A profile-based search of the SWISS-PROT database reveals that most protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) contain at least one caveolin-1-binding motif. To ascertain if the presence of caveolin-binding motif(s) in PTPs corresponds to their actual localization in caveolin-1-enriched membrane fractions, we performed subcellular fractionating experiments. We found that all tested PTPs (PTP1B, PTP1C, SHPTP2, PTEN, and LAR) are actually localized in caveolin-enriched membrane fractions, despite their distribution in other subcellular sites, too. More than 1/2 of LAR and about 1/4 of SHPTP2 and PTP-1C are localized in caveolin-enriched membrane fractions whereas, in these fractions, PTP-1B and PTEN are poorly concentrated. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments with antibodies specific for each tested PTP demonstrated that all five phosphatases form molecular complexes with caveolin-1 in vivo. Collectively, our findings propose that particular PTPs could perform some of their cellular actions or are regulated by recruitment into caveolin-enriched membrane fractions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.