PNNL

Abstract

The HCMV-encoded chemokine receptor US28 mediates smooth muscle cell (SMC) and macrophage motility and this activity has been implicated in the acceleration of vascular disease. US28 induced SMC migration involves the activation of the protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) Src and Focal adhesion kinase as well as the small GTPase RhoA. In the current study, we examined the involvement of the PTK Pyk2 in US28-induced cellular motility. Expression of a Pyk2 lacking the autophosphorylation site (Tyr-402) blocks US28-mediated SMC migration in response to RANTES, while the kinase-inactive mutant failed to elicit the same negative effect on migration. US28 stimulation with RANTES results in ligand-dependent and calcium-dependent phosphorylation of Pyk2 Tyr-402 and induced the formation of an active Pyk2 kinase complex containing several novel Pyk2 binding proteins. Interestingly, expression of the autophosphorylation site mutant Pyk2 F402Y did not abrogate the formation of an active Pyk2 kinase complex, but instead prevented US28-mediated activation of RhoA. These findings represent the first demonstration that US28 signals through Pyk2 and that this PTK participates in US28-mediated cellular motility via activation of RhoA. Additionally, US28 activated RhoA via Pyk2 in the U373 glioblastoma cells. Interestingly, the Pyk2 kinase complex in U373 contained several proteins known to participate in glioma tumorigenesis. These results provide a potential mechanistic link between HCMV-US28 and glioblastoma cell activation and motility.