Syk kinase is phosphorylated in specific areas of the developing nervous system

► Syk is a candidate in connecting immunoreceptors to downstream signaling in neurons. ► Syk family kinases are expressed in neurons of central and peripheral nervous structures. ► The active form of Syk is observed in migrating neurons and synapse-rich regions. ► On primary hippocampal neurons Syk phosphorylation is induced by pervanadate. An increasing number of data involve immunoreceptors in brain development, synaptic plasticity and behavior. However it has yet to be determined whether these proteins in fact transmit an immunoreceptor-like signal in non-hematopoietic neuronal cells. The recruitment and activation of the Syk family tyrosine kinases, Syk and ZAP-70, being a critical step in this process, we conducted a thorough analysis of Syk/ZAP-70 expression pattern in nervous tissues. Syk/ZAP-70 is present in neurons of different structures including the cerebellum, the hippocampus, the visual system and the olfactory system. During the olfactory system ontogeny the protein is detected from the 16th embryonic day and persists in adulthood. Importantly, Syk was phosphorylated on tyrosine residues representative of an active form of the kinase in specialized neuronal subpopulations comprising rostral migratory stream neuronal progenitor cells, hippocampal pyramidal cells, retinal ganglion cells and cerebellar granular cells. Phospho-Syk staining was also observed in synapse-rich regions such as the olfactory bulb glomeruli and the retina inner plexiform layer. Furthermore, our work on cultured primary hippoccampal neurons indicates that as for hematopoietic cells, Syk phosphorylation is readily induced upon pervanadate treatment. Therefore, Syk appears to be a serious candidate in connecting immunoreceptors to downstream adaptor/effector molecules in neurons.