Cross-linking of Fc gamma RIIIA on natural killer cells results in tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2.

The Fc gamma RIIIA, which is composed of a transmembrane IgG-binding glycoprotein and either a disulfide-linked homodimer (zeta zeta, gamma gamma) or heterodimer (zeta gamma), mediates the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in NK cells. The role of phospholipase C (PLC) isozymes in Fc gamma RIIIA-mediated signal transduction was investigated. The NK cell line NK3.3 was found to contain PLC-gamma 1 and an especially high concentration of PLC-gamma 2, but PLC-beta 1 and PLC-delta 1 were not detected. Cross-linking of Fc gamma RIIIA on NK3.3 cells induced a rapid phosphorylation of PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2 on tyrosine residues. Pretreatment of NK3.3 cells with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, herbimycin A, prevented the tyrosine phosphorylation of both PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2. These results indicate that activation of Fc gamma RIIIA on NK3.3 cells is coupled either directly or indirectly to a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, which phosphorylates, and thereby activates PLC-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2.