Ras-mediated repression of Imp contributes to ERK activation and
increased IFN-γ output in CD4 T cells. A, Imp Western blot
analysis of anti-H-Ras immunoprecipitates. CD4 T cells isolated from AND TCR
B10.BR mice and transduced with wild type FLAG-Ras in pMSCV were sorted for
GFP expression. Following an 8-h resting period in 0.5% fetal calf serum, the
cells were incubated on ice for 30 min with 1.0 μg/ml of anti-CD3 mAb
(clone C363.29B) or left alone and then treated for 2, 5, and 10 min at 37
°C with 100 μg/ml of goat anti-rat secondary antibody. Next, the cells
were lysed and Ras-associated Imp was isolated by incubation of the lysates
with protein A-bound anti-FLAG antibody. The materials collected were run on
the 9% acrylamide gel and analyzed by Western blotting for the levels of
FLAG-Ras, associated Imp, and total Imp. B, yeast two-hybrid analysis
of the association between H-RasV12 effector loop mutants and a
region of Imp encompassing amino acid residues 273 to 377 (see
“Experimental Procedures”). Cotransformants were patched onto
plates lacking Trp, Leu, His, and Ade. Streaks of the colonies carrying SV40
large T and p53, or SV40 large T and laminin were included in the assay as
positive and negative controls, respectively. C, Western blot
analysis of activated ERK in CD4 T cells transduced with RasV12G37.
Sorted (right) or unsorted (∼15% GFP-positive cells,
left) AND TCR CD4 T cells that expressed either GFP alone or
RasV12G37 were rested for 8 h in 0.5% fetal calf serum. The cells
were then stimulated with anti-CD3 mAb, as described in A, and then
analyzed by Western blotting for the presence of phosphorylated ERK, total
ERK, and FLAG-RasV12G37. D, RasV12G37
selectively augments the production of IFN-γ in CD4 T cells. AND
TCR-transgenic CD4 T cells were stimulated with pMCC (5μg/ml)-loaded APCs
and then transduced with effector loop mutants (Ser35,
Gly37, or Cys40) of H-(top),
N-(middle), and K-Ras (low), as indicated. At 72 h
posttransduction, the cells were sorted for GFP fluorescence, then
restimulated with pMCC/APCs and finally analyzed for IFN-γ secretion by
ELISA (plotted as mean ± S.D.).