Tec

The Tec family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases contains five mammalian members: BTK, ITK, TEC, TXK (RLK) and BMX (ETK). A hallmark is the N-terminal pleckstrin-homology domain (replaced by cysteine-rich regions in TXK) that binds phosphoinositides and recruits the kinases to the plasma membrane upon PIP3 generation. Tec kinases act downstream of antigen receptors, toll-like receptors and integrins in B cells, T cells, macrophages and platelets, phosphorylating PLCγ to generate calcium and diacylglycerol signals. BTK mutations cause X-linked agammaglobulinemia, proving BTK's essential role in B-cell development. Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as ibrutinib, acalabrutinib and zanubrutinib revolutionized therapy of B-cell malignancies.