Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 5 is an

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''PTPN5''

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...

. Protein tyrosine phosphatase ( PTP), non-receptor type 5, also known as STEP (STriatal-Enriched protein tyrosine Phosphatase), was the first brain-specific PTP discovered. The human STEP locus maps to chromosome 11p15.2-p15.1 and the murine STEP gene to chromosome 7B3-B5. The single STEP gene is alternatively spliced to produce several isoforms, the best characterized of which are the cytosolic STEP₄₆ protein and the membrane-associated STEP₆₁ protein.

Substrates

Seven known targets of STEP have been identified as of 2015, including ERK1/2, p38,

Fyn Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as ...

Pyk2 Protein tyrosine kinase 2 beta is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''PTK2B'' gene. Function This gene encodes a cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinase that is involved in calcium-induced regulation of ion channels and activation of the ...

, PTPα, and the glutamate receptor subunits GluN2B and GluA2. STEP dephosphorylation of the

kinases In biochemistry, a kinase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of phosphate groups from high-energy, phosphate-donating molecules to specific substrates. This process is known as phosphorylation, where the high-energy ATP molecule don ...

(ERK1/2, p38, Fyn, and Pyk2) occurs at a regulatory

tyrosine -Tyrosine or tyrosine (symbol Tyr or Y) or 4-hydroxyphenylalanine is one of the 20 standard amino acids that are used by cells to synthesize proteins. It is a non-essential amino acid with a polar side group. The word "tyrosine" is from the Gr ...

within the kinase activation loop and leads to their inactivation. Dephosphorylation of a regulatory tyrosine on PTPα prevents the translocation of PTPα from the

cytosol The cytosol, also known as cytoplasmic matrix or groundplasm, is one of the liquids found inside cells (intracellular fluid (ICF)). It is separated into compartments by membranes. For example, the mitochondrial matrix separates the mitochondri ...

lipid rafts The plasma membranes of cells contain combinations of glycosphingolipids, cholesterol and protein receptors organised in glycolipoprotein lipid microdomains termed lipid rafts. Their existence in cellular membranes remains somewhat controversial. ...

, where it normally activates Fyn. STEP thereby directly inactivates Fyn and also prevents the translocation of PTPα to compartments where it activates Fyn. STEP dephosphorylation of GluN2B and GluA2 leads to the internalization of NMDARs (GluN1/GluN2B) and AMPARs (GluA1/GluA2). Thus, one function of STEP is to oppose synaptic strengthening by inactivating kinases and internalizing receptors that are critical for the development of synaptic strengthening.

Clinical significance

STEP levels are disrupted in several diseases.

Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As t ...

(AD) was the first illness to be associated with elevated STEP expression both in human cortex and in several mouse models of AD. STEP is also increased in

fragile X syndrome Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder characterized by mild-to-moderate intellectual disability. The average IQ in males with FXS is under 55, while about two thirds of affected females are intellectually disabled. Physical features may ...

schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...

, and

Parkinson’s disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a chronic condition, long-term neurodegeneration, degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disea ...

. In AD and FXS mouse models, genetic reduction of STEP expression reverses many of the cognitive and behavioral deficits. Other laboratories have now shown that STEP activity is also reduced in several additional disorders. Thus, STEP levels or activity is decreased in

Huntington’s disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is a neurodegenerative disease that is mostly inherited. The earliest symptoms are often subtle problems with mood or mental abilities. A general lack of coordination and an unst ...

cerebral ischemia Brain ischemia is a condition in which there is insufficient bloodflow to the brain to meet metabolic demand. This leads to poor oxygen supply or cerebral hypoxia and thus leads to the death of brain tissue or cerebral infarction/ischemic stroke. ...

, alcohol abuse, and

stress Stress may refer to: Science and medicine * Stress (biology), an organism's response to a stressor such as an environmental condition * Stress (linguistics), relative emphasis or prominence given to a syllable in a word, or to a word in a phrase ...

disorders. The emergent model suggests that an optimal level of STEP is required at synaptic sites, and that both high and low levels disrupt synaptic function.

Inhibition

Several STEP inhibitors have now been discovered.

GlaxoSmithKline GSK plc, formerly GlaxoSmithKline plc, is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with global headquarters in London, England. Established in 2000 by a merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. GSK is the ten ...

chose STEP as a new project for their Discovery Partnerships with Academia (DPAc) in 2014. This is a relatively new program in drug discovery and brings together the academic world with the drug discovery expertise of GSK to discover new inhibitors of validated targets. * TC-2153

Substrates

Clinical significance

Inhibition

References

Further reading