The adapter protein 3BP2 is expressed in lymphocytes; binds to Syk/ZAP-70, Vav, and phospholipase C-␥ (PLC-␥); and is thought to be important for interleukin-2 gene transcription in T cells. To define the role of 3BP2 in lymphocyte development and function, we generated 3BP2-deficient mice. T-cell development, proliferation, cytokine secretion, and signaling in response to T-cell receptor (TCR) ligation were all normal in 3BP2 ؊/؊ mice. 3BP2 ؊/؊ mice had increased accumulation of pre-B cells in the bone marrow and a block in the progression of transitional B cells in the spleen from the T1 to the T2 stage, but normal numbers of mature B cells. B-cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, PLC-␥2 phosphorylation, calcium mobilization, NF-ATp dephosphorylation, and Erk and Jnk activation in response to B-cell receptor (BCR) ligation were all impaired. These results suggest that 3BP2 is important for BCR, but not for TCR signaling.3BP2 is a protein originally characterized as an Abl SH3-interacting protein (44). It consists of an N-terminal pleckstrin homology domain, a proline-rich central region, and a C-terminal SH2 domain. 3BP2 mRNA is expressed in hematopoietic tissues. 3BP2 protein is expressed in T cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, monocytic cell lines, osteoclasts, and the rat basophilic leukemia cell line RBL-2H3 (11, 37). 3BP2 associates with 36). Association of 3BP2 with Syk was shown to require the SH2 domain of 3BP2 and the catalytic activity of Syk. The SH2 domain of 3BP2 has also been shown to bind to the adapter protein LAT in T cells and mast cells after T-cell receptor (TCR) and FcεRI ligation, respectively (11, 46). Phospholipase C-␥ (PLC-␥) and Vav were also identified as binding partners of 3BP2 (22). Other partners of 3BP2 include Grb2, Cbl, and Fyn (11,14,15).TCR stimulation induces a significant translocation of 3BP2 to the membrane and detergent-insoluble (cytoskeleton) fractions, suggesting a role for 3BP2 in TCR-mediated signal transduction (11). Transient overexpression of 3BP2 in Jurkat T cells induces transcriptional activation of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene promoter and its NF-AT and AP-1 elements and cooperates with TCR ligation and ionomycin in activating NF-AT/AP-1-driven transcription. Overexpression of 3BP2 resulted in calcineurin-dependent dephosphorylation of NF-ATc and stimulated AP-1 activity independently of NF-AT (11). The SH2 and PH domains of 3BP2, but not its proline-rich domain, are required for NF-AT activation. Furthermore, overexpression of the SH2 domain of 3BP2 inhibited TCRmediated NF-AT activation (11). Activation of NF-AT by 3BP2 in T cells required ZAP-70, because overexpression of 3BP2 in a ZAP-70-deficient Jurkat cell clone failed to activate NF-AT (11).
Overexpression of 3BP2 enhances NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity (22). FcεRI ligation induces the phosphorylation of 3BP2 and its association with LAT in rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells (46). Overexpression of the SH2 domain of 3BP2 in these cells suppresses FcεRI-induced signaling (46).Recent...