β2 integrin phosphorylation on Thr758 acts as a molecular switch to regulate 14-3-3 and filamin binding

AbstractLeukocyte integrins of the β2 family are essential for immune cell-cell adhesion. In activated cells, β2 integrins are phosphorylated on the cytoplasmic Thr758, leading to 14-3-3 protein recruitment to the β2 integrin. The mutation of this phosphorylation site impairs cell adhesion, actin reorganization, and cell spreading. Thr758 is contained in a Thr triplet of β2 that also mediates binding to filamin. Here, we investigated the binding of filamin, talin, and 14-3-3 proteins to phosphorylated and unphosphorylated β2 integrins by biochemical methods and x-ray crystallography. 14-3-3 proteins bound only to the phosphorylated integrin cytoplasmic peptide, with a high affinity (Kd, 261…