Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor activates microtubule-associated protein 2 kinase in neutrophils via a tyrosine kinase-dependent pathway.

Receptors of the hematopoietin superfamily, including the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptor, lack a tyrosine kinase domain as well as other sequences indicative of a known signaling mechanism. In this report, we identify the serine/threonine kinase, microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) kinase, as an intermediate in the GM-CSF signal transduction pathway. Treatment of peripheral blood neutrophils or terminally differentiated HL-60 cells with GM-CSF induced a rapid and dose-dependent increase in MAP2 kinase activity. Maximal activity occurred within 5 minutes and the kinetics of the response varied depending on the target cell (prolonged in neutrophils and transient in neutrophilic HL-60 cells). MAP2 kinase activity in these cells correlates with the induction of a 42-Kd tyrosine phosphoprotein. Furthermore, tyrosine phosphorylation is necessary for MAP2 kinase activation since its activity is inhibited by treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, erbstatin analog. These data suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation is important in GM-CSF-mediated signal transduction and that MAP2 kinase activation may be a central biochemical event involved in its signaling.