CD45 modulates phosphorylation of both autophosphorylation and negative regulatory tyrosines of Lyn in B cells.

CD45 is a tyrosine phosphatase that is required for normal B cell receptor (BCR)-mediated signaling. It has been shown that Src-family tyrosine kinases such as Lyn could be a potential substrate for CD45. In vitro studies indicate that activities of Src family tyrosine kinases are regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation; C-terminal phosphorylation is inhibitory, and autophosphorylation is stimulatory. We report here that both autophosphorylation and C-terminal negative regulatory tyrosines of Lyn were hyperphosphorylated in CD45-deficient DT40 B cells. In this mutant cell, BCR-induced protein-tyrosine phosphorylation and calcium mobilization were severely compromised, as seen in Lyn-deficient cells. Consistent with this observation, Lyn activation upon receptor ligation was profoundly decreased in CD45-deficient cells. Taken together, our results suggest that dephosphorylation of tyrosine residues at both autophosphorylation and negative regulatory sites is mediated by CD45 in vivo, and that dephosphorylation of C-terminal tyrosine is a prerequisite for participation of Lyn in BCR signaling.