FRIP, a hematopoietic cell-specific rasGAP-interacting protein phosphorylated in response to cytokine stimulation

The human IL-4 receptor contains a sequence (the 14R motif) centered on Y497 that, when phosphorylated, interacts with phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain proteins. Here, we describe a PTB domain protein, FRIP, that is phosphorylated in response to cytokine stimulation. FRIP is related to the rasGAP-associated protein p62dok and is bound by the N-terminal SH2 domain of rasGAP. The frip gene maps to the hairless (hr) locus on mouse chromosome 14. hr/hr mice exhibit lymphadenopathy, and their lymph node T cells proliferate more vigorously to anti-CD3 with IL-4 or IL-2 stimulation than +/hr T cells. FRIP expression is significantly reduced in T cells from hr/hr mice. FRIP may negatively regulate proliferation by acting as an adapter molecule between rasGAP and receptor complexes.