The lectin wheat germ agglutinin stimulates a protein-tyrosine kinase activity of p72syk in porcine splenocytes.

We previously reported a molecular cloning of porcine gene syk encoding a non-receptor type 72-kDa protein-tyrosine kinase and a generation of anti-CPTK40 antibodies which could immunoprecipitate the activity of p72syk (Taniguchi et al. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 15790-15796). In this study, we have demonstrated that wheat germ agglutinin caused an increase in the autophosphorylation activity of p72syk which preceded an increase of protein-tyrosine phosphorylation observed at the same time in porcine splenocyte. The increase of p72syk activity was dose dependent and was inhibited by the coexistence of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Upon stimulation by the combination of 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionophore A23187, we could not detect the increase of activity of p72syk suggesting that the activation of p72syk was independent of protein kinase C and calcium ions.