycythemia vera patients harbor a unique mutation in the pseudokinase domain of JAK2, which constitutively activates signaling (58-61). Future experiments will determine whether this point mutation in JAK2 contributes to down-modulation of TpoR cell surface levels in myeloproliferative diseases.
* This work was supported by an aspirant Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (F.N.R.S.) fellowship (to Y. R.), a Daimler Benz Ph.D. fellowship (to J. S.), and by grants from the Fédération Belge contre le Cancer, the F.N.R.S., and the de Hovre Foundation. The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
¶ Permanent address: Faculty of Dentistry, Medicine, and Pharmacy Gr. T. Popa University, Iasi RO-700115, Romania. || Research associate of the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique Belgium. To whom correspondence should be addressed: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Ave. Hippocrate 74, UCL 74.59, Brussels B-1200, Belgium. Tel.: 32-2-764-7540; Fax: 32-2-764-6566; E-mail: stefan.constantinescu{at}bru.licr.org.
1 The abbreviations used are: TpoR, thrombopoietin receptor; CIS, cytokine-inducible Src homology 2-containing protein; Endo-H, endoglycosidase H; ERK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase; FACS, fluorescence-activated cell sorter;
2 Y. Royer, P. J. Courtoy, and S. N. Constantinescu, unpublished observations.
3 J. Staerk, C. Lacout, G. Reubins, S. O. Smith, W. Vainchenker, and S. N. Constantinescu, manuscript in preparation.
We thank Dr. Patrick Van Der Missen for expert advise in confocal microscopy, André Tonon for invariable help with FACS sorting, Catherine Menu and Mingli Li for expert technical assistance, Dr. Sandra Pellegrini for the kind gift of the cDNA coding for Tyk2, and Drs. George Stark and Ian Kerr for providing the 2A cell line. Anti-LAMP1 antibodies were obtained from the Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank developed under the auspices of the NICHD, National Institutes of Health.
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