We have characterized signaling pathways involving the related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase (RAFTK, also known as PYK2 or CAK-␤) in CMK human megakaryocytic cells. Stem cell factor, which potentiates the growth of megakaryocytes and their progenitors, and phorbol myristate acetate, which causes differentiation of megakaryocytic cell lines, induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of RAFTK but not of focal adhesion kinase. Stimulation of CMK cells with stem cell factor resulted in an increase in the autophosphorylation and kinase activity of RAFTK. Phosphorylation of RAFTK under these conditions was mediated by a protein kinase C-dependent pathway. Cytochalasin D, which disrupts the cytoskeleton, abolished the phosphorylation of RAFTK upon phorbol myristate acetate and stem cell factor stimulation, indicating that RAFTK association with the actin cytoskeleton appears to be critical for its phosphorylation. In addition, we observed an association of RAFTK with paxillin, a 68-kDa cytoskeleton protein. Using in vitro binding assays, RAFTK and paxillin were shown to bind directly through the C-terminal prolinerich domain. Transient overexpression of a dominantnegative mutant of RAFTK inhibited significantly the tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin upon phorbol myristate acetate stimulation. These observations indicate that RAFTK might play an important role in the phosphorylation of signaling pathways within the focal adhesions and that RAFTK participates in signaling events that link signals from the cell surface to the cytoskeleton. Furthermore, this study suggests that RAFTK might be involved in megakaryocyte proliferation and differentiation.

RAFTK, a novel nonreceptor protein kinase, has been shown to be involved in focal adhesion signal transduction pathways in neuronal PC12 cells, megakaryocytes, platelets, and T cells. Because focal adhesions may modulate cytoskeletal functions and thereby alter phagocytosis, cell migration, and adhesion in monocyte-macrophages, we investigated the role of RAFTK signaling in these cells. RAFTK was abundantly expressed in THP1 monocytic cells as well as in primary alveolar and peripheral blood-derived macrophages. Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1)/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) stimulation of THP1 cells increased the tyrosine phosphorylation of RAFTK; similar increases in phosphorylation were also detected after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. RAFTK was phosphorylated with similar kinetics in THP1 cells and peripheral blood-derived macrophages. Immunoprecipitation analysis showed associations between RAFTK and the signaling molecule phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI-3) kinase. PI-3 kinase enzyme activity also coprecipitated with the RAFTK antibody, further confirming this association. The CSF-1/M-CSF receptor c-fms and RAFTK appeared to associate in response to CSF-1/M-CSF treatment of THP1 cells. Inhibition of RAFTK by a dominant-negative kinase mutant reduced CSF-1/M-CSF–induced MAPK activity. These data indicate that RAFTK participates in signal transduction pathways mediated by CSF-1/M-CSF, a cytokine that regulates monocyte-macrophage growth and function.

RAFTK, a novel nonreceptor protein kinase, has been shown to be involved in focal adhesion signal transduction pathways in neuronal PC12 cells, megakaryocytes, platelets, and T cells. Because focal adhesions may modulate cytoskeletal functions and thereby alter phagocytosis, cell migration, and adhesion in monocyte-macrophages, we investigated the role of RAFTK signaling in these cells. RAFTK was abundantly expressed in THP1 monocytic cells as well as in primary alveolar and peripheral blood-derived macrophages. Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1)/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) stimulation of THP1 cells increased the tyrosine phosphorylation of RAFTK; similar increases in phosphorylation were also detected after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. RAFTK was phosphorylated with similar kinetics in THP1 cells and peripheral blood-derived macrophages. Immunoprecipitation analysis showed associations between RAFTK and the signaling molecule phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI-3) kinase. PI-3 kinase enzyme activity also coprecipitated with the RAFTK antibody, further confirming this association. The CSF-1/M-CSF receptor c-fms and RAFTK appeared to associate in response to CSF-1/M-CSF treatment of THP1 cells. Inhibition of RAFTK by a dominant-negative kinase mutant reduced CSF-1/M-CSF–induced MAPK activity. These data indicate that RAFTK participates in signal transduction pathways mediated by CSF-1/M-CSF, a cytokine that regulates monocyte-macrophage growth and function.