Vav3 Modulates B Cell Receptor Responses by Regulating Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Activation

To elucidate the mechanism(s) by which Vav3, a new member of the Vav family proteins, participates in B cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling, we have generated a B cell line deficient in Vav3. Here we report that Vav3 influences phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) function through Rac1 in that phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP₃) generation was attenuated by loss of Vav3 or by expression of a dominant negative form of Rac1. The functional interaction between PI3K and Rac1 was also demonstrated by increased PI3K activity in the presence of GTP-bound Rac1. In addition, we show that defects of calcium mobilization and c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinase (JNK) activation in Vav3-deficient cells are relieved by deletion of a PIP₃ hydrolyzing enzyme, SH2 domain-containing inositol polyphosphate 5′-phosphatase (SHIP). Hence, our results suggest a role for Vav3 in regulating the B cell responses by promoting the sustained production of PIP₃ and thereby calcium flux.