The Src family of protein tyrosine kinases, which includes Src, Lyn, Fyn, Yes, Lck, Blk, and Hck, are important in the regulation of growth and differentiation of eukaryotic cells (1). Src activity is regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation at two sites, but with opposing effects. While phosphorylation at Tyr416 in the activation loop of the kinase domain upregulates enzyme activity, phosphorylation at Tyr527 in the carboxy-terminal tail by Csk renders the enzyme less active (2).
p56lck (lymphocyte cellular kinase) has been shown to be a pivotal enzyme to both maturation of thymocytes and activation and proliferation of peripheral lymphocytes. The p56lck sequence appeared highly homologous to that of the oncogene p60c-src as did its exon-intron organisation. p56lck does not appear involved in lymphoproliferative diseases, either by overexpression or activating mutations. Nevertheless, its aberrant expression has been reported in some carcinomas (colon, lung and mammary). It was suggested that p56lck could favor metastases by facilitating loss of cell adhesion (3).
