Priming of tyrosine phosphorylation in GM-CSF-stimulated adherent neutrophils

Adherence of human neutrophils to plastic, fibronectin, or collagen-coated surfaces modifies their response to several agonists including granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and fMet-Leu-Phe, permitting them to trigger superoxide anion (O2-) release, which they are unable to do as cells in suspension. Adherence of neutrophils causes a slight decrease in the basal level of tyrosine phosphorylation compared with that of suspended cells. The addition of GM-CSF, however, brings all proteins to a level of phosphorylation at least equal to that seen in suspended cells. In the case of a 130-kDa (p130) and a 42-kDa (p42) protein, the increase in tyrosyl phosphorylation in response to GM-CSF challenge is clearly larger in adherent than in suspended cells (6- and 4-fold increases for p130 and p42, respectively, in adherent cells vs. 1.7- and 2.1-fold in suspended cells). This is even more patient in the case of collagen-coated plates (9.4-fold increase for p42). Therefore, once neutrophils attach to surfaces, they become primed and respond to GM-CSF with greater potency than when they are in suspension. By Western blot analysis with anti-MAP kinase antibodies, we demonstrate that p42 is one member of the mitogen-activating protein kinase, namely the p42MAPK. The tyrosyl phosphorylation of p42MAPK is elevated in GM-CSF-treated adherent neutrophils in a time-dependent fashion as measured by the formation of a doublet composed of the phospho (or activated) form and the dephospho (or inactive) form of MAP kinase. MAP kinase activation and tyrosine phosphorylation are inhibited by tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and tyrphostin-23. Our results indicate that adherence acts to prime neutrophils for enhanced functionality and that tyrosine phosphorylation is involved in this process.