Lyn is activated during late G1 of stem-cell-factor-induced cell cycle progression in haemopoietic cells
Stem cell factor (SCF) binds the receptor tyrosine kinase c-Kit and is critical in haemopoiesis. Recently we found that the Src family member Lyn is highly expressed in SCF-responsive cells, associates with c-Kit and is activated within minutes of the addition of SCF. Here we show that SCF activates Lyn a second time, hours later, during SCF-induced cell cycle progression. In cells arrested at specific phases of the cell cycle with the drugs mimosine, aphidicolin and nocodazole, maximal Lyn kinase activity occurred in late G1 and through the G1/S transition. Similarly, kinetic studies of SCF-induced cell cycle progression found that activation of Lyn preceded the G1/S transition and was maintained into early S-phase. Activation of Lyn was paralleled by two events critical for the G1/S transition, increases in cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) activity and phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma gene product (Rb). Lyn was associated with Cdk2; Cdk2-associated Lyn was heavily phosphorylated on serine and threonine residues both in vitro and in situ during S-phase. Inhibition of Lyn activity with PP1 disrupted association with Cdk2 and decreased the numbers of cells entering S-phase. The degree of phosphorylation of Rb in PP1-treated cells suggested an increased number of cells arrested in the middle of G1. These findings demonstrate that SCF activates the Src family member Lyn before the G1/S transition of the cell cycle and suggest that Lyn is involved in SCF-induced cell cycle progression.