Autotaxin, an ectoenzyme that produces lysophosphatidic acid, promotes the entry of lymphocytes into secondary lymphoid organs.

The extracellular lysophospholipase D autotaxin (ATX) and its product, lysophosphatidic acid, have diverse functions in development and cancer, but little is known about their functions in the immune system. Here we found that ATX had high expression in the high endothelial venules of lymphoid organs and was secreted. Chemokine-activated lymphocytes expressed receptors with enhanced affinity for ATX, which provides a mechanism for targeting the secreted ATX to lymphocytes undergoing recruitment. Lysophosphatidic acid induced chemokinesis in T cells. Intravenous injection of enzymatically inactive ATX attenuated the homing of T cells to lymphoid tissues, probably through competition with endogenous ATX and exertion of a dominant negative effect. Our results support the idea of a new and general step in the homing cascade in which the ectoenzyme ATX facilitates the entry of lymphocytes into lymphoid organs.

A restricted role for TYK2 catalytic activity in human cytokine responses revealed by novel TYK2-selective inhibitors.

TYK2 is a JAK family protein tyrosine kinase activated in response to multiple cytokines, including type I IFNs, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-23. Extensive studies of mice that lack TYK2 expression indicate that the IFN-α, IL-12, and IL-23 pathways, but not the IL-6 or IL-10 pathways, are compromised. In contrast, there have been few studies of the role of TYK2 in primary human cells. A genetic mutation at the tyk2 locus that results in a lack of TYK2 protein in a single human patient has been linked to defects in the IFN-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-23 pathways, suggesting a broad role for TYK2 protein in human cytokine responses. In this article, we have used a panel of novel potent TYK2 small-molecule inhibitors with varying degrees of selectivity against other JAK kinases to address the requirement for TYK2 catalytic activity in cytokine pathways in primary human cells. Our results indicate that the biological processes that require TYK2 catalytic function in humans are restricted to the IL-12 and IL-23 pathways, and suggest that inhibition of TYK2 catalytic activity may be an efficacious approach for the treatment of select autoimmune diseases without broad immunosuppression.

Nepmucin, a novel HEV sialomucin, mediates L-selectin-dependent lymphocyte rolling and promotes lymphocyte adhesion under flow.

Lymphocyte trafficking to lymph nodes (LNs) is initiated by the interaction between lymphocyte L-selectin and certain sialomucins, collectively termed peripheral node addressin (PNAd), carrying specific carbohydrates expressed by LN high endothelial venules (HEVs). Here, we identified a novel HEV-associated sialomucin, nepmucin (mucin not expressed in Peyer's patches [PPs]), that is expressed in LN HEVs but not detectable in PP HEVs at the protein level. Unlike conventional sialomucins, nepmucin contains a single V-type immunoglobulin (Ig) domain and a mucin-like domain. Using materials affinity-purified from LN lysates with soluble L-selectin, we found that two higher molecular weight species of nepmucin (75 and 95 kD) were decorated with oligosaccharides that bind L-selectin as well as an HEV-specific MECA-79 monoclonal antibody. Electron microscopic analysis showed that nepmucin accumulates in the extended luminal microvillus processes of LN HEVs. Upon appropriate glycosylation, nepmucin supported lymphocyte rolling via its mucin-like domain under physiological flow conditions. Furthermore, unlike most other sialomucins, nepmucin bound lymphocytes via its Ig domain, apparently independently of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 and very late antigen 4, and promoted shear-resistant lymphocyte binding in combination with intercellular adhesion molecule 1. Collectively, these results suggest that nepmucin may serve as a dual-functioning PNAd in LN HEVs, mediating both lymphocyte rolling and binding via different functional domains.

Dynamic expression of chemokines and the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the HSV-infected cornea and its associated tissues.

BACKGROUND: The chemotactic signals regulating cell trafficking in the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infected cornea are well documented, however, those in the cornea-associated tissues, such as the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and draining lymph nodes (LNs), are largely unknown. OBJECTIVES: To examine chemokine expression and subsequent cell infiltration in the HSV-1 infected cornea and its associated tissues. STUDY DESIGN: Eight-week-old female BALB/c mice were infected with 10 mu l HSV-1 (CHR3 strain: 5 x 106 PFU/ml) by corneal scarification. Total RNAs were extracted from the corneas, TGs, and LNs at pre-inoculation, 3 days post-inoculation (P.I.) and 7 days P.I. The mRNA for 28 different chemokines in the extracts was amplified by RT-PCR. Infiltrating cells were identified by immunohistochemistry. RESULT: After the HSV-1 infection, the corneal stroma became edematous by infiltrated cells under the eroded epithelium. The TG and LNs were markedly swollen. The cornea was infiltrated with granulocytes and CD11b+ cells at 3 days P.I., followed by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells at 12 days P.I. In the TG, CD11b+ cells, but no granulocytes, infiltrated throughout the observation period. T cells migrated into the TG earlier than into the cornea. Gene expressions of neutrophil-attracting chemokines (CXCL1, 2, 3, and 5) increased in the cornea, but they did not enhance in the TG or LNs. On the other hand, gene expressions of chemokines which attract CD11b+ cells such as CCL2, 8, 7, 12, CCL3, 4, and CCL5, increased in the cornea and TG with its peak at 3 days P.I. Gene expressions of chemokines those work on T cells and B cells, such as CCL19, CCL21, CXCL9, CXCL13, CXCL10, XCL1, and CXCL16, were up-regulated and peaked at 3 days P.I. in the cornea and in the TG. Thus, pattern of chemokine gene expression was similar in the cornea and in the TG. On the contrary, gene expressions of chemokines in the draining LNs affecting CD11b+ cells and T cells were temporarily down-regulated. CONCLUSION: Upon HSV-1 infection, dynamic gene expression of chemokines was observed not only in the inoculated cornea but also in its associated tissues.

Binding of proteins to the PDZ domain regulates proteolytic activity of HtrA1 serine protease.

HtrA1, a member of the mammalian HtrA (high temperature requirement A) serine protease family, has a highly conserved protease domain followed by a PDZ domain. Accumulating evidence has indicated that PDZ domains regulate protease activity of HtrA proteins. We searched for binding partners of the PDZ domain of mouse HtrA1 by yeast two-hybrid screening, and isolated proteins that were recognized by the HtrA1 PDZ domain through their C-terminal ends with a core consensus Phi-X-Phi-[V/L/F/A]-COOH sequence (where Phi is a hydrophobic/non-polar amino acid). C-propeptides of fibrillar collagens were most frequently isolated. Type III procollagen alpha1 C-propeptide, which was used as a model protein, was digested by HtrA1. HtrA1 cleavage of the collagen C-propeptide was enhanced by reductive denaturation of the C-propeptide and partly inhibited by removal of the C-terminal four amino acids from the C-propeptide, suggesting that the substrate recognition was facilitated by the binding of the free C-terminal ends of substrates to the PDZ domain of HtrA1. The synthetic oligopeptide (GM130Pep) that fitted the consensus recognition sequence bound to HtrA1 with a high affinity (K(d)=6.0 nM). GM130Pep stimulated HtrA1 protease activity 3- to 4-fold, but did not efficiently stimulate the activity of an HtrA1 mutant lacking the PDZ domain, supporting the notion that the PDZ domain enhances protease activity upon ligand binding. The peptide derived from Type III collagen alpha1 C-propeptide specifically stimulated protease activity of HtrA1, but did not stimulate nor significantly bind to HtrA2, suggesting that the collagen C-propeptide is a specific physiological regulator of HtrA1.

Gene expression profiling of mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1+ high endothelial venule cells (HEV) and identification of a leucine-rich HEV glycoprotein as a HEV marker.

High endothelial venule (HEV) cells support lymphocyte migration from the peripheral blood into secondary lymphoid tissues. Using gene expression profiling of mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1(+) mesenteric lymph node HEV cells by quantitative 3'-cDNA collection, we have identified a leucine-rich protein, named leucine-rich HEV glycoprotein (LRHG) that is selectively expressed in these cells. Northern blot analysis revealed that LRHG mRNA is approximately 1.3 kb and is expressed in lymph nodes, liver, and heart. In situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that the mRNA expression in lymph nodes is strictly restricted to the HEV cells, and immunofluorescence analysis with polyclonal Abs against LRHG indicated that the LRHG protein is localized mainly to HEV cells and possibly to some lymphoid cells surrounding the HEVs. LRHG cDNA encodes a 342-aa protein containing 8 tandem leucine-rich repeats of 24 aa each and has high homology to human leucine-rich alpha(2)-glycoprotein. Similar to some other leucine-rich repeat protein family members, LRHG can bind extracellular matrix proteins that are expressed on the basal lamina of HEVs, such as fibronectin, collagen IV, and laminin. In addition, LRHG binds TGF-beta. These results suggest that LRHG is likely to be multifunctional in that it may capture TGF-beta and/or other related humoral factors to modulate cell adhesion locally and may also be involved in the adhesion of HEV cells to the surrounding basal lamina.

Cutting edge: the B cell chemokine CXC chemokine ligand 13/B lymphocyte chemoattractant is expressed in the high endothelial venules of lymph nodes and Peyer's patches and affects B cell trafficking across high endothelial venules.

While CCR7 ligands direct T cell trafficking into lymph nodes (LNs) and Peyer's patches (PPs), chemokines that regulate B cell trafficking across high endothelial venules (HEVs) remain to be fully elucidated. Here we report that CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL)13 (B lymphocyte chemoattractant) is detected immunohistologically in the majority of HEVs in LNs and PPs of nonimmunized mice. Systemically administered anti-CXCL13 Ab bound to the surface of approximately 50% of HEVs in LNs and PPs, but not to other types of blood vessels, indicating that CXCL13 is expressed in the HEV lumen. In CXCL13-null mice, B cells rarely adhered to PP HEVs, whereas T cells did efficiently. Superfusion of CXCL13-null PPs with CXCL13 restored the luminal presentation of CXCL13 and also B cell arrest in PP HEVs at least partially. Collectively, these results indicate that CXCL13 expressed in the HEV lumen plays a crucial role in B cell trafficking into secondary lymphoid tissues such as PPs.

Endomucin, a sialomucin expressed in high endothelial venules, supports L-selectin-mediated rolling.

Lymphocyte homing to lymph nodes is regulated by transient but specific interactions between lymphocytes and high endothelial venules (HEVs), the initial phase of which is mainly governed by the leukocyte adhesion molecule L-selectin, which recognizes sulfated and sialylated O-linked oligosaccharides displayed on sialomucin core proteins. One of the sialomucin proteins, endomucin, is predominantly expressed in vascular endothelial cells of a variety of tissues including the HEVs of lymph nodes; however, whether it functions as a ligand for L-selectin remains to be formally proven. Here we show that the endomucin splice isoform a is predominantly expressed in PNAd+ HEVs and MAdCAM-1+ HEVs, as seen in non-HEV-type vascular endothelial cells. Using affinity purification with soluble L-selectin, we found that HEV endomucin is specifically modified with L-selectin-reactive oligosaccharides and can bind L-selectin as well as an HEV-specific mAb, MECA-79. Our results also indicated that a 90-100 kDa endomucin species is preferentially decorated with L-selectin-reactive sugar chains, whereas an 80 kDa species represents conventional forms expressed in non-HEV-type vascular endothelial cells in lymph nodes. Furthermore, a CHO cell line expressing endomucin together with a specific combination of carbohydrate-modifying enzymes [core-2 beta-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (C2GnT), alpha-1,3-fucosyltransferase VII (FucTVII) and L-selectin ligand sulfotransferase (LSST)] showed L-selectin-dependent rolling under flow conditions in vitro. These results suggest that when endomucin is appropriately modified by a specific set of glycosyltransferases and a sulfotransferase, it can function as a ligand for L-selectin, and that the endomucin expressed in HEVs may represent another sialomucin ligand for L-selectin.

HtrA1 serine protease inhibits signaling mediated by Tgfbeta family proteins.

HtrA1, a member of the mammalian HtrA serine protease family, has a highly conserved protease domain followed by a PDZ domain. Because HtrA1 is a secretory protein and has another functional domain with homology to follistatin, we examined whether HtrA1 functions as an antagonist of Tgfbeta family proteins. During embryo development, mouse HtrA1 was expressed in specific areas where signaling by Tgfbeta family proteins plays important regulatory roles. The GST-pulldown assay showed that HtrA1 binds to a broad range of Tgfbeta family proteins, including Bmp4, Gdf5, Tgfbetas and activin. HtrA1 inhibited signaling by Bmp4, Bmp2, and Tgfbeta1 in C2C12 cells, presumably by preventing receptor activation. Experiments using a series of deletion mutants indicated that the binding activity of HtrA1 required the protease domain and a small linker region preceding it, and that inhibition of Tgfbeta signaling is dependent on the proteolytic activity of HtrA1. Misexpression of HtrA1 near the developing chick eye led to suppression of eye development that was indistinguishable from the effects of noggin. Taken together, these data indicate that HtrA1 protease is a novel inhibitor of Tgfbeta family members.

A high endothelial venule-expressing promiscuous chemokine receptor DARC can bind inflammatory, but not lymphoid, chemokines and is dispensable for lymphocyte homing under physiological conditions.

Chemokines displayed on the luminal surface of blood vessels play pivotal roles in inflammatory and homeostatic leukocyte trafficking in vivo. However, the mechanisms underlying the functional regulation of chemokines on the endothelial cell surface remain ill-defined. A promiscuous chemokine receptor, the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC), has been implicated in the regulation of chemokine functions. Here we show that DARC is selectively expressed at the mRNA and protein levels in the high endothelial venules (HEV) of unstimulated lymph nodes (LN). To examine the biological significance of DARC expression in HEV, we performed competitive binding experiments with 20 different chemokines. The results showed that DARC selectively bound distinct members of the pro-inflammatory chemokines such as CXCL1, CXCL5, CCL2, CCL5 and CCL7, but not lymphoid chemokines such as CCL21, CCL19, CXCL12 and CXCL13 that are normally expressed in HEV. CCL2 bound to DARC failed to induce a significant cytosolic [Ca(2+)] elevation in CCR2B-expressing cells, whereas the free form of CCL2 induced a distinct [Ca(2+)] elevation, suggesting that DARC down-regulates activities of pro-inflammatory chemokines upon binding. Targeted disruption of the gene encoding DARC did not induce any obvious changes in the cell number or leukocyte subsets in the peripheral and mesenteric LN. Neither did DARC deficiency significantly affect lymphocyte migration into LN. These results suggest that DARC may be a scavenger for pro-inflammatory chemokines, but not a presenting molecule for lymphoid chemokines at HEV and that it is probably functionally dispensable for lymphocyte trafficking to HEV-bearing lymphoid tissues under physiological conditions.