Non-catalytic tyrosine-phosphorylated receptors (NTRs), also called immunoreceptors or Src-family kinase-dependent receptors, are a group of cell surface receptors expressed by leukocytes that are important for cell migration and the recognition of abnormal cells or structures and the initiation of an immune response. [1] [2] These transmembrane receptors are not grouped into the NTR family based on sequence homology, but because they share a conserved signalling pathway utilizing the same signalling motifs. [1] A signaling cascade is initiated when the receptors bind their respective ligand resulting in cell activation. For that tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic tail of the receptors have to be phosphorylated, hence the receptors are referred to as tyrosine-phosphorylated receptors. They are called non-catalytic receptors, as the receptors have no intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity and cannot phosphorylate their own tyrosine residues. [2] Phosphorylation is mediated by additionally recruited kinases. A prominent member of this receptor family is the T-cell receptor.
Members of the Non-catalytic tyrosine-phosphorylated receptor family share a couple of common features. The most prominent feature is the presence of conserved signalling motifs containing tyrosine residue, such as Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs), in the cytoplasmic tail of the receptors. The receptor signaling pathway is initiated by ligand binding to the extracellular domains of the receptor. Upon binding, the tyrosine residues in the signaling motifs are phosphorylated by membrane-associated tyrosine kinases. The receptors themselves have no intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. The phosphorylated NTRs, in turn, initiate a specific intracellular signaling cascades. The signaling cascade is down-regulated by dephosphorylation by protein tyrosine phosphatases. Additional characteristics of the receptor family are a rather small (< 20 nm) extracellular domain and the binding to ligands that are anchored to solid surfaces or membranes of other cells. NTRs are exclusively expressed in leukocytes. [2]
Based on those features, about 100 distinct NTRs have been identified. The table below lists different classes of NTRs. Members of a class have a high sequence homology and typically share the same gene locus. [2]
Family | Ligands | Examples |
---|---|---|
Antigen receptors found on T cells and B cells (T-cell receptor and B-cell receptor) | MHC class I or II loaded with peptide for T-cell receptors, soluble or surface antigens for B-cell receptor | TCR BCR |
C-type lectin domain family | Glycans, Actin, MHC class I | Dectin-1, NKG2, BDCA2 |
CD300 family | Unknown | CD300A |
Classical Fc receptor family | Fc region of antibody | FcγRI, FcγRII |
Fc receptor-like family | Unknown | FCRL1 |
KIR family | MHC class 1 | KIR2DL1, KIR3DL2, KIR2DS1 |
LILR family | MHC class 1 | LILRB4 |
Natural cytotoxicity triggering receptor (NCR) family | Viral hemagglutinins, heparan sulfate proteoglycans, activation-induced C-type lectin | NKp44, NKp46, NKp30 |
Paired immunoglobulin-like receptor (PILR) family | PILR-associating neural protein (PANP), HSV-1 glycoprotein B | PILRA, PILRB |
SIGLEC family | Endogenous and pathogen-derived sialylated glycans | SIGLEC1, SIGLEC8, SIGLEC7, SIGLEC2 |
CD28 family | B7 family of membrane proteins | CD28, CTLA-4, ICOS, BTLA |
CD200R family | CD200 | CD200R1, CD5, CD6 |
Signal-regulatory protein (SIRP) family | CD47, surfactant proteins e.g. SPA1 | SIRPα |
Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) family | Homophilic (bind SLAM family members), CD48 | SLAMF1, SLAMF3 |
Collagen receptors | Collagen | LAIR1 OSCAR GPVI |
NTRs are transmembrane glycoproteins with typically small ectodomains of 6 to 10 nm. NTRs have either an N-terminal or C terminal ectodomains. Ectodomains have a high sequence diversity between members. [2] Many NTRs have an unstructured intracellular domain which contains tyrosine residues that can be phosphorylated by tyrosine kinases. Some receptors in this family, however, lack a cytoplasmic tail and therefore associate with adaptor proteins containing the same tyrosine residues. [3] Adaptor proteins associate to their respective NTR through their transmembrane helixes carrying oppositely charged residues. [3] The cytoplasmic domains do not contain any intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity.
Tyrosine residues of NTRs mostly appear in conserved amino acid motifs with defined sequence signatures that define whether the receptor plays an activator or inhibiting role in the cell. [4] These motifs allow binding of proteins containing a SH2 domain. [5] Motifs are intrinsic or in the associated adaptor subunits. Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs) are short amino acid sequences that contain two tyrosine residues (Y) arranged as Yxx(L/I)x6-8Yxx(L/I), where L and I indicate Leucine or Isoleucine residue respectively (according to amino acid abbreviations), x denotes any amino acids, a subscribe 6-8 indicates a sequence of 6 to 8 amino acids in length. [6] ITAMs recruits activating kinases to the NTR. [5] Inhibitory signals are transduced by Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIMs) of the signature (S/I/V/L)xYxx(I/V/L), bind to cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatases. [7] Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-based Switch Motifs (ITSMs) with the signature TxYxx(I/V) may induce both activator and inhibitory signals. These motifs are confined to SLAM family receptors. [8] Finally, Immunoglobulin Tail Tyrosine Motifs (ITTMs) with a YxNM signature have been found to have a costimulatory effect. [9]
The signalling pathway of an NTR is induced upon binding to its respective ligand. NTRs, as they are defined, have a short ectodomain (5 - 10 nm) and bind to surface-anchored ligands. For binding to take place, the membrane of the leukocyte has to come into close proximity to the surface with the ligand. The receptor-ligand complex, once bound, spans a dimension of about 10-16 nm. Ectodomains of other surface molecules can be much larger (up to 50 nm), therefore the membrane has to bend towards the ligand, which introduces tension within the membrane. Additionally, large pulling forces can act on the complex, changing dissociation rates of the complex. [2]
NTR triggering, the initial step of the NTR signalling pathway, involves phosphorylation of the tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic domain of the receptor or the associated adaptor protein. Once phosphorylated, these residues recruit further signalling proteins. [10] Phosphorylation of the tyrosine residues is performed by membrane-anchored Src family kinases (SFK) (e.g. Lck, Fyn, Lyn, Blk), while receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTP) (e.g. CD45, CD148) mediate the dephosphorylation of the same residues. SFK and RPTP are constitutively active. [11] In an untriggered state, the activity of phosphatases dominates, keeping NTRs in an unphosphorylated state, and thus preventing signal initiation. It has been shown that inhibition of tyrosine phosphatases induces phosphorylation in NTRs and signalling even without ligand binding. [12] It is therefore assumed that a perturbation of SFK and RPTP balance due to ligand binding, leading to stronger kinase activity and hence accumulation of phosphorylated tyrosine residues, is needed for initiation of downstream signalling.
Different mechanisms of how the balance is disturbed upon ligand binding have been suggested. The induced proximity or aggregation model suggests that upon receptor-ligand binding multiple receptors aggregate. SFKs have multiple phosphorylation sites that regulate their catalytic activity. [13] If the kinase is associated with an NTR, aggregation brings two or more SFK into close proximity, which allows them to phosphorylate each other. Hence due to receptor aggregation, SFKs are activated leading to higher kinase activity and increased NTR phosphorylation. [14] Evidence for this model is given by mathematical models [14] and an experiment where artificially cross-linking NTRs led to signal induction. [15] However, there is not sufficient evidence that receptor aggregation happens in vivo.
According to the Conformational change model, binding of a ligand induces a conformational change in the receptor such that the cytosolic domain becomes accessible for kinases. Thus phosphorylation is only possible when the receptor is bound to a ligand. [16] However, structural studies have failed to show conformational changes. [17]
The Kinetic segregation model proposes that RPTPs are physically excluded from NTR-ligand-binding regions. Ectodomains of RPTPs are much larger compared to NTRs and SFKs. The interaction between ligand and receptor brings the membranes into close contact, and the gap between membranes is too narrow for membrane proteins with large ectodomains to diffuse into the region. This increase the ratio of SFKs over RPTPs in the region surrounding the receptor-ligand complex. Any non-bound NTR would diffuse out of these regions too quickly to induce a downstream signal. [18] [19] Evidence for this model is given by the observation that in T cells, phosphatases CD45 and CD148 segregate from the T-cell receptor upon ligand binding. [20] It was also shown that truncation of phosphatase ectodomains as well as the elongation of ligand ectodomains reduces the segregation and inhibits NTR triggering. [21] [22] Similar findings have been reported for Receptors, [23] CD28 family receptors, [24] Dectin-1. [25]
Phosphorylated tyrosine residues in cytoplasmic tails of NTRs serve as docking sites for SH2 domains of cytosolic signalling proteins. Once bound to the NTR they are activated by phosphorylation and can propagate the signal. Whether a receptor acts as an inhibitor or activator depends on the conserved tyrosine-containing motifs present in its cytoplasmic domain. Activatory motifs (ITAMs) bind kinases, such as Syk family kinases (e.g. ZAP70 for T-cell receptor) that phosphorylate a range of substrates, thereby inducing a signalling cascade leading to the activation of the leukocyte. [26] Inhibitory motifs (ITIM) on the other hand recruit the cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphates SHP1, SHP2 and the phosphatidylinositol phosphatase SHIP-1. The phosphatases can attenuate the signal by dephosphorylating a broad range of signalling molecules. [27]
At any given time, multiple NTR types can be engaged with their receptive ligands, inducing activatory, costimulatory as well as inhibitory signals. The functional response of the leukocytes depends on the integration of the signals. [28]
The insulin receptor (IR) is a transmembrane receptor that is activated by insulin, IGF-I, IGF-II and belongs to the large class of receptor tyrosine kinase. Metabolically, the insulin receptor plays a key role in the regulation of glucose homeostasis; a functional process that under degenerate conditions may result in a range of clinical manifestations including diabetes and cancer. Insulin signalling controls access to blood glucose in body cells. When insulin falls, especially in those with high insulin sensitivity, body cells begin only to have access to lipids that do not require transport across the membrane. So, in this way, insulin is the key regulator of fat metabolism as well. Biochemically, the insulin receptor is encoded by a single gene INSR, from which alternate splicing during transcription results in either IR-A or IR-B isoforms. Downstream post-translational events of either isoform result in the formation of a proteolytically cleaved α and β subunit, which upon combination are ultimately capable of homo or hetero-dimerisation to produce the ≈320 kDa disulfide-linked transmembrane insulin receptor.
The T-cell receptor (TCR) is a protein complex found on the surface of T cells, or T lymphocytes, that is responsible for recognizing fragments of antigen as peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. The binding between TCR and antigen peptides is of relatively low affinity and is degenerate: that is, many TCRs recognize the same antigen peptide and many antigen peptides are recognized by the same TCR.
Lck is a 56 kDa protein that is found inside specialized cells of the immune system called lymphocytes. The Lck is a member of Src kinase family (SFK), it is important for the activation of the T-cell receptor signaling in both naive T cells and effector T cells. The role of the Lck is less prominent in the activation or in the maintenance of memory CD8 T cells in comparison to CD4 T cells. In addition, the role of the lck varies among the memory T cells subsets. It seems that in mice, in the effector memory T cells (TEM) population, more than 50% of lck is present in a constitutively active conformation, whereas, only less than 20% of lck is present as active form of lck. These differences are due to differential regulation by SH2 domain–containing phosphatase-1 (Shp-1) and C-terminal Src kinase.
The B-cell receptor (BCR) is a transmembrane protein on the surface of a B cell. A B-cell receptor is composed of a membrane-bound immunoglobulin molecule and a signal transduction moiety. The former forms a type 1 transmembrane receptor protein, and is typically located on the outer surface of these lymphocyte cells. Through biochemical signaling and by physically acquiring antigens from the immune synapses, the BCR controls the activation of the B cell. B cells are able to gather and grab antigens by engaging biochemical modules for receptor clustering, cell spreading, generation of pulling forces, and receptor transport, which eventually culminates in endocytosis and antigen presentation. B cells' mechanical activity adheres to a pattern of negative and positive feedbacks that regulate the quantity of removed antigen by manipulating the dynamic of BCR–antigen bonds directly. Particularly, grouping and spreading increase the relation of antigen with BCR, thereby proving sensitivity and amplification. On the other hand, pulling forces delinks the antigen from the BCR, thus testing the quality of antigen binding.
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are the high-affinity cell surface receptors for many polypeptide growth factors, cytokines, and hormones. Of the 90 unique tyrosine kinase genes identified in the human genome, 58 encode receptor tyrosine kinase proteins. Receptor tyrosine kinases have been shown not only to be key regulators of normal cellular processes but also to have a critical role in the development and progression of many types of cancer. Mutations in receptor tyrosine kinases lead to activation of a series of signalling cascades which have numerous effects on protein expression. Receptor tyrosine kinases are part of the larger family of protein tyrosine kinases, encompassing the receptor tyrosine kinase proteins which contain a transmembrane domain, as well as the non-receptor tyrosine kinases which do not possess transmembrane domains.
An immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) is a conserved sequence of four amino acids that is repeated twice in the cytoplasmic tails of non-catalytic tyrosine-phosphorylated receptors, cell-surface proteins found mainly on immune cells. Its major role is being an integral component for the initiation of a variety of signaling pathway and subsequently the activation of immune cells, although different functions have been described, for example an osteoclast maturation.
CD22, or cluster of differentiation-22, is a molecule belonging to the SIGLEC family of lectins. It is found on the surface of mature B cells and to a lesser extent on some immature B cells. Generally speaking, CD22 is a regulatory molecule that prevents the overactivation of the immune system and the development of autoimmune diseases.
An immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM), is a conserved sequence of amino acids that is found intracellularly in the cytoplasmic domains of many inhibitory receptors of the non-catalytic tyrosine-phosphorylated receptor family found on immune cells. These immune cells include T cells, B cells, NK cells, dendritic cells, macrophages and mast cells. ITIMs have similar structures of S/I/V/LxYxxI/V/L, where x is any amino acid, Y is a tyrosine residue that can be phosphorylated, S is the amino acid serine, I is the amino acid isoleucine, and V is the amino acid valine. ITIMs recruit SH2 domain-containing phosphatases, which inhibit cellular activation. ITIM-containing receptors often serve to target immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-containing receptors, resulting in an innate inhibition mechanism within cells. ITIM bearing receptors have important role in regulation of immune system allowing negative regulation at different levels of the immune response.
Ly49 is a family of membrane C-type lectin-like receptors expressed mainly on NK cells but also on other immune cells. Their primary role is to bind MHC-I molecules to distinguish between self healthy cells and infected or altered cells. Ly49 family is coded by Klra gene cluster and include genes for both inhibitory and activating paired receptors, but most of them are inhibitory. Inhibitory Ly49 receptors play a role in the recognition of self cells and thus maintain self-tolerance and prevent autoimmunity by suppressing NK cell activation. On the other hand, activating receptors recognise ligands from cancer or viral infected cells and are used when cells lack or have abnormal expression of MHC-I molecules, which activate cytokine production and cytotoxic activity of NK and immune cells.
NKG2 also known as CD159 is a receptor for natural killer cells. There are 7 NKG2 types: A, B, C, D, E, F and H. NKG2D is an activating receptor on the NK cell surface. NKG2A dimerizes with CD94 to make an inhibitory receptor (CD94/NKG2).
Src homology 2 (SH2) domain containing inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase 1(SHIP1) is an enzyme with phosphatase activity. SHIP1 is structured by multiple domain and is encoded by the INPP5D gene in humans. SHIP1 is expressed predominantly by hematopoietic cells but also, for example, by osteoblasts and endothelial cells. This phosphatase is important for the regulation of cellular activation. Not only catalytic but also adaptor activities of this protein are involved in this process. Its movement from the cytosol to the cytoplasmic membrane, where predominantly performs its function, is mediated by tyrosine phosphorylation of the intracellular chains of cell surface receptors that SHIP1 binds. Insufficient regulation of SHIP1 leads to different pathologies.
Signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) is a regulatory membrane glycoprotein from SIRP family expressed mainly by myeloid cells and also by stem cells or neurons.
B-cell linker (BLNK) protein is expressed in B cells and macrophages and plays a large role in B cell receptor signaling. Like all adaptor proteins, BLNK has no known intrinsic enzymatic activity. Its function is to temporally and spatially coordinate and regulate downstream signaling effectors in B cell receptor (BCR) signaling, which is important in B cell development. Binding of these downstream effectors is dependent on BLNK phosphorylation. BLNK is encoded by the BLNK gene and is also known as SLP-65, BASH, and BCA.
Cluster of differentiation CD79A also known as B-cell antigen receptor complex-associated protein alpha chain and MB-1 membrane glycoprotein, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CD79A gene.
A non-receptor tyrosine kinase (nRTK) is a cytosolic enzyme that is responsible for catalysing the transfer of a phosphate group from a nucleoside triphosphate donor, such as ATP, to tyrosine residues in proteins. Non-receptor tyrosine kinases are a subgroup of protein family tyrosine kinases, enzymes that can transfer the phosphate group from ATP to a tyrosine residue of a protein (phosphorylation). These enzymes regulate many cellular functions by switching on or switching off other enzymes in a cell.
Collagen receptors are membrane proteins that bind the extracellular matrix protein collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals. They control mainly cell proliferation, migration and adhesion, coagulation cascade activation and they affect ECM structure by regulation of MMP.
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2) are two viral proteins of the Epstein–Barr virus. LMP2A/LMP2B are transmembrane proteins that act to block tyrosine kinase signaling. LMP2A is a transmembrane protein that inhibits normal B-cell signal transduction by mimicking an activated B-cell receptor (BCR). The N-terminus domain of LMP2A is tyrosine phosphorylated and associates with Src family protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) as well as spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk). PTKs and Syk are associated with BCR signal transduction.
Killer Activation Receptors (KARs) are receptors expressed on the plasmatic membrane of Natural Killer cells. KARs work together with inhibitory receptors, which inactivate them in order to regulate the NK cells functions on hosted or transformed cells. These two kinds of specific receptors have some morphological features in common, such as being transmembrane proteins. The similarities are specially found in the extracellular domains and, the differences tend to be in the intracellular domains. KARs and KIRs can have tyrosine containing activatory or inhibitory motifs in the intracellular part of the receptor molecule.
Kinetic-segregation is a model proposed for the mechanism of T-cell receptor (TCR) triggering. It offers an explanation for how TCR binding to its ligand triggers T-cell activation, based on size-sensitivity for the molecules involved. Simon J. Davis and Anton van der Merwe, University of Oxford, proposed this model in 1996. According to the model, TCR signalling is initiated by segregation of phosphatases with large extracellular domains from the TCR complex when binding to its ligand, allowing small kinases to phosphorylate intracellular domains of the TCR without inhibition. Its might also be applicable to other receptors of the Non-catalytic tyrosine-phosphorylated receptors family such as CD28.
Tyrosine phosphorylation is the addition of a phosphate (PO43−) group to the amino acid tyrosine on a protein. It is one of the main types of protein phosphorylation. This transfer is made possible through enzymes called tyrosine kinases. Tyrosine phosphorylation is a key step in signal transduction and the regulation of enzymatic activity.