# TYROSINE PROTEIN KINASES AND LYMPHOCYTE ACTIVATION

> **NIH NIH R01** · PURDUE UNIVERSITY · 1992 · $155,101

## Abstract

The association of protein tyrosine phosphorylation with the regulation of
the growth properties of cells has justifiably generated considerable
interest in the identification of protein-tyrosine kinases that
specifically interact with growth regulating receptors.  Recently, much of
this interest has been directed toward lymphocytes and the antigen
receptors found on their cell surfaces.  B and T lymphocytes express higher
levels of protein-tyrosine kinase activity than are found in most other
nontransformed cells and, as important mediators of cellular and humoral
immune responses, they interact with a variety of external factors that
influence their growth and differentiation.  Thus, lymphocytes provide
opportunities for the study of new mechanisms of signal transduction that
are coupled to changes in tyrosine phosphorylation.  The long-term
objective of our research has been to understand on a molecular basis the
role of protein-tyrosine kinases in regulating cell growth in lymphocytes.
To understand the role of tyrosine phosphorylation in the response to
lymphocytes to regulators of growth and differentiation, it is important to
first understand the identities and characteristics of the kinases that are
expressed in specific lymphoid cell types.  this proposal focuses on the
characterization of a novel protein-tyrosine kinase, PTK72, which is part
of a signal transduction complex associated with the B lymphocyte antigen
receptor.  Proposed studies are focused on:  1) characterization of the
association of PTK72 with the antigen receptor and its regulation by
receptor crosslinking; 2) characterization of the expression and cellular
distribution of PTK72 and its role in activation in other cell types; and
3) isolation and sequence analysis of the cDNA for PTK72.  The
methodologies that we propose to use include:  1) cellular assays of
lymphocyte activation using cultured lymphocyte subpopulations and
transformed lymphoid cell lines, 2) immunoprecipitations and immune-complex
kinase assays, 3) ATP:peptide and ATP:protein phosphotransferase assays, 4)
cloning and expression of cDNAs for lymphocyte protein-tyrosine kinases, 5)
Western and Northern blot analyses, 6) identification and use of specific
protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitors, 7) immunofluorescence localization, 6)
antibody production, and 7) biosynthetic labeling of protein kinases.  It
is our contention that a greater understanding of the biochemical pathways
that regulate normal cell growth and development is necessary to begin to
define the lesions within this pathway that can lead to malignant growth.
It is likely that the molecular mechanisms of signal transduction in B
lymphocytes will serve as a prototype for receptor signaling pathways in a
variety of cell types.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3175216
- **Project number:** 2R01CA037372-09
- **Recipient organization:** PURDUE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** YRXVL4JYCEF5
- **Principal Investigator:** ROBERT L GEAHLEN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $155,101
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1984-03-15 → 1997-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3175216

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3175216, TYROSINE PROTEIN KINASES AND LYMPHOCYTE ACTIVATION (2R01CA037372-09). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3175216. Licensed CC0.

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