p72syk tyrosine kinase is activated by oxidizing conditions that induce lymphocyte tyrosine phosphorylation and Ca2+ signals.

We have used H2O2 as a pharmacologic agent to examine the effects of oxidizing conditions on lymphocyte signal pathways. Treatment of Ramos cells with 5-10 mM H2O2 gave rapid and strong tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple cellular proteins and activation of p72syk to levels equal to or greater than that observed upon surface Ig cross-linking. Strong Ca2+ signals that could be blocked by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A were also observed under these conditions. However, there was no increase in activity for the Src family kinases p56lck, p59fyn, or p56/p53lyn. Our findings that the p72syk tyrosine kinase responds to H2O2 treatment of cells suggest that this kinase is likely to contribute to cellular tyrosine phosphorylation and calcium signaling induced by oxidizing conditions. Furthermore, H2O2 may be useful as a pharmacologic agent to distinguish the effects of p72syk-related kinases from those of Src family kinases.