DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION OF ZAP-70 AND SYK PROTEIN-TYROSINE KINASES, AND THE ROLE OF THIS FAMILY OF PROTEIN-TYROSINE KINASES IN TCR SIGNALING

TCR stimulation results in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of cellular substrates. We have recently identified a 70-kDa protein tyr osine kinase, ZAP-70, which associates with the human TCR zeta-chain a fter TCR stimulation. We report here the isolation and sequence of a c DNA clone that encodes murine ZAP-70. Murine and human ZAP-70 share 93 % amino acid identity and are homologous to the 72-kDa protein tyrosin e kinase Syk. Syk has been implicated in the signal transduction pathw ays of the B cell membrane Ig and high affinity IgE receptors, Fc epsi lon RI. In addition, we examined the tissue distribution of ZAP-70 and Syk in human and murine thymocyte subsets, B cells, and peripheral T cell subsets. ZAP-70 protein is expressed in all major thymocyte popul ations, with the level of expression being comparable to that found in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) peripheral T cells. Although Syk protein is al so present in all thymocyte subsets, expression of Syk protein is down -regulated threefold to fourfold in peripheral T cells. In contrast to ZAP-70, expression of Syk is 12- to 15-fold higher in peripheral B ce lls when compared with peripheral T cells. In addition, whereas T cell stimulation results in down-regulation of Lck, no significant change in ZAP-70 or Syk protein is detected. Finally, we provide evidence tha t both ZAP-70 and Syk can associate with the TCR after TCR stimulation . With the use of a heterologous expression system, we show that, like ZAP-70, Syk is dependent upon a Src-family protein tyrosine kinase fo r association with the phosphorylated zeta-chain. Thus, the differenti al expression of these kinases suggests the possibility of different r oles for ZAP-70 and Syk in TCR signaling and thymic development.