A SYNTHETIC TRIS-SULFOTYROSYL DODECAPEPTIDE ANALOG OF THE INSULIN-RECEPTOR 1146-KINASE DOMAIN INHIBITS TYROSINE DEPHOSPHORYLATION OF THE INSULIN-RECEPTOR IN-SITU

A synthetic tris-sulfotyrosyl dodecapeptide (TRDIY-(S)ETDY(S)Y(S)RK-amide), whose primary sequence is identical to the 1142-1153 sequence of the insulin proreceptor, inhibited insulin receptor dephosphorylation in solubilized membranes, and digitonin-permeabilized cells derived from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing high levels of human insulin receptors (CHO/HIRc). It also inhibited the dephosphorylation of a synthetic tyrosine phosphorylated substrate by recombinant PTP-1B, a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase), indicating that it acted via interaction with PTPase(s). A N-stearyl derivative of the peptide caused an similar to 4.5-fold increase in insulin-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation in intact CHO/HIRe cells. The peptide displayed specificity toward tyrosine-class phosphatases only, as it had no effect on the activities of the serine/threonine phosphatases PP-1 and PP-2A, or alkaline phosphatase. The tyrosine sulfate ester bonds of the peptide were stable when incubated with PTP-1B (1 h, 30 degrees C). These data suggest that the sulfotyrosyl peptide functions as a nonhydrolyzable phosphotyrosyl peptide analogue capable of direct interaction with PTPase catalytic domain.