p21ras mediates control of IL-2 gene promoter function in T cell activation
Rayter, S.I.; Woodrow, M.; Lucas, S.C.; Cantrell, D.A.; Downward, J.
EMBO Journal 11(12): 4549-4556
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0261-4189 PMID: 1425589 Document Number: 388914
It has been shown previously in T cells that stimulation of protein kinase C or the T cell antigen receptor leads to a rapid and persistent activation of p21-ras as measured by a dramatic increase in the amount of bound GTP. These stimuli are also known to induce the expression of the T lymphocyte growth factor, interleukin-2 (IL-2), an essential growth factor for the immune system. Receptor induced activation of p21-ras has been demonstrated in several cell types but involvement of protein kinase C as an upstream activator of p21-ras appears to be unique to T cells. In this study we show that p21-ras acts as a component of the protein kinase C and T cell antigen receptor downstream signalling pathway controlling IL-2 gene expression. In the murine T cell line EL4, constitutively active p21-ras greatly potentiates the phorbol ester and T cell receptor agonist induced production IL-2 as measured both by biological assay for the cytokine and by the use of a reporter construct. Active p21-ras also partially replaces the requirement for protein kinase C activation in synergizing with a calcium ionophore to induce production of IL-2. Furthermore, using a dominant negative mutant of ras, Ha-rasN17, we show that endogenous ras function is essential for induction of IL-2 expression in response to protein kinase C or T cell receptor stimulation. Activation of ras proteins is thus a necessary but not sufficient event in the induction of IL-2 synthesis. Ras proteins are therefore pivotal signaling molecules in T cell activation.