The SPRY domain-containing SOCS box protein 1 (SSB-1) interacts with MET and enhances the hepatocyte growth factor-induced Erk-Elk-1-serum response element pathway

J Biol Chem. 2005 Apr 22;280(16):16393-401. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M413897200. Epub 2005 Feb 15.

Abstract

The suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) protein family includes a SPRY (repeats in splA and RyR) domain-containing SOCS box protein (SSB) subfamily, which consists of four members, SSB-1, SSB-2, SSB-3, and SSB-4. These proteins contain a central SPRY domain and a C-terminal SOCS box. Although some of the SOCS protein subfamilies function as adaptors for a large family of ubiquitin-protein isopeptide ligases to regulate certain signaling pathways, the function of the SSB subfamily remains to be determined. In our previous studies, we have found that two SPRY domain-containing proteins, RanBP9 and RanBP10, interact with MET through the SPRY domain. In the present study, we explored the function of SSB proteins in the regulation of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-MET signaling. Our results showed that all four SSB proteins also interacted with the MET. The MET interaction with SSB-1 was further investigated. We demonstrated that SSB-1 bound to MET tyrosine kinase domain through its SPRY domain. MET interacted with SSB-1 in both the absence and the presence of HGF, but HGF treatment resulted in the recruitment of more SSB-1 by MET. We showed that overexpression of SSB-1 but not other SSB proteins enhanced the HGF-induced serum response element (SRE)-luciferase activity. Overexpression of SSB-1 exhibited no effect on the basal level or epidermal growth factor-induced SRE-luciferase activity. SSB-1 also enhanced HGF-induced Erk phosphorylation. Suppression of SSB-1 by the RNA interference method down-regulated HGF-induced SRE-luciferase activity and decreased Elk-1 activation. These results suggest that SSB-1 may play an important role in enhancing the HGF-induced Erk-Elk-1-SRE pathway. Furthermore, we demonstrated that in response to HGF stimulation, the SSB-1 protein became phosphorylated at tyrosine residue 31. The phosphorylated SSB-1 protein bound to p120Ras-GTPase-activating protein (GAP) but did not promote the degradation of p120RasGAP, indicating that enhanced HGF-MET signaling by overexpression of SSB-1 was not dependent on p120RasGAP degradation.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism*
  • Genes, Reporter
  • HeLa Cells
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Receptors, Growth Factor / metabolism*
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Serum Response Element*
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • ets-Domain Protein Elk-1
  • p120 GTPase Activating Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • ELK1 protein, human
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptors, Growth Factor
  • Repressor Proteins
  • SOCS1 protein, human
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • ets-Domain Protein Elk-1
  • p120 GTPase Activating Protein
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor
  • MET protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases