Direct stimulation by tyrosine phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein (MAP) kinase activity by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in human neutrophils

Human polymorphonuclear neutrophils exhibit a low level of the microtubule-associated protein kinase (MAPK) activity. This enzymic activity is enhanced up to 3-fold upon cell stimulation with the human haematopoietic hormone granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). This is demonstrated both in whole-cell lysates and in DEAE-anion-exchange semi-purified fractions prepared from GM-CSF-stimulated neutrophils, by assaying the kinase activity against either myelin basic protein or a phosphoacceptor peptide that bears the specific phosphorylation site of the MAPK natural substrate. Similarly, phosphorylation of MAPK in tyrosine residues, as found in immunoblots using anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies, follows similar time- and dose-response curves as the kinase activation. Pretreatment of the cells with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein abrogates the above-mentioned effect, whereas the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid enhances both the basal and the GM-CSF-stimulated kinase activities. Likewise, MAPK tyrosine phosphorylation is diminished in genistein-treated neutrophils, and enhanced in okadaic acid-treated cells. We conclude that MAPK activity is present in human neutrophils, and that it is stimulated by GM-CSF. This stimulation of the activity is most likely due to the phosphorylation of MAPK in tyrosine residues triggered upon binding of GM-CSF to its receptors.