Activation- and phorbol ester-stimulated phosphorylation of a plasma membrane glycoprotein antigen expressed on mouse IL-3-dependent mast cells and serosal mast cells

As assessed by immunoprecipitation analyses, expression of the epitope recognized by the rat mAb B23.1 is approximately sevenfold greater on the surface of mouse IL-3-dependent bone marrow culture-derived mast cells (BMMC) than on serosal mast cells (SMC) obtained directly from the peritoneal cavity. Immunoprecipitation of B23.1 antibody-binding molecules from Na[125I] surface-labeled BMMC and SMC followed by sizing on SDS-polyacrylamide gels under reducing conditions demonstrated that the epitope is located on molecules of 49,000 and 47,500 Mr, respectively. An additional immunoprecipitated molecule of 42,000 Mr was detected from BMMC intrinsically radiolabeled with [35S]methionine, and pulse-chase analyses revealed that this species was a biosynthetic precursor of the 49,000 Mr cell surface form of the Ag. Treatment of the immunoprecipitated 42,000 and 49,000 Mr forms with endoglycosidase F reduced the Mr of both to 37,000, as did intrinsic radiolabeling of BMMC in the presence of tunicamycin, indicating that both the 42,000 Mr precursor form and the 49,000 Mr cell surface molecule (gp49) contained N-linked carbohydrate. Activation of [32P]orthophosphate-labeled BMMC by sensitization with mouse monoclonal IgE anti-TNP and challenge with TNP-BSA or by exposure to the calcium ionophore A23187 elicited the rapid phosphorylation of gp49 but not of its precursor forms, as did treatment of the cells with PMA. Elution of phosphorylated and immunoprecipitated gp49 from SDS-polyacrylamide gels followed by partial acid hydrolysis of the protein and phosphoamino acid analysis by high voltage thin-layer electrophoresis on cellulose plates indicated that serine, but not threonine or tyrosine, was phosphorylated upon stimulation of BMMC with IgE/Ag, calcium ionophore, or PMA. Cholera toxin did not elicit phosphorylation of gp49. These data suggest that gp49, a plasma membrane glycoprotein preferentially expressed by mouse BMMC, may be either directly or indirectly phosphorylated via protein kinase C during mast cell activation-secretion.