Inhibition of phosphatidylserine synthesis during Jurkat T cell activation. The phosphatase inhibitor, sodium ortho-vanadate bypasses the CD3/T cell receptor-induced second messenger signaling pathway.

Sodium ortho-vanadate (Na3VO4), an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase, induces a rapid (15 min) and strong inhibition of phosphatidylserine synthesis with an IC50 = 100 microM. The mode of action of Na3VO4 was compared to that of CD3 mAbs. It was found that Na3VO4 bypasses the major CD3-induced T cell activation signals including protein tyrosine phosphorylation, p56lck activation and the generation of second messengers including inositol phosphates and its subsequent Ca2+ mobilization as well as diacylglycerol production. These facts were confirmed by using a panel of Jurkat clones that differs by the expression of either tyrosine kinases involved in the CD3-induced T cell activation pathway such as p56lck, p72syk and ZAP-70 or some cell surface receptors such as the CD3/TCR complex or the CD45 phosphatase.