Src Homology Region 2 Domain-containing Phosphatase-1 Research Articles

Consideration of SHP-1 as a Molecular Target for Tumor Therapy.

Abnormal activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) contributes to tumorigenesis, while protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) contribute to tumor control. One of the most representative PTPs is Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase 1 (SHP-1), which is associated with either an increased or decreased survival rate depending on the cancer type. Hypermethylation in the promoter region of PTPN6, the gene for the SHP-1 protein, is a representative epigenetic regulation mechanism that suppresses the expression of SHP-1 in tumor cells. SHP-1 comprises two SH2 domains (N-SH2 and C-SH2) and a catalytic PTP domain. Intramolecular interactions between the N-SH2 and PTP domains inhibit SHP-1 activity. Opening of the PTP domain by a conformational change in SHP-1 increases enzymatic activity and contributes to a tumor control phenotype by inhibiting the activation of the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT3) pathway. Although various compounds that increase SHP-1 activation or expression have been proposed as tumor therapeutics, except sorafenib and its derivatives, few candidates have demonstrated clinical significance. In some cancers, SHP-1 expression and activation contribute to a tumorigenic phenotype by inducing a tumor-friendly microenvironment. Therefore, developing anticancer drugs targeting SHP-1 must consider the effect of SHP-1 on both cell biological mechanisms of SHP-1 in tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment according to the target cancer type. Furthermore, the use of combination therapies should be considered.

A possible way to prevent the progression of bone lesions in multiple myeloma via Src-homology-region-2-domain-containing-phosphatase-1 activation.

On the basis of our recent findings, in which multiple receptor-mediated mast cell functions are regulated via a common signaling cascade, we posit that the formation and functioning of osteoclasts are also controlled by a similar common mechanism. These cells are derived from the same granulocyte/monocyte progenitors and share multiple receptors except those that are cell-specific. In both types of cells, all known receptors reside in lipid rafts, form multiprotein complexes with recruited signaling molecules, and are internalized upon receptor engagement. Signal transduction proceeds in a chain of protein phosphorylations, where adaptor protein LAT (linker-for-activation-of-T-cells) plays a central role. The key kinase that associates LAT phosphorylation and lipid raft internalization is Syk (spleen-tyrosine-kinase) and/or an Src-family-kinase, most probably Lck (lymphocyte-specific-protein-tyrosine-kinase). Dephosphorylation of phosphorylated Syk and Lck by activated SHP-1 (Src-homology-region-2-domain-containing-phosphatase-1) terminates the signal transduction and endocytosis of receptors, resulting in inhibition of osteoclast differentiation and other functions. In malignant plasma cells (MM cells) too, SHP-1 plays a similar indispensable role in controlling signal transduction required for survival and proliferation, though BLNK (B-cell-linker-protein), a functional equivalent of LAT and SLP-76 (SH2-domain-containing-leukocyte-protein-of-76-kDa) in B cells, is used instead of LAT. In both osteoclasts and MM cells, therefore, activated SHP-1 acts negatively in receptor-mediated cellular functions. In osteoblasts, however, activated SHP-1 promotes differentiation, osteocalcin generation, and mineralization by preventing both downregulation of transcription factors, such as Ostrix and Runx2, and degradation of β-catenin required for activation of the transcription factors. SHP-1 is activated by tyrosine phosphorylationand micromolar doses (M-dose) of CCRI-ligand-induced SHP-1 activation. Small molecular compounds, such as A770041, Sorafenib, Nitedanib, and Dovitinib, relieve the autoinhibitory conformation. Activation of SHP-1 by M-dose CCRI ligands or the compounds described may prevent the progression of bone lesions in MM.

Hypoxia Impairs NK Cell Cytotoxicity through SHP-1-Mediated Attenuation of STAT3 and ERK Signaling Pathways.

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune effectors with potent antitumor activity. However, tumor cells can create an immunosuppressive microenvironment to escape immune surveillance. Although accumulating evidence indicates that microenvironmental hypoxia plays an important role in favoring tumor development and immune evasion, it remains unclear by what means hypoxia directly impairs NK cell antitumor activity. In this study, we confirmed that hypoxic NK cells showed significantly lower cytotoxicity against tumor cells. Consistent with this finding, we found that the reduction in NK cell cytotoxicity resulting from hypoxia correlated to the lower expression of granzyme B, IFN-γ, and degranulation marker CD107a, as well as activating receptors including NKp30, NKp46, and NKG2D expressed on the surface of NK cells. More importantly, we further demonstrated that a reduction in the phosphorylation levels of ERK and STAT3 secondary to hypoxia was strongly associated with the attenuated NK cell cytotoxicity. Focusing on the mechanism responsible for reduced phosphorylation levels of ERK and STAT3, we reveal that the activation of protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 (Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1) following hypoxia might play an essential role in this process. By knocking down SHP-1 or blocking its activity using a specific inhibitor TPI-1, we were able to partially restore NK cell cytotoxicity under hypoxia. Taken together, we demonstrate that hypoxia could impair NK cell cytotoxicity by decreasing the phosphorylation levels of ERK and STAT3 in a SHP-1-dependent manner. Therefore, targeting SHP-1 could provide an approach to enhance NK cell-based tumor immunotherapy.

Sickle cell disease up-regulates vasopressin, aquaporin 2, urea transporter A1, Na-K-Cl cotransporter 2, and epithelial Na channels in the mouse kidney medulla despite compromising urinary concentration ability.

Sickle cell disease (SCD)‐induced urinary concentration defect has been proposed as caused by impaired ability of the occluded vasa recta due to red blood cell sickling to serve as countercurrent exchangers and renal tubules to absorb water and solutes. However, the exact molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. The present studies were undertaken to determine the effects of SCD on vasopressin, aquaporin2 (AQP2), urea transporter A1 (UTA1), Na‐K‐Cl co‐transporter 2 (NKCC2), epithelial Na channels (ENaC), aquaporin1 (AQP1), nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) and Src homology region‐2 domain‐containing phosphatase‐1 (SHP‐1), an important regulator of NFAT5, in the Berkeley SCD mouse kidney medulla. Under water repletion, SCD only induced a minor urinary concentration defect associated with increased urinary vasopressin level alone with the well‐known effects of vasopressin: protein abundance of AQP2, UTA1 and ENaC‐β and apical targeting of AQP2 as compared with non‐SCD. SCD did not significantly affect AQP1 protein level. Water restriction had no further significant effect on SCD urinary vasopressin. NFAT5 is also critical to urinary concentration. Instead, water restriction‐activated NFAT5 associated with inhibition of SHP‐1 in the SCD mice. Yet, water restriction only elevated urinary osmolality by 28% in these mice as opposed to 104% in non‐SCD mice despite similar degree increases of protein abundance of AQP2, NKCC2 and AQP2‐S256‐P. Water‐restriction had no significant effect on protein abundance of ENaC or AQP1 in either strain. In conclusion, under water repletion SCD, only induces a minor defect in urinary concentration because of compensation from the up‐regulated vasopressin system. However, under water restriction, SCD mice struggle to concentrate urine despite activating NFAT5. SCD‐induced urinary concentration defect appears to be resulted from the poor blood flow in vasa recta rather than the renal tubules’ ability to absorb water and solutes.

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases as Potential Regulators of STAT3 Signaling

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein is a major transcription factor involved in many cellular processes, such as cell growth and proliferation, differentiation, migration, and cell death or cell apoptosis. It is activated in response to a variety of extracellular stimuli including cytokines and growth factors. The aberrant activation of STAT3 contributes to several human diseases, particularly cancer. Consequently, STAT3-mediated signaling continues to be extensively studied in order to identify potential targets for the development of new and more effective clinical therapeutics. STAT3 activation can be regulated, either positively or negatively, by different posttranslational mechanisms including serine or tyrosine phosphorylation/dephosphorylation, acetylation, or demethylation. One of the major mechanisms that negatively regulates STAT3 activation is dephosphorylation of the tyrosine residue essential for its activation by protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). There are seven PTPs that have been shown to dephosphorylate STAT3 and, thereby, regulate STAT3 signaling: PTP receptor-type D (PTPRD), PTP receptor-type T (PTPRT), PTP receptor-type K (PTPRK), Src homology region 2 (SH-2) domain-containing phosphatase 1(SHP1), SH-2 domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP2), MEG2/PTP non-receptor type 9 (PTPN9), and T-cell PTP (TC-PTP)/PTP non-receptor type 2 (PTPN2). These regulators have great potential as targets for the development of more effective therapies against human disease, including cancer.

Abstract 3749: Genetic blockade of the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP1 augments CAR T cell activity against PDL1 expressing solid tumors

Abstract Background: Immunotherapy using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has demonstrated profound, durable success in hematologic malignancies. Solid tumors present hurdles to the successful application of CAR T cells. One is the upregulation of inhibitory receptors (IRs), like PD1 and CTLA4, many of which rely on shared signaling molecules to shut off T cell activation. One such molecule is SHP1 (Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1) which dephosphorylates key components of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. We have engineered a unique dominant-negative SHP1 (dnSHP1) that is able to augment CAR T cell control of PDL1 positive solid tumors. Materials and Methods: The human mesothelioma cell line, EMP, was transduced to express high levels of mesothelin and PDL1 (EMMESO-PDL1). Activated human T cells from healthy donors were lentivirally transduced to express a mesothelin-directed CAR (mesoCAR) with and without a dnSHP1. MesoCAR and mesoCAR/dnSHP1 T cells were cocultured with tumor cells x 18hrs and specific lysis was measured. These T cells were also restimulated with plate-bound anti-CD3 overnight and were subjected to intracellular flow cytometry staining (ICS) of cytokines. NSG mice were injected subcutaneously in the flanks with 5x106 EMMESO-PDL1 tumor cells. After tumors established and grew to ~150mm3, mice were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: 1) non-transduced (NTD) T cells, 2) mesoCAR T cells, 3) mesoCAR T cells + sodium stibogluconate (SSG; a chemical inhibitor of SHP1), 4) mesoCAR/dnSHP1 T cells. T cells were injected IV once at a dose of 10x106 T cells/mouse. SSG was administered IM at 20mg/kg every 2 days. Tumors were measured serially. At the end, mice were sacrificed, tumors were harvested, digested, processed into single cell suspension, and subjected to flow cytometry analysis. The tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were also isolated and tested for function ex-vivo. Results/Conclusion: In vitro, mesoCAR T cells demonstrated suppressed lysis of EMMESO-PDL1 tumor cells compared to EMMESO cells. MesoCAR/dnSHP1 T cells were able to lyse EMMESO-PDL1 and EMMESO tumor cells with similar efficiency. Anti-CD3 restimulation of T cells revealed enhanced secretion of TNF-alpha and IL2 by mesoCAR/dnSHP1 vs. mesoCAR T cells as measured by ICS. In vivo, SSG injections had minimal impact on mesoCAR T cell control of tumors, whereas mesoCAR/dnSHP1 T cells demonstrated significantly enhanced control of EMMESO-PDL1 tumor growth compared to mesoCAR T cells (60% greater decrease in tumor volume compared to mesoCAR T cells). TIL infiltration was 3-fold higher in tumors harvested from mice that received mesoCAR/dnSHP1 T cells compared to other groups. Isolated mesoCAR/dnSHP1 TILs demonstrated the greatest ex-vivo lysis of fresh tumor cells. DnSHP1 engineering is a powerful and novel way of blocking the suppression of CAR T cells by PD1 and other similar IRs. Citation Format: Edmund Moon, Soyeon Kim, Naomi Saint Jean, Shaun O'Brien, Steven Maceyko, Jing Sun, Carl June, Steven Albelda. Genetic blockade of the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP1 augments CAR T cell activity against PDL1 expressing solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3749. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3749

SHP1-ing thymic selection.

Thymocyte development and maintenance of peripheral T-cell numbers and functions are critically dependent on T-cell receptor (TCR) signal strength. SHP1 (Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1), a tyrosine phosphatase, acts as a negative regulator of TCR signal strength. Moreover, germline SHP1 knockout mice have shown impaired thymic development. However, this has been recently questioned by an analysis of SHP1 conditional knockout mice, which reported normal thymic development of SHP1 deficient thymocytes. Using this SHP1 conditional knockout mice, in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, Martinez etal. [Eur. J. Immunol. 2016. 46: 2103-2110] show that SHP1 indeed does have a role in the negative regulation of TCR signal strength in positively selected thymocytes, and in the final maturation of single positive thymocytes. They report that thymocyte development in such mice shows loss of mature, post-selection cells. This is due to increased TCR signal transduction in thymocytes immediately post positive-selection, and increased cell death in response to weak TCR ligands. Thus, SHP1-deficiency shows strong similarities to deficiency in the T-cell specific SHP1-associated protein Themis.

Dovitinib Acts As a Novel Radiosensitizer in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Targeting SHP-1/STAT3 Signaling

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most lethal human malignancies, and curative therapy is not an option for most patients. There is growing interest in the potential benefit of combining targeted therapies with radiation therapy (RT). This study aimed to characterize the efficacy and mechanism of an investigational drug, dovitinib, used in combination with RT. HCC cell lines (PLC5, Hep3B, SK-Hep1, HA59T, and Huh-7) were treated with dovitinib, RT, or both, and apoptosis and signal transduction were analyzed. Dovitinib treatment resulted in Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase 1 (SHP-1)-mediated downregulation of p-STAT3 and promoted potent apoptosis of HCC cells. Ectopic expression of STAT3, or inhibition of SHP-1, diminished the effects of dovitinib on HCC cells. By ectopic expression and purified recombinant proteins of various mutant forms of SHP-1, the N-SH2 domain of SHP-1 was found to be required for dovitinib treatment. Overexpression of STAT3 or catalytic-dead mutant SHP-1 restored RT-induced reduction of HCC cell survival. Conversely, ectopic expression of SHP-1 or activation of SHP-1 by dovitinib enhanced the effects of RT against HCC invitro and invivo. SHP-1/STAT3 signaling is critically associated with the radiosensitivity of HCC cells. Combination therapy with RT and the SHP-1 agonist, such as dovitinib, resulted in enhanced invitro and invivo anti-HCC effects.

SHP-1 and IL-1α conspire to provoke neutrophilic dermatoses.

Neutrophilic dermatoses are a spectrum of autoinflammatory skin disorders that are characterized by extensive infiltration of neutrophils into the epidermis and dermis. The underlining biological pathways that are responsible for this heterogeneous group of cutaneous diseases have remained elusive. However, recent work from our laboratory and other groups has shown that missense mutations in Ptpn6, which encodes for the non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1), results in a skin disease with many of the major histopathological and clinical features that encompass neutrophilic dermatoses in humans. In particular, we found that loss-of-function mutation in Ptpn6 results in unremitting footpad swelling, suppurative inflammation, and neutrophilia. Dysregulated wound healing responses were discovered to contribute to chronic inflammatory skin disease in SHP-1 defective mice and genetic abrogation of interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) protected mice from cutaneous inflammation, suggesting that IL-1-mediated events potentiate disease. Surprisingly, inflammasome activation and IL-1β-mediated events were dispensable for Ptpn6spin-mediated footpad disease. Instead, RIP1-mediated regulation of IL-1α was identified to be the major driver of inflammation and tissue damage.

STAT1-mediated Bim expression promotes the apoptosis of retinal pericytes under high glucose conditions

Hyperglycemia impacts different vascular cell functions and promotes the development and progression of various vasculopathies including diabetic retinopathy. Although the increased rate of apoptosis in pericytes (PCs) has been linked to increased oxidative stress and activation of protein kinase C-δ (PKC-δ) and SHP-1 (Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1) tyrosine phosphatase during diabetes, the detailed mechanisms require further elucidation. Here we show that the rate of apoptosis and expression of proapoptotic protein Bim were increased in the retinal PCs of diabetic Akita/+ mice and mouse retinal PCs cultured under high glucose conditions. Increased Bim expression in retinal PCs under high glucose conditions required the sustained activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) through production of inflammatory cytokines. PCs cultured under high glucose conditions also exhibited increased oxidative stress and diminished migration. Inhibition of oxidative stress, PKC-δ or Rho-associated protein kinase I/II was sufficient to protect PCs against apoptosis under high glucose conditions. Furthermore, PCs deficient in Bim expression were protected from high glucose-mediated increased oxidative stress and apoptosis. However, only inhibition of PKC-δ lowered Bim levels. N-acetylcysteine did not affect STAT1 levels, suggesting that oxidative stress is downstream of Bim. PCs cultured under high glucose conditions disrupted capillary morphogenesis of retinal endothelial cells (ECs) in coculture experiments. In addition, conditioned medium prepared from PCs under high glucose conditions attenuated EC migration. Taken together, our results indicate that Bim has a pivotal role in the dysfunction of retinal PCs under high glucose conditions by increasing oxidative stress and death of PCs.

Discovery of novel src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase 1 agonists from sorafenib for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Sorafenib is the first approved targeted therapeutic reagent for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we report that Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) is a major target of sorafenib and generates a series of sorafenib derivatives to search for potent SHP-1 agonists that may act as better anti-HCC agents than sorafenib. Sorafenib increases SHP-1 activity by direct interaction and impairs the association between the N-SH2 domain and the catalytic protein tyrosine phosphatase domain of SHP-1. Deletion of the N-SH2 domain (dN1) or point mutation (D61A) of SHP-1 abolished the effect of sorafenib on SHP-1, phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3), and apoptosis, suggesting that sorafenib may affect SHP-1 by triggering a conformational switch relieving its autoinhibition. Molecular docking of SHP-1/sorafenib complex confirmed our findings in HCC cells. Furthermore, novel sorafenib derivatives SC-43 and SC-40 displayed more potent anti-HCC activity than sorafenib, as measured by enhanced SHP-1 activity, inhibition of p-STAT3, and induction of apoptosis. SC-43 induced substantial apoptosis in sorafenib-resistant cells and showed better survival benefits than sorafenib in orthotopic HCC tumors. In this study, we identified SHP-1 as a major target of sorafenib. SC-43 and SC-40, potent SHP-1 agonists, showed better anti-HCC effects than sorafenib in vitro and in vivo. Further clinical investigation is warranted.

Ethyl-3,4-dephostatin Inhibits Dual-specificity phosphatase 22 (DUSP22) Activity

Protein phosphorylation is one of the major protein modification processes that play critical roles in a variety of biological processes, including gene expression, proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Protein phosphorylation usually occurs in serine, threonine, or tyrosine residues and is processed by protein kinases. Of those protein kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) that are members of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) family, have diverse roles in cell proliferation, cell survival, cell death, differentiation, development, immune function, gene expression, and other intracellular events. Therefore, regulation of those MAPK family members results in diverse outcome of cell fate. Many of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) control the activation of MAPKs through dephosphorylation of phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, or phosphotyrosine residues that are located on the activation loop of MAPKs. The human genome contains 107 PTP genes. Dualspecificity phosphatases (DUSPs) as a heterogeneous group of protein phosphatases belong to a subclass of PTP families and dephosphorylate both phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine/phosphothreonine residues. Many studies have demonstrated that the modulation of PTP enzymatic activity is involved in regulating diverse cellular biological functions and disease susceptibility. Thus, chemical compounds that regulate the activity of PTPs may have ability to be used as therapeutic reagents for diseases such as cancer, inflammation, and diabetes. Ethyl-3,4-dephostatin is a stable synthetic analog of dephostatin and was originally identified as a potent inhibitor of PTP-1B and Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) (Fig. 1). Since ethyl-3,4dephostatin might regulate other phosphatases, we screened PTPs by performing in vitro phosphatase assays to identify phosphatases that are inhibited by ethyl-3,4-dephostatin. We found that DUSP22 activity was inhibited by ethyl-3,4dephostatin. DUSP22 was treated with various concentrations of ethyl3,4-dephostatin and then its phosphatase activity was measured. DUSP22 activity was decreased by ethyl-3,4dephostatin in a dose-dependent manner. An inhibition curve was plotted for DUSP22 and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was obtained. This result suggests that ethyl-3,4-dephostatin inhibits DUSP22 with IC50 of 3.06 ± 0.07 μM (Fig. 2(a)). In subsequent experiments, kinetic analyses based on the Michaelis-Menten equation were performed with ethyl-3,4dephostatin and DUSP22 to provide experimental evidences for the mechanism of DUSP22 catalysis and for binding of

Negative autoregulation of Src homology region 2-domain-containing phosphatase-1 in rat basophilic leukemia-2H3 cells

Src homology region 2-domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1) plays an important role in the regulation of signaling from various receptors in hematopoietic cells. In mast cells, SHP-1 has been shown to negatively regulate the initial signaling triggered by high-affinity receptor for IgE (FcepsilonRI) and positively regulate downstream outputs. To clarify the molecular mechanisms of SHP-1 in mast cells, we determined substrates for SHP-1 by using the substrate-trapping approach. When phosphatase-inactive SHP-1 was over-expressed in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells, tyrosine phosphorylation of a 68-kDa protein was enhanced before and after FcepsilonRI aggregation. Immunoprecipitation and western blot analyses revealed that this protein is SHP-1, either endogenous or ectopically expressed. FcepsilonRI-induced activation of Lyn and Syk was comparable between cells expressing wild-type (wt) and phosphatase-inactive SHP-1. In vitro phosphatase assay and combined transfection, immunoprecipitation and immunoblot analyses showed that tyrosine 536 of SHP-1 was potent phosphorylation site and that SHP-1 could dephosphorylate this site that had been phosphorylated by Lyn. Furthermore, the phosphatase activity of SHP-1 immunoprecipitated from cells expressing a phosphatase-inactive SHP-1 was increased compared with that from vector-transfected or wt SHP-1-expressing cells. Finally, expression of phosphatase-inactive SHP-1 resulted in decreased activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and suppressed transcription of cytokine genes, whereas wt SHP-1 enhanced these processes. Taken collectively, these results suggest that SHP-1 may be a physiological substrate of SHP-1 in RBL-2H3 cells and that dephosphorylation of SHP-1 leads to a decrease in its catalytic activity and an enhancement of downstream signaling. A negative autoregulatory circuit of SHP-1 may contribute to mast cell regulation.

Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase-1 dephosphorylates B cell linker protein/SH2 domain leukocyte protein of 65 kDa and selectively regulates c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activation in B cells.

Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1) is a cytosolic protein tyrosine phosphatase containing two SH2 domains in its NH2 terminus. That immunological abnormalities of the motheaten and viable motheaten mice are caused by mutations in the gene encoding SHP-1 indicates that SHP-1 plays important roles in lymphocyte differentiation, proliferation, and activation. To elucidate molecular mechanisms by which SHP-1 regulates BCR-mediated signal transduction, we determined SHP-1 substrates in B cells using the substrate-trapping approach. When the phosphatase activity-deficient form of SHP-1, in which the catalytic center cysteine (C453) was replaced with serine (SHP-1-C/S), was introduced in WEHI-231 cells, tyrosine phosphorylation of a protein of about 70 kDa was strongly enhanced. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analyses revealed that this protein is the B cell linker protein (BLNK), also named SH2 domain leukocyte protein of 65 kDa, and that upon tyrosine phosphorylation BLNK binds to SHP-1-C/S in vitro. In vitro kinase assays demonstrated that hyperphosphorylation of BLNK in SHP-1-C/S-expressing cells was not due to enhanced activity of Lyn or Syk. Furthermore, BCR-induced activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase was shown to be significantly enhanced in SHP-1-C/S transfectants. Taken collectively, our results suggest that BLNK is a physiological substrate of SHP-1 in B cells and that SHP-1 selectively regulates c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activation.