Abstract
B- and T-cell receptors, as well as most Fc receptors (FcR), are part of a large family of membrane proteins named immunoreceptors and are expressed on all cells of the immune system. Immunoreceptors' biological functions rely on two of their fundamental attributes: signal transduction and internalization. The signals required for these two functions are present in the chains associated with immunoreceptors, within conserved amino acid motifs called immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs). We have examined the role of the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) syk, a critical effector of immunoreceptor-mediated cell signalling through ITAMs, in FcR-associated gamma-chain internalization and lysosomal targeting. A point mutation in the immunoreceptor-associated gamma-chain ITAM affecting syk activation, as well as overexpression of a syk dominant negative mutant, inhibited signal transduction without affecting receptor coated-pit localization or internalization. In contrast, blocking of gamma-chain-mediated syk activation impaired FcR transport from endosomes to lysosomes and selectively inhibited the presentation of certain T-cell epitopes. Therefore, activation of the PTK syk is dispensable for receptor internalization, but necessary for cell signalling and for gamma-chain-mediated FcR delivery to lysosomes.