Characterization of the T cell antigen receptor - p60fyn protein tyrosine kinase association by chemical cross-linking

Engagement of the TCR by specific antigen results in activation of a tyrosine kinase pathway. A candidate for the kinase responsible for the rapid tyrosine phosphorylation detected with T cell activation is p60fyn, a member of the src kinase family. In an earlier study Samelson et al. (1990) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 87:4358 this enzyme was co-immunoprecipitated with the TCR from T cells solubilized in digitonin. In that study a sensitive in vitro kinase assay was used to detect the associated p60fyn. It was subsequently found that the reproducibility of the interaction depended on lot-to-lot variations in digitonin. To eliminate the possibility that the association of antigen receptor and kinase is an artifact of solubilization with ill-defined digitonin preparations, a cross-linking protocol was developed to stabilize the interaction between the TCR and p60fyn. T cells were permeabilized with tetanolysin and proteins were cross-linked with the water soluble chemical cross-linker, 3,3' dithiobis(sulfosuccinimidylpropionate). These experiments allowed the confirmation of the interaction between the TCR, p60fyn, and several additional proteins. The cross-linking studies also enabled the mapping of the interaction of p60fyn and associated proteins to the TCR zeta-chain. This technique should have a general use in stabilizing interactions between other receptors and molecules required for intracellular signaling.