Role of protein-tyrosine kinase Syk in oxidative stress signaling in B cells

Oxidative stress induces the activation of multiple signaling pathways related to various cellular responses. In B cells, Syk has a crucial role in intracellular signal transduction induced by oxidative stress as well as antigen receptor engagement. Treatment of B cells with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induces enzymatic activation of Syk. Syk is essential for Ca2+ release from intracellular pools through phospholipase C-gamma2 and the activation of c-jun N-terminal kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt survival pathway following H2O2 stimulation. Oxidative stress-induced cellular responses in B cells follow different patterns, such as necrosis, apoptosis, and mitotic arrest, according to the intensity of H2O2 stimulation. Syk is involved in the protection of cells from apoptosis and induction of G2/M arrest. Syk leads to the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt survival pathway, thereby enhancing cellular resistance to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. On the other hand, Syk-dependent phospholipase C-gamma2 activation is required for acceleration toward apoptosis following oxidative stress. These findings suggest that oxidative stress-induced Syk activation triggers the activation of several pathways, such as proapoptotic and survival pathways, and the balance among these various pathways is a key factor in determining the fate of a cell exposed to oxidative stress.