Overexpression of cellular Src in fibroblasts enhances endocytic internalization of epidermal growth factor receptor

Previous studies have demonstrated a requirement for the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, cellular Src (c-Src), in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced mitogenesis and a synergistic interaction between c-Src and EGF receptor (EGFR) in tumorigenesis. Although endocytic internalization of EGFR may be thought to attenuate EGF-stimulated signaling, recent evidence suggests that signaling through Ras can be amplified by repeated encounters of endosome-localized, receptor. Shc.Grb2.Sos complexes with the plasma membrane, where Ras resides almost exclusively. Based on these reports, we examined EGFR trafficking behavior in a set of single and double c-Src/EGFR C3H10T1/2 overexpressors to determine if c-Src affects basal receptor half-life, ligand-induced internalization, and/or recycling. Our results show that overexpression of c-Src causes no change in EGFR half-life but does produce an increase in the internalization rate constant of EGF.EGFR complexes when the endocytic apparatus is not stoichiometrically saturated; this effect of c-Src on EGFR endocytosis is negligible at high receptor occupancy in cells overexpressing the receptor. In neither case are EGFR recycling rate constants affected by c-Src. These data indicate a functional role for c-Src in receptor internalization, which in turn could alter some aspects of EGFR signaling related to mitogenesis and tumorigenesis.