Association of an activation inducible serine kinase activity with CD5

We show the association of a protein kinase activity with CD5 immunoprecipitates under different detergent conditions (1% digitonin, 1% Triton X-100). This association can be observed in all CD5+ cell types tested (PBMC, thymocytes, B cells from chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and some lymphoblastoid T cell lines as Jurkat, Molt-4, 8402). Phosphoaminoacid analysis of the in vitro phosphorylated proteins and Western blot analysis of the immunoprecipitates with an antiphosphotyrosine mAb show that, in contrast with other lymphocyte receptors (CD3, CD4, IL-2R), CD5 coimmunoprecipitates a serine kinase activity. Our results show also that preactivation of cells through the CD3/TCR complex induces a rapid (detectable in 1-3 min) and transient (returns to basal levels after 10-15 min) increase in the kinase activity associated with CD5 immunoprecipitates. This CD3-induced increase in CD5-associated kinase activity correlates with an increase in CD5 phosphorylation. Furthermore, activation with soluble anti-CD5 mAb induces also an increase in the kinase activity associated with this receptor. In contrast with the increase observed after activation with CD3, after activation with CD5 the increase in the kinase activity peaks after 10 min and is maintained for 1 h. These different kinetics suggest that there may exist different mechanisms that regulate this phenomenon.