title: Prolactin stimulates phosphorylation of the human T-cell antigen receptor complex and ZAP-70 tyrosine kinase: a potential mechanism for its immunomodulation.
abstract: Prolactin (PRL) is an immunomodulatory hormone which promotes T-cell activation and proliferation. However, the intracellular mechanisms of this action in normal lymphocytes are unknown. Because the PRL receptor (PRLR) activates several signals also activated by the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex, we evaluated whether signaling "cross-talk" occurs between these distinct receptors. Using human thymocytes, human peripheral blood lymphocytes and the rat Nb2 lymphoma T-cell, we found that PRL induced rapid phosphorylation of multiple, TCR/CD3 complex proteins, an event required for lymphocyte activation. Two of these phosphorylated proteins were identified to be CD3 epsilon and ZAP-70 tyrosine kinase, molecules essential for TCR function. Further, PRL induced tyrosyl phosphorylation of ZAP-70 in each population of T-lymphocytes tested, demonstrating for the first time that ZAP-70 is a target of PRL action. Taken together, our results suggest that the PRLR directly affects T-lymphocyte activation by means of signaling cross-talk with the TCR/CD3 complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tuscon 85724, USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Krumenacker
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Buckley
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000502:physiology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011388:Prolactin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D017252:CD3 Complex; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D014443:Tyrosine; D011388:Prolactin; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; C497261:ZAP70 protein, human