CXCR4- and BCR-triggered integrin activation in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells depends on JAK2-activated Bruton’s tyrosine kinase

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) regulates the B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway, which, in turn, plays a critical role in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) pathogenesis. The BTK-specific inhibitor Ibrutinib blocks BCR signaling and is now approved as effective B-CLL therapy. Chemokines, such as the homeostatic chemokine CXCL12, play a central role in B-CLL pathogenesis and progression, by regulating CLL cell interaction with the stromal microenvironment, leading to cells survival and proliferation. In this study, we investigated, in normal versus CLL B-lymphocytes, the role of BTK in signal transduction activated by the CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling axis and its involvement in rapid integrin activation. We show that BTK is rapidly activated by CXCL12 in healthy as well as CLL B-lymphocytes, with a kinetic of tyr-phosphorylation coherent with rapid adhesion triggering. BTK inhibition prevents CXCL12-induced triggering of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) and very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) integrins. Furthermore, BTK inhibition blocks the activation of the small GTP-binding protein RhoA, controlling integrin affinity. Very importantly, we show that BTK tyr-phosphorylation and activation by CXCL12 depends on upstream activation of JAK2 tyrosine kinase. A comparative analysis of 36 B-CLL patients demonstrates that JAK2-dependent BTK regulatory role on integrin activation by CXCL12 is fully conserved in CLL cells. Finally, we show that the JAK2-BTK axis also regulates signaling to integrin activation by BCR. Thus, BTK and JAK protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) manifest a hierarchical activity both in chemokine- as well as BCR-mediated integrin activation and dependent adhesion, potentially suggesting the possibility of combined therapeutic approaches to B-CLL treatment.