The transmembrane protein-tyrosine phosphatase LAR modulates signaling by multiple receptor tyrosine kinases

Antisense-mediated suppression of the transmembrane protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) LAR has been shown previously to increase insulin-dependent phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) activation by greater than 300% in the rat hepatoma cell line McA-RH7777, Here, insulin-dependent insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activation was examined with recombinant insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) as the substrate and shown to be 3-fold greater in cells with suppressed LAR levels, Consistent with a receptor level effect, in vivo insulin-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of both IRS-1 and She was increased by a similar 3-fold with LAR suppression, These increases in IRS-1 and She phosphorylation were paralleled by increases in insulin-dependent PI 3-kinase association with IRS-1 and activation of the MAP kinase pathway, Reduced LAR levels also resulted in increases of over 300% and 250% in epidermal growth factor (EGF)- and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-dependent receptor autophosphorylation, respectively, as well as a severalfold increase in substrate tyrosine phosphorylation, In a post-receptor response, EGF- and HGF- dependent MAP kinase activation was increased by 300% and 350%, respectively, with LAR suppression, Similarly, growth factor dependent PI 3-kinase activation was increased in LAR antisense expressing cells when compared to null vector expressing cells, These results demonstrate that the transmembrane PTPase LAR modulates ligand dependent activation of at least three receptor tyrosine kinases.