Autocrine mechanism for v-sis transformation requires cell surface localization of internally activated growth factor receptors.

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Abstract
V-sis represents a prototype for the class of oncogenes that encode growth factors. Whether its platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-like product functionally activates its receptors within the cell or at the cell surface has potential implications in efforts to intervene with the v-sis-transformed phenotype. We demonstrate that intracellular as well as cell surface forms of two PDGF receptor gene products are tyrosine phosphorylated in v-sis transformants. In a chemically defined medium in which cell growth was dependent on v-sis expression, proliferation was partially inhibited by PDGF neutralizing antibody but completely blocked by suramin. Suramin treatment resulted in a marked reduction in tyrosine phosphorylated cell surface PDGF receptors but hod no effect on the level of tyrosine phosphorylated cell surface PDGF receptors but had no effect on the level of tyrosine phosphorylation of intracellular receptor species. All of these findings demonstrate that the v-sis-encoded mitogen can bind and activate its receptors internally but that activated receptors must achieve a cell surface location in order to functionally couple with intracellular mitogenic signaling pathways.