Large, detergent-resistant complexes containing murine antigens Thy-1 and Ly-6 and protein tyrosine kinase p56lck.

A number of human and mouse leukocyte surface (glyco)proteins anchored in a membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) moiety have been previously shown to be noncovalently associated with protein tyrosine kinases (Science 1991. 254: 1016; J. Biol. Chem. 1992. 267: 12317). Here we show that two murine antigens of this group, Thy-1 and Ly-6, implicated in the activation of the T cells, are associated with each other, with the kinase p56lck and with several of potential kinase substrates in very large, detergent-resistant complexes, the size of which is between 50 and 200 nm, as determined by ultrafiltration and gel chromatography. Experiments on simultaneous solubilization of mixed human and mouse cells rule out that the observed complexes are artifacts induced by the detergent. Complexes of similar composition and properties were obtained when either detergents Brij-58, Nonidet-P40 or 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]- 1-propane-sulfonate (Chaps) were used for solubilization of the cells, while octylglucoside at least partially dissociated them. These "GPI-complexes" may be essential for the well-known signal-transducing capacity of Thy-1 and Ly-6.