A Single Amino Acid Substitution in the v-Eyk Intracellular Domain Results in Activation of Stat3 and Enhances Cellular Transformation

Abstract

ABSTRACT The receptor tyrosine kinase Eyk, a member of the Axl/Tyro3 subfamily, activates the STAT pathway and transforms cells when constitutively activated. Here, we compared the potentials of the intracellular domains of Eyk molecules derived from c-Eyk and v-Eyk to transform rat 3Y1 fibroblasts. The v-Eyk molecule induced higher numbers of transformants in soft agar and stronger activation of Stat3; levels of Stat1 activation by the two Eyk molecules were similar. A mutation in the sequence Y 933 VPL, present in c-Eyk, to the v-Eyk sequence Y 933 VPQ led to increased activation of Stat3 and increased transformation efficiency. However, altering another sequence, Y 862 VNT, present in both Eyk molecules to F 862 VNT markedly decreased transformation without impairing Stat3 activation. These results indicate that activation of Stat3 enhances transformation efficiency and cooperates with another pathway to induce transformation.