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1.
Nat Immunol ; 20(9): 1174-1185, 2019 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31406377

ABSTRACT

Classical type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) are required for antiviral and antitumor immunity, which necessitates an understanding of their development. Development of the cDC1 progenitor requires an E-protein-dependent enhancer located 41 kilobases downstream of the transcription start site of the transcription factor Irf8 (+41-kb Irf8 enhancer), but its maturation instead requires the Batf3-dependent +32-kb Irf8 enhancer. To understand this switch, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of the common dendritic cell progenitor (CDP) and identified a cluster of cells that expressed transcription factors that influence cDC1 development, such as Nfil3, Id2 and Zeb2. Genetic epistasis among these factors revealed that Nfil3 expression is required for the transition from Zeb2hi and Id2lo CDPs to Zeb2lo and Id2hi CDPs, which represent the earliest committed cDC1 progenitors. This genetic circuit blocks E-protein activity to exclude plasmacytoid dendritic cell potential and explains the switch in Irf8 enhancer usage during cDC1 development.


Subject(s)
Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors/metabolism , Dendritic Cells/cytology , Enhancer Elements, Genetic/genetics , Inhibitor of Differentiation Protein 2/metabolism , Interferon Regulatory Factors/metabolism , Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 2/metabolism , Animals , Cell Differentiation/immunology , Cells, Cultured , Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/genetics , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Knockout , Repressor Proteins/metabolism , Stem Cells/cytology
2.
Immunity ; 55(6): 1032-1050.e14, 2022 06 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35704993

ABSTRACT

Conventional dendritic cells (cDCs), cDC1 and cDC2, act both to initiate immunity and maintain self-tolerance. The tryptophan metabolic enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is used by cDCs in maintaining tolerance, but its role in different subsets remains unclear. At homeostasis, only mature CCR7+ cDC1 expressed IDO1 that was dependent on IRF8. Lipopolysaccharide treatment induced maturation and IDO1-dependent tolerogenic activity in isolated immature cDC1, but not isolated cDC2. However, both human and mouse cDC2 could induce IDO1 and acquire tolerogenic function when co-cultured with mature cDC1 through the action of cDC1-derived l-kynurenine. Accordingly, cDC1-specific inactivation of IDO1 in vivo exacerbated disease in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. This study identifies a previously unrecognized metabolic communication in which IDO1-expressing cDC1 cells extend their immunoregulatory capacity to the cDC2 subset through their production of tryptophan metabolite l-kynurenine. This metabolic axis represents a potential therapeutic target in treating autoimmune demyelinating diseases.


Subject(s)
Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase , Kynurenine , Animals , Dendritic Cells , Humans , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism , Kynurenine/metabolism , Mice , Signal Transduction , Tryptophan/metabolism
3.
Int J Mol Sci ; 25(9)2024 Apr 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38731819

ABSTRACT

TP53 mutations are prevalent in various cancers, yet the complexity of apoptotic pathway deregulation suggests the involvement of additional factors. HOPS/TMUB1 is known to extend the half-life of p53 under normal and stress conditions, implying a regulatory function. This study investigates, for the first time, the potential modulatory role of the ubiquitin-like-protein HOPS/TMUB1 in p53-mutants. A comprehensive analysis of apoptosis in the most frequent p53-mutants, R175, R248, and R273, in SKBR3, MIA PaCa2, and H1975 cells indicates that the overexpression of HOPS induces apoptosis at least equivalent to that caused by DNA damage. Immunoprecipitation assays confirm HOPS binding to p53-mutant forms. The interaction of HOPS/TMUB1 with p53-mutants strengthens its effect on the apoptotic cascade, showing a context-dependent gain or loss of function. Gene expression analysis of the MYC and TP63 genes shows that H1975 exhibit a gain-of-function profile, while SKBR3 promote apoptosis in a TP63-dependent manner. The TCGA data further corroborate HOPS/TMUB1's positive correlation with apoptotic genes BAX, BBC3, and NOXA1, underscoring its relevance in patient samples. Notably, singular TP53 mutations inadequately explain pathway dysregulation, emphasizing the need to explore additional contributing factors. These findings illuminate the intricate interplay among TP53 mutations, HOPS/TMUB1, and apoptotic pathways, providing valuable insights for targeted cancer interventions.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis , Mutation , Neoplasms , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 , Humans , Apoptosis/genetics , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Neoplasms/genetics , Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasms/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Tumor Suppressor Proteins/genetics , Tumor Suppressor Proteins/metabolism , Transcription Factors
4.
Hum Mol Genet ; 30(3-4): 265-276, 2021 04 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33693650

ABSTRACT

Mutations in the WFS1 gene, encoding wolframin (WFS1), cause endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and are associated with a rare autosomal-recessive disorder known as Wolfram syndrome (WS). WS is clinically characterized by childhood-onset diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, deafness, diabetes insipidus and neurological signs. We identified two novel WFS1 mutations in a patient with WS, namely, c.316-1G > A (in intron 3) and c.757A > T (in exon 7). Both mutations, located in the N-terminal region of the protein, were predicted to generate a truncated and inactive form of WFS1. We found that although the WFS1 protein was not expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of the proband, no constitutive ER stress activation could be detected in those cells. In contrast, WS proband's PBMCs produced very high levels of proinflammatory cytokines (i.e. TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6) in the absence of any stimulus. WFS1 silencing in PBMCs from control subjects by means of small RNA interference also induced a pronounced proinflammatory cytokine profile. The same cytokines were also significantly higher in sera from the WS patient as compared to matched healthy controls. Moreover, the chronic inflammatory state was associated with a dominance of proinflammatory T helper 17 (Th17)-type cells over regulatory T (Treg) lymphocytes in the WS PBMCs. The identification of a state of systemic chronic inflammation associated with WFS1 deficiency may pave the way to innovative and personalized therapeutic interventions in WS.


Subject(s)
Inflammation , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Mutation , Wolfram Syndrome/metabolism , Child , Cytokines/genetics , Cytokines/metabolism , Female , Gene Expression Regulation , Humans , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Wolfram Syndrome/genetics , Wolfram Syndrome/immunology , Wolfram Syndrome/physiopathology
5.
Br J Haematol ; 201(1): 45-57, 2023 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36484163

ABSTRACT

In chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination remains unclear as most studies have focused on humoral responses. Here we comprehensively examined humoral and cellular responses to vaccine in CLL patients. Seroconversion was observed in 55.2% of CLL with lower rate and antibody titres in treated patients. T-cell responses were detected in a significant fraction of patients. CD4+ and CD8+ frequencies were significantly increased independent of serology with higher levels of CD4+ cells in patients under a Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) or a B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitor. Vaccination skewed CD8+ cells towards a highly cytotoxic phenotype, more pronounced in seroconverted patients. A high proportion of patients showed spike-specific CD4+ and CD8+ cells producing interferon gamma (IFNγ) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). Patients under a BTK inhibitor showed increased production of IFNγ and TNFα by CD4+ cells. Vaccination induced a Th1 polarization reverting the Th2 CLL T-cell profile in the majority of patients with lower IL-4 production in untreated and BTK-inhibitor-treated patients. Such robust T-cell responses may have contributed to remarkable protection against hospitalization and death in a cohort of 540 patients. Combining T-cell metrics with seroprevalence may yield a more accurate measure of population immunity in CLL, providing consequential insights for public health.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents , COVID-19 , Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell , Vaccines , Humans , Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/drug therapy , COVID-19 Vaccines/therapeutic use , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha , SARS-CoV-2 , Seroepidemiologic Studies , COVID-19/prevention & control , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Interferon-gamma
6.
FASEB J ; 36(4): e22218, 2022 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35218567

ABSTRACT

An immunoregulatory role of stem cells, often mediated by their secretome, has been claimed by several studies. Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are crucial components of the secretome. EVs, a heterogeneous group of membranous vesicles released by many cell types into the extracellular space, are now considered as an additional mechanism for intercellular communication. In this study, we aimed at investigating whether human amniotic stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (HASC-EVs) were able to interfere with inflammasome activation in the THP-1 cell line. Two subsets of HASC-EVs were collected by sequential centrifugation, namely HASC-P10 and HASC-P100. We demonstrated that HASC-EVs were neither internalized into nor undertake a direct interaction with THP-1 cells. We showed that HASC-P10 and P100 were able to intrinsically produce ATP, which was further converted to adenosine by 5'-nucleotidase (CD73) and ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 (CD39). We found that THP-1 cells conditioned with both types of HASC-EVs failed to activate the NLRP3/caspase-1/inflammasome platform in response to LPS and ATP treatment by a mechanism involving A2a adenosine receptor activation. These results support a role for HASC-EVs as independent metabolic units capable of modifying the cellular functions, leading to anti-inflammatory effects in monocytic cells.


Subject(s)
Amniotic Fluid/cytology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Extracellular Vesicles/metabolism , Inflammasomes/antagonists & inhibitors , Inflammation/prevention & control , Monocytes/cytology , Stem Cells/cytology , Adenosine/metabolism , Amniotic Fluid/metabolism , Humans , Inflammation/genetics , Inflammation/metabolism , Inflammation/pathology , Monocytes/metabolism , Purinergic P1 Receptor Antagonists/pharmacology , Receptors, Purinergic P1/chemistry , Receptors, Purinergic P1/metabolism , Stem Cells/metabolism , THP-1 Cells
7.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 117(7): 3848-3857, 2020 02 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32024760

ABSTRACT

l-tryptophan (Trp), an essential amino acid for mammals, is the precursor of a wide array of immunomodulatory metabolites produced by the kynurenine and serotonin pathways. The kynurenine pathway is a paramount source of several immunoregulatory metabolites, including l-kynurenine (Kyn), the main product of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) that catalyzes the rate-limiting step of the pathway. In the serotonin pathway, the metabolite N-acetylserotonin (NAS) has been shown to possess antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and neuroprotective properties in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, little is known about the exact mode of action of the serotonin metabolite and the possible interplay between the 2 Trp metabolic pathways. Prompted by the discovery that NAS neuroprotective effects in EAE are abrogated in mice lacking IDO1 expression, we investigated the NAS mode of action in neuroinflammation. We found that NAS directly binds IDO1 and acts as a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the IDO1 enzyme in vitro and in vivo. As a result, increased Kyn will activate the ligand-activated transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor and, consequently, antiinflammatory and immunoregulatory effects. Because NAS also increased IDO1 activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a significant proportion of MS patients, our data may set the basis for the development of IDO1 PAMs as first-in-class drugs in autoimmune/neuroinflammatory diseases.


Subject(s)
Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/enzymology , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/chemistry , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism , Allosteric Regulation , Allosteric Site , Animals , Biocatalysis , Disease Models, Animal , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/genetics , Female , Humans , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/genetics , Kynurenine/metabolism , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism , Male , Mice, Knockout , Multiple Sclerosis/enzymology , Multiple Sclerosis/genetics , Multiple Sclerosis/metabolism , Serotonin/analogs & derivatives , Serotonin/chemistry , Serotonin/metabolism , Tryptophan/metabolism
8.
Int J Mol Sci ; 24(3)2023 Jan 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36768851

ABSTRACT

In pregnancy, human amniotic fluid extracellular vesicles (HAF-EVs) exert anti-inflammatory effects on T cells and on monocytes, supporting their immunoregulatory roles. The specific mechanisms are still not completely defined. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of HAF-EVs, isolated from pregnant women who underwent amniocentesis and purified by gradient ultracentrifugation, to affect inflammasome activation in the human monocytes. Proteomic studies revealed that HAF-EV samples expressed several immunoregulatory molecules as well as small amounts of endotoxin. Surprisingly, metagenomic analysis shows the presence of specific bacterial strain variants associated with HAF-EVs as potential sources of the endotoxin. Remarkably, we showed that a single treatment of THP-1 cells with HAF-EVs triggered inflammasome activation, whereas the same treatment followed by LPS and ATP sensitization prevented inflammasome activation, a pathway resembling monocyte refractories. A bioinformatics analysis of microbiota-HAF-EVs functional pathways confirmed the presence of enzymes for endotoxin biosynthesis as well as others associated with immunoregulatory functions. Overall, these data suggest that HAF-EVs could serve as a source of the isolation of a specific microbiota during early pregnancy. Moreover, HAF-EVs could act as a novel system to balance immune training and tolerance by modulating the inflammasome in monocytes or other cells.


Subject(s)
Extracellular Vesicles , Microbiota , Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Monocytes/metabolism , Inflammasomes/metabolism , Amniotic Fluid , Proteomics , Extracellular Vesicles/metabolism , Endotoxins/metabolism
9.
Int J Mol Sci ; 24(22)2023 Nov 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38003426

ABSTRACT

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 2 (IDO2) is a paralog of Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), a tryptophan-degrading enzyme producing immunomodulatory molecules. However, the two proteins are unlikely to carry out the same functions. IDO2 shows little or no tryptophan catabolic activity and exerts contrasting immunomodulatory roles in a context-dependent manner in cancer and autoimmune diseases. The recently described potential non-enzymatic activity of IDO2 has suggested its possible involvement in alternative pathways, resulting in either pro- or anti-inflammatory effects in different models. In a previous study on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues, we found that IDO2 expression revealed at the plasma membrane level of tumor cells was significantly associated with poor prognosis. In this study, the A549 human cell line, basally expressing IDO2, was used as an in vitro model of human lung adenocarcinoma to gain more insights into a possible alternative function of IDO2 different from the catalytic one. In these cells, immunocytochemistry and isopycnic sucrose gradient analyses confirmed the IDO2 protein localization in the cell membrane compartment, and the immunoprecipitation of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins revealed that kinase activities can target IDO2. The different localization from the cytosolic one and the phosphorylation state are the first indications for the signaling function of IDO2, suggesting that the IDO2 non-enzymatic role in cancer cells is worthy of deeper understanding.


Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma of Lung , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung , Lung Neoplasms , Humans , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism , Phosphorylation , Tryptophan/metabolism
10.
EMBO Rep ; 21(2): e48073, 2020 02 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31867855

ABSTRACT

Apoptotic signalling by p53 occurs at both transcriptional and non-transcriptional levels, as p53 may act as a direct apoptogenic stimulus via activation of the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway. HOPS is a highly conserved, ubiquitously expressed shuttling protein with an ubiquitin-like domain. We generated Hops-/- mice and observed that they are viable with no apparent phenotypic defects. However, when treated with chemotherapeutic agents, Hops-/- mice display a significant reduction in apoptosis, suggesting an impaired ability to respond to genotoxic stressors. We show that HOPS acts as a regulator of cytoplasmic p53 levels and function. By binding p53, HOPS inhibits p53 proteasomal degradation and favours p53 recruitment to mitochondria and apoptosis induction. By interfering with importin α, HOPS further increases p53 cytoplasmic levels. Thus, HOPS promotes the p53-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis pathway by preserving cytoplasmic p53 from both degradation and nuclear uptake.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins , Membrane Proteins , Mitochondria , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 , Animals , Apoptosis/genetics , Cytoplasm/genetics , Cytoplasm/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Knockout , Mitochondria/genetics , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism
11.
EMBO Rep ; 21(12): e49756, 2020 12 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33159421

ABSTRACT

Knowledge of a protein's spatial dynamics at the subcellular level is key to understanding its function(s), interactions, and associated intracellular events. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is a cytosolic enzyme that controls immune responses via tryptophan metabolism, mainly through its enzymic activity. When phosphorylated, however, IDO1 acts as a signaling molecule in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), thus activating genomic effects, ultimately leading to long-lasting immunosuppression. Whether the two activities-namely, the catalytic and signaling functions-are spatially segregated has been unclear. We found that, under conditions favoring signaling rather than catabolic events, IDO1 shifts from the cytosol to early endosomes. The event requires interaction with class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks), which become activated, resulting in full expression of the immunoregulatory phenotype in vivo in pDCs as resulting from IDO1-dependent signaling events. Thus, IDO1's spatial dynamics meet the needs for short-acting as well as durable mechanisms of immune suppression, both under acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. These data expand the theoretical basis for an IDO1-centered therapy in inflammation and autoimmunity.


Subject(s)
Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases , Dendritic Cells/metabolism , Humans , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/genetics , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism , Inflammation , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics , Signal Transduction
12.
Int J Mol Sci ; 22(2)2021 Jan 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33451129

ABSTRACT

The aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates numerous cellular responses. Originally investigated in toxicology because of its ability to bind environmental contaminants, AhR has attracted enormous attention in the field of immunology in the last 20 years. In addition, the discovery of endogenous and plant-derived ligands points to AhR also having a crucial role in normal cell physiology. Thus, AhR is emerging as a promiscuous receptor that can mediate either toxic or physiologic effects upon sensing multiple exogenous and endogenous molecules. Within this scenario, several factors appear to contribute to the outcome of gene transcriptional regulation by AhR, including the nature of the ligand as such and its further metabolism by AhR-induced enzymes, the local tissue microenvironment, and the presence of coregulators or specific transcription factors in the cell. Here, we review the current knowledge on the array of transcription factors and coregulators that, by interacting with AhR, tune its transcriptional activity in response to endogenous and exogenous ligands.


Subject(s)
Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/metabolism , Drug Discovery , Ligands , Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/metabolism , Animals , Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/genetics , Carrier Proteins , Drug Discovery/methods , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Humans , Immunomodulation , Protein Binding , Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/genetics , Transcription Factors/metabolism
13.
Int J Mol Sci ; 22(9)2021 Apr 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33924971

ABSTRACT

The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a critical regulator of both innate and adaptive immune responses, with potent immunomodulatory effects that makes this receptor an attractive molecular target for novel therapeutics. Accumulating evidence indicates that diverse-both host's and microbial-tryptophan metabolites profoundly regulate the immune system in the host via AhR, promoting either tolerance or immunity, largely as a function of the qualitative and quantitative nature of the metabolites being contributed by either source. Additional findings indicate that host and microbiota-derived tryptophan metabolic pathways can influence the outcome of immune responses to tumors. Here, we review recent studies on the role and modalities of AhR activation by various ligands, derived from either host-cell or microbial-cell tryptophan metabolic pathways, in the regulation of immune responses. Moreover, we highlight potential implications of those ligands and pathways in tumor immunotherapy, with particular relevance to checkpoint-blockade immune intervention strategies.


Subject(s)
Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/metabolism , Tryptophan/metabolism , Animals , Humans , Immunotherapy , Ligands , Neoplasms/therapy
14.
Int J Mol Sci ; 22(6)2021 Mar 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33804124

ABSTRACT

The circadian clock driven by the daily light-dark and temperature cycles of the environment regulates fundamental physiological processes and perturbations of these sophisticated mechanisms may result in pathological conditions, including cancer. While experimental evidence is building up to unravel the link between circadian rhythms and tumorigenesis, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the response to antitumor agents is similarly dependent on the circadian clock, given the dependence of each drug on the circadian regulation of cell cycle, DNA repair and apoptosis. However, the molecular mechanisms that link the circadian machinery to the action of anticancer treatments is still poorly understood, thus limiting the application of circadian rhythms-driven pharmacological therapy, or chronotherapy, in the clinical practice. Herein, we demonstrate the circadian protein period 1 (PER1) and the tumor suppressor p53 negatively cross-regulate each other's expression and activity to modulate the sensitivity of cancer cells to anticancer treatments. Specifically, PER1 physically interacts with p53 to reduce its stability and impair its transcriptional activity, while p53 represses the transcription of PER1. Functionally, we could show that PER1 reduced the sensitivity of cancer cells to drug-induced apoptosis, both in vitro and in vivo in NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice xenotransplanted with a lung cancer cell line. Therefore, our results emphasize the importance of understanding the relationship between the circadian clock and tumor regulatory proteins as the basis for the future development of cancer chronotherapy.


Subject(s)
Carcinogenesis/genetics , Neoplasms/genetics , Period Circadian Proteins/genetics , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics , A549 Cells , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cell Cycle/drug effects , Cell Line, Tumor , Circadian Rhythm/drug effects , Cisplatin/pharmacology , Docetaxel/pharmacology , Drug Chronotherapy , Etoposide/pharmacology , Humans , Mice , Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasms/therapy , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
15.
Int J Mol Sci ; 22(13)2021 Jul 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34281239

ABSTRACT

HOPS is a ubiquitin-like protein implicated in many aspects of cellular function including the regulation of mitotic activity, proliferation, and cellular stress responses. In this study, we focused on the complex relationship between HOPS and the tumor suppressor p53, investigating both transcriptional and non-transcriptional p53 responses. Here, we demonstrated that Hops heterozygous mice and mouse embryonic fibroblasts exhibit an impaired DNA-damage response to etoposide-induced double-strand breaks when compared to wild-type genes. Specifically, alterations in HOPS levels caused significant defects in the induction of apoptosis, including a reduction in p53 protein level and percentage of apoptotic cells. We also analyzed the effect of reduced HOPS levels on the DNA-damage response by examining the transcript profiles of p53-dependent genes, showing a suggestive deregulation of the mRNA levels for a number of p53-dependent genes. Taken together, these results show an interesting haploinsufficiency effect mediated by Hops monoallelic deletion, which appears to be enough to destabilize the p53 protein and its functions. Finally, these data indicate a novel role for Hops as a tumor-suppressor gene in DNA damage repair in mammalian cells.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis , DNA Repair , Haploinsufficiency , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/physiology , Membrane Proteins/physiology , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism , Animals , DNA Damage , Female , Heterozygote , Male , Mice
16.
J Autoimmun ; 115: 102509, 2020 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32605792

ABSTRACT

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) - the enzyme catalyzing the rate-limiting step of tryptophan catabolism along the kynurenine pathway - belongs to the class of inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules. Such regulators of the immune system are crucial for maintaining self-tolerance and thus, when properly working, preventing autoimmunity. A dysfunctional IDO1 has recently been associated with a specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and with the occurrence of autoimmune diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Many genetic alterations of IDO1 have been proposed being related with dysimmune disorders. However, the molecular and functional meaning of variations in IDO1 exomes as well as the promoter region remains a poorly explored field. In the present study, we identified a rare missense variant (rs751360195) at the IDO1 gene in a patient affected by coeliac disease, thyroiditis, and selective immunoglobulin A deficiency. Molecular and functional studies demonstrated that the substitution of lysine (K) at position 257 with a glutamic acid (E) results in an altered IDO1 protein that undergoes a rapid protein turnover. This genotype-to-phenotype relation is produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of the patient bearing this variation and is associated with a specific phenotype (i.e., impaired tryptophan catabolism and defective mechanisms of immune tolerance). Thus decoding functional mutations of the IDO1 exome may provide clinically relevant information exploitable to personalize therapeutic interventions.


Subject(s)
Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/genetics , Myelodysplastic Syndromes/genetics , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/metabolism , DNA Mutational Analysis , Exons/genetics , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Mutation, Missense , Myelodysplastic Syndromes/immunology , Proteolysis
17.
Rev Med Virol ; 29(4): e2048, 2019 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31265195

ABSTRACT

Seropositivity for HSV reaches more than 70% within the world population, and yet no approved vaccine exists. While HSV1 is responsible for keratitis, encephalitis, and labialis, HSV2 carriers have a high susceptibility to other STD infections, such as HIV. Induction of antiviral innate immune responses upon infection depends on a family of pattern recognition receptors called Toll-like receptors (TLR). TLRs bridge innate and adaptive immunity by sensing virus infection and activating antiviral immune responses. HSV adopts smart tricks to evade innate immunity and can also manipulate TLR signaling to evade the immune system or even confer destructive effects in favor of virus replication. Here, we review mechanisms by which HSV can trick TLR signaling to impair innate immunity. Then, we analyze the role of HSV-mediated molecular cues, in particular, NF-κB signaling, in promoting protective versus destructive effects of TLRs. Finally, TLR-based therapeutic opportunities with the goal of preventing or treating HSV infection will be discussed.


Subject(s)
Biological Therapy/methods , Herpes Simplex/immunology , Herpes Simplex/therapy , Immunity, Innate , Simplexvirus/immunology , Toll-Like Receptors/metabolism , Host Microbial Interactions , Humans , Immune Evasion , Simplexvirus/pathogenicity
18.
Nature ; 511(7508): 184-90, 2014 Jul 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24930766

ABSTRACT

Disease tolerance is the ability of the host to reduce the effect of infection on host fitness. Analysis of disease tolerance pathways could provide new approaches for treating infections and other inflammatory diseases. Typically, an initial exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces a state of refractoriness to further LPS challenge (endotoxin tolerance). We found that a first exposure of mice to LPS activated the ligand-operated transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and the hepatic enzyme tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase, which provided an activating ligand to the former, to downregulate early inflammatory gene expression. However, on LPS rechallenge, AhR engaged in long-term regulation of systemic inflammation only in the presence of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1). AhR-complex-associated Src kinase activity promoted IDO1 phosphorylation and signalling ability. The resulting endotoxin-tolerant state was found to protect mice against immunopathology in Gram-negative and Gram-positive infections, pointing to a role for AhR in contributing to host fitness.


Subject(s)
Disease Resistance/genetics , Disease Resistance/immunology , Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/metabolism , Animals , Bacterial Infections/immunology , Bacterial Infections/metabolism , Disease Resistance/drug effects , Endotoxemia/genetics , Endotoxemia/immunology , Endotoxemia/metabolism , Enzyme Activation/drug effects , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism , Inflammation/enzymology , Inflammation/genetics , Inflammation/metabolism , Kynurenine/metabolism , Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology , Mice , Phosphorylation , Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/genetics , Signal Transduction , Tryptophan Oxygenase/metabolism , src-Family Kinases/metabolism
19.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 114(15): 3957-3962, 2017 04 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28348230

ABSTRACT

RelB is an NF-κB family transcription factor activated in the noncanonical pathway downstream of NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) and TNF receptor family members including lymphotoxin-ß receptor (LTßR) and CD40. Early analysis suggested that RelB is required for classical dendritic cell (cDC) development based on a severe reduction of cDCs in Relb-/- mice associated with profound myeloid expansion and perturbations in B and T cells. Subsequent analysis of radiation chimeras generated from wild-type and Relb-/- bone marrow showed that RelB exerts cell-extrinsic actions on some lineages, but it has remained unclear whether the impact of RelB on cDC development is cell-intrinsic or -extrinsic. Here, we reevaluated the role of RelB in cDC and myeloid development using a series of radiation chimeras. We found that there was no cell-intrinsic requirement for RelB for development of most cDC subsets, except for the Notch2- and LTßR-dependent subset of splenic CD4+ cDC2s. These results identify a relatively restricted role of RelB in DC development. Moreover, the myeloid expansion in Relb-/- mice resulted from hematopoietic-extrinsic actions of RelB. This result suggests that there is an unrecognized but critical role for RelB within the nonhematopoietic niche that controls normal myelopoiesis.


Subject(s)
Dendritic Cells/physiology , Myeloid Cells/physiology , Transcription Factor RelB/genetics , Animals , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism , Hematopoietic System/cytology , Hematopoietic System/metabolism , Lymphotoxin beta Receptor/metabolism , Lymphotoxin-beta/metabolism , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Mutant Strains , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism , Spleen/cytology , Spleen/metabolism , Transcription Factor RelB/metabolism , NF-kappaB-Inducing Kinase
20.
J Cell Mol Med ; 23(5): 3757-3761, 2019 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30793469

ABSTRACT

The cytokine interleukin IL-35 is known to exert strong immunosuppressive functions. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and Arginase 1 (Arg1) are metabolic enzymes that, expressed by dendritic cells (DCs), contribute to immunoregulation. Here, we explored any possible link between IL-35 and the activity of those enzymes. We transfected a single chain IL-35Ig gene construct in murine splenic DCs (DC35 ) and assessed any IDO1 and Arg1 activities as resulting from ectopic IL-35Ig expression, both in vitro and in vivo. Unlike Ido1, Arg1 expression was induced in vitro in DC35 , and it conferred an immunosuppressive phenotype on those cells, as revealed by a delayed-type hypersensitivity assay. Moreover, the in vivo onset of a tolerogenic phenotype in DC35 was associated with the detection of CD25+ CD39+ , rather than Foxp3+ , regulatory T cells. Therefore, Arg1, but not Ido1, expression in DC35 appears to be an early event in IL-35Ig-mediated immunosuppression.


Subject(s)
Arginase/immunology , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Immune Tolerance/immunology , Interleukins/immunology , Animals , Antigens, CD/immunology , Antigens, CD/metabolism , Apyrase/immunology , Apyrase/metabolism , Arginase/genetics , Arginase/metabolism , Dendritic Cells/metabolism , Female , Forkhead Transcription Factors/immunology , Forkhead Transcription Factors/metabolism , Immune Tolerance/genetics , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/genetics , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/immunology , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism , Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit/immunology , Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit/metabolism , Interleukin-4/genetics , Interleukin-4/immunology , Interleukin-4/metabolism , Interleukins/genetics , Interleukins/metabolism , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Knockout , T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology , T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/metabolism , Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics , Transforming Growth Factor beta/immunology , Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism
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