Multiple kinases and signal transduction. Phosphorylation of the T cell antigen receptor complex.

Multiple kinases interact at the multicomponent murine T cell antigen receptor. Antigen induces serine phosphorylation of the 21-kDa gamma glycoprotein and tyrosine phosphorylation of p21, a distinct 21-kDa chain. We demonstrate that tyrosine phosphorylation is due to kinase activation, and that all phosphorylated p21 is associated with the antigen receptor. We also show that antigen leads to polyphosphoinositide metabolism and subsequent protein kinase C activation. The two phosphorylation events can be dissociated by protein kinase C depletion, which eliminates phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced serine but not tyrosine phosphorylation. Activation of a third kinase, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, inhibits both serine and tyrosine events, yet this inhibition can be modulated by addition of the protein kinase C activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Receptor-mediated signal transduction may be understood as the interaction of multiple stimulatory and inhibitory kinase activities.