Cholesterol dependence of collagen and echovirus 1 trafficking along the novel α2ß1 integrin internalization pathway.

We have previously shown that soluble collagen and a human pathogen, echovirus 1 (EV1) cluster α2ß1 integrin on the plasma membrane and cause their internalization into cytoplasmic endosomes. Here we show that cholesterol plays a major role not only in the uptake of α2ß1 integrin and its ligands but also in the formation of α2 integrin-specific multivesicular bodies (α2-MVBs) and virus infection. EV1 infection and α2ß1 integrin internalization were totally halted by low amounts of the cholesterol-aggregating drugs filipin or nystatin. Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis and accumulation of lanosterol after ketoconazole treatment inhibited uptake of collagen, virus and clustered integrin, and prevented formation of multivesicular bodies and virus infection. Loading of lipid starved cells with cholesterol increased infection to some extent but could not completely restore EV1 infection to control levels. Cold Triton X-100 treatment did not solubilize the α2-MVBs suggesting, together with cholesterol labeling, that the cytoplasmic endosomes were enriched in detergent-resistant lipids in contrast to αV integrin labeled control endosomes in the clathrin pathway. Cholesterol aggregation leading to increased ion permeability caused a significant reduction in EV1 uncoating in endosomes as judged by sucrose gradient centrifugation and by neutral red-based uncoating assay. In contrast, the replication step was not dependent on cholesterol in contrast to the reports on several other viruses. In conclusion, our results showed that the integrin internalization pathway is dependent on cholesterol for uptake of collagen, EV1 and integrin, for maturation of endosomal structures and for promoting EV1 uncoating. The results thus provide novel information for developing anti-viral strategies and more insight into collagen and integrin trafficking.

BioImageXD: an open, general-purpose and high-throughput image-processing platform.

BioImageXD puts open-source computer science tools for three-dimensional visualization and analysis into the hands of all researchers, through a user-friendly graphical interface tuned to the needs of biologists. BioImageXD has no restrictive licenses or undisclosed algorithms and enables publication of precise, reproducible and modifiable workflows. It allows simple construction of processing pipelines and should enable biologists to perform challenging analyses of complex processes. We demonstrate its performance in a study of integrin clustering in response to selected inhibitors.

Calpains promote α2ß1 integrin turnover in nonrecycling integrin pathway.

Collagen receptor integrins recycle between the plasma membrane and endosomes and facilitate formation and turnover of focal adhesions. In contrast, clustering of α2ß1 integrin with antibodies or the human pathogen echovirus 1 (EV1) causes redistribution of α2 integrin to perinuclear multivesicular bodies, α2-MVBs. We show here that the internalized clustered α2 integrin remains in α2-MVBs and is not recycled back to the plasma membrane. Instead, receptor clustering and internalization lead to an accelerated down-regulation of α2ß1 integrin compared to the slow turnover of unclustered α2 integrin. EV1 infection or integrin degradation is not associated with proteasomal or autophagosomal processes and shows no significant association with lysosomal pathway. In contrast, degradation is dependent on calpains, such that it is blocked by calpain inhibitors. We show that active calpain is present in α2-MVBs, internalized clustered α2ß1 integrin coprecipitates with calpain-1, and calpain enzymes can degrade α2ß1 integrin. In conclusion, we identified a novel virus- and clustering-specific pathway that diverts α2ß1 integrin from its normal endo/exocytic traffic to a nonrecycling, calpain-dependent degradative endosomal route.

Echovirus 1 infection depends on biogenesis of novel multivesicular bodies.

Non-enveloped picornavirus echovirus 1 (EV1) clusters its receptor α2ß1 integrin and causes their internalization and accumulation in α2ß1 integrin enriched multivesicular bodies (α2-MVBs). Our results here show that these α2-MVBs are distinct from acidic late endosomes/lysosomes by several criteria: (i) live intra-endosomal pH measurements show that α2-MVBs are not acidic, (ii) they are not positive for the late endosomal marker LBPA or Dil-LDL internalized to lysosomes, and (iii) simultaneous stimulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and α2ß1 integrin clustering leads to their accumulation in separate endosomes. EGFR showed downregulation between 15 min and 2 h, whereas accumulation of α2ß1 integrin/EV1 led to an increase of integrin fluorescence in cytoplasmic vesicles further suggesting that EV1 pathway is separate from the lysosomal downregulation pathway. In addition, the results demonstrate the involvement of ESCRTs in the biogenesis of α2-MVBs. Overexpression of dominant-negative form of VPS4 inhibited biogenesis of α2-MVBs and efficiently prevented EV1 infection. Furthermore, α2-MVBs were positive for some members of ESCRTs such as Hrs, VPS37A and VPS24 and the siRNA treatment of TSG101, VPS37A and VPS24 inhibited EV1 infection. Our results show that the non-enveloped EV1 depends on biogenesis of novel multivesicular structures for successful infection.

A Raft-derived, Pak1-regulated entry participates in alpha2beta1 integrin-dependent sorting to caveosomes.

We have previously shown that a human picornavirus echovirus 1 (EV1) is transported to caveosomes during 2 h together with its receptor alpha2beta1 integrin. Here, we show that the majority of early uptake does not occur through caveolae. alpha2beta1 integrin, clustered by antibodies or by EV1 binding, is initially internalized from lipid rafts into tubulovesicular structures. These vesicles accumulate fluid-phase markers but do not initially colocalize with caveolin-1 or internalized simian virus 40 (SV40). Furthermore, the internalized endosomes do not contain glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins or flotillin 1, suggesting that clustered alpha2beta1 integrin does not enter the GPI-anchored protein enriched endosomal compartment or flotillin pathways, respectively. Endosomes mature further into larger multivesicular bodies between 15 min to 2 h and concomitantly recruit caveolin-1 or SV40 inside. Cell entry is regulated by p21-activated kinase (Pak)1, Rac1, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, phospholipase C, and actin but not by dynamin 2 in SAOS-alpha2beta1 cells. An amiloride analog, 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropanyl) amiloride, blocks infection, causes integrin accumulation in early tubulovesicular structures, and prevents their structural maturation into multivesicular structures. Our results together suggest that alpha2beta1 integrin clustering defines its own entry pathway that is Pak1 dependent but clathrin and caveolin independent and that is able to sort cargo to caveosomes.