UC San Diego

Changes in cellular expression of phosphoprotein enriched in astrocytes of 15 kDa (PEA-15) are linked to insulin resistance, tumor cell invasion, and cellular senescence; these changes alter the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. Here, we define the mechanism whereby increased PEA-15 expression promotes and sustains ERK1/2 activation. PEA-15 binding prevented ERK1/2 membrane recruitment and threonine phosphorylation of fibroblast receptor substrate 2alpha (FRS2alpha), a key link in fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor activation of ERK1/2. This reduced threonine phosphorylation led to increased FGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of FRS2alpha, thereby enhancing downstream signaling. Conversely, short hairpin RNA-mediated depletion of endogenous PEA-15 led to reduced FRS2alpha tyrosine phosphorylation. Thus, PEA-15 interrupts a negative feedback loop that terminates growth factor receptor signaling downstream of FRS2alpha. This is the dominant mechanism by which PEA-15 activates ERK1/2 because genetic deletion of FRS2alpha blocked the capacity of PEA-15 to activate the MAP kinase pathway. Thus, PEA-15 prevents ERK1/2 localization to the plasma membrane, thereby inhibiting ERK1/2-dependent threonine phosphorylation of FRS2alpha to promote activation of the ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathway.