Myeloid differentiation factor-2 interacts with Lyn kinase and is tyrosine phosphorylated following lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of the TLR4 signaling pathway.

Stimulation with LPS induces tyrosine phosphorylation of numerous proteins involved in the TLR signaling pathway. In this study, we demonstrated that myeloid differentiation factor-2 (MD-2) is also tyrosine phosphorylated following LPS stimulation. LPS-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of MD-2 is specific; it is blocked by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, herbimycin A, as well as by an inhibitor of endocytosis, cytochalasin D, suggesting that MD-2 phosphorylation occurs during trafficking of MD-2 and not on the cell surface. Furthermore, we identified two possible phospho-accepting tyrosine residues at positions 22 and 131. Mutant proteins in which these tyrosines were changed to phenylalanine had reduced phosphorylation and significantly diminished ability to activate NF-κB in response to LPS. In addition, MD-2 coprecipitated and colocalized with Lyn kinase, most likely in the endoplasmic reticulum. A Lyn-binding peptide inhibitor abolished MD-2 tyrosine phosphorylation, suggesting that Lyn is a likely candidate to be the kinase required for MD-2 tyrosine phosphorylation. Our study demonstrated that tyrosine phosphorylation of MD-2 is important for signaling following exposure to LPS and underscores the importance of this event in mediating an efficient and prompt immune response.

Identification of a novel human MD-2 splice variant that negatively regulates Lipopolysaccharide-induced TLR4 signaling.

Myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD-2) is a secreted gp that assembles with TLR4 to form a functional signaling receptor for bacterial LPS. In this study, we have identified a novel alternatively spliced isoform of human MD-2, termed MD-2 short (MD-2s), which lacks the region encoded by exon 2 of the MD-2 gene. Similar to MD-2, MD-2s is glycosylated and secreted. MD-2s also interacted with LPS and TLR4, but failed to mediate LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation and IL-8 production. We show that MD-2s is upregulated upon IFN-gamma, IL-6, and TLR4 stimulation and negatively regulates LPS-mediated TLR4 signaling. Furthermore, MD-2s competitively inhibited binding of MD-2 to TLR4. Our study pinpoints a mechanism that may be used to regulate TLR4 activation at the onset of signaling and identifies MD-2s as a potential therapeutic candidate to treat human diseases characterized by an overly exuberant or chronic immune response to LPS.

IRAK1 and IRAK4 promote phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and degradation of MyD88 adaptor-like (Mal).

Signal transduction by Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR4 requires the adaptors MyD88 and Mal (MyD88 adaptor-like) and serine/threonine kinases, interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinases IRAK1 and IRAK4. We have found that both IRAK1 and IRAK4 can directly phosphorylate Mal. In addition, co-expression of Mal with either IRAK resulted in depletion of Mal from cell lysates. This is likely to be due to Mal phosphorylation by the IRAKs because kinase-inactive forms of either IRAK had no effect. Furthermore, lipopolysaccharide stimulation resulted in ubiquitination and degradation of Mal, which was inhibited using an IRAK1/4 inhibitor or by knocking down expression of IRAK1 and IRAK4. MyD88 is not a substrate for either IRAK and did not undergo degradation. We therefore conclude that Mal is a substrate for IRAK1 and IRAK4 with phosphorylation promoting ubiquitination and degradation of Mal. This process may serve to negatively regulate signaling by TLR2 and TLR4.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells prevent cigarette smoke and Chlamydophila pneumoniae-induced Th2 inflammatory responses.

Smoking promotes the development of allergic asthma and pneumonia. Chlamydophila pneumoniae lung infection is associated with an increased risk for asthma, inducing an immune response regulated by dendritic cells (DCs). This study sought to determine whether exposure to cigarette smoke modulates the functional activity of CD11c-positive DCs in the lung, with and without concomitant C. pneumoniae infection. Bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) were exposed in vitro to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and/or live C. pneumoniae (Cpn), and then adoptively transferred intratracheally into wild-type mice. Although CSE plus Cpn appeared to exert an additive effect on the production of Th2 cytokines in vitro, we did not see this effect in vivo. However, the adoptive transfer of DCs pulsed with both CSE and C. pneumoniae into the lungs of naive mice led to an influx of plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) that suppressed the Th2 skewing ability of the transferred BMDCs. The depletion of pDCs by antibody restored the Th2 skewing ability of the BMDCs. The expression of indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase in the lung was reduced after the depletion of pDCs, and blocking IFN-α in vitro prevented the ability of pDCs to inhibit the Th2 responses induced by myeloid DCs (mDCs), suggesting their potential involvement in the mechanism of altered polarization. In conclusion, exposure to cigarette smoke skews C. pneumoniae-induced mDCs responses toward a Th2 bias in the lung, which is prevented by pDCs. We propose that pDCs may play a major role in the immunosuppressive lung environment in smokers with C. pneumoniae infection.

Analysis of ubiquitin degradation and phosphorylation of proteins.

Both ubiquitination and phosphorylation are crucial mediators involved in controlling the functions of numerous proteins belonging to the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways. Altering the aforementioned post-translational events can be detrimental to the host survival. Therefore, the importance of these modifications cannot be overestimated. This chapter describes techniques used to examine if a protein is ubiquitinated and/or phosphorylated. In addition, a method is provided to identify the modified amino acids. We have previously shown using these techniques that the protein MyD88 adapter-like (Mal) is phosphorylated and ubiquitinated following activation of the TLR2 and TLR4 signaling pathways. Both post-translational modifications are essential for the activation and degradation of Mal, and thus are crucial steps, in regulating these TLR signaling cascades and consequently the innate immune response.

Chlamydial heat shock protein 60 induces acute pulmonary inflammation in mice via the Toll-like receptor 4- and MyD88-dependent pathway.

Heat shock protein 60 derived from Chlamydia pneumoniae (cHSP60) activates Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling through the MyD88 pathway in vitro, but it is not known how cHSP60 contributes to C. pneumoniae-induced lung inflammation. We treated wild-type (WT), TLR2(-/-), TLR4(-/-), or MyD88(-/-) mice intratracheally (i.t.) with recombinant cHSP60 (50 microg), UV-killed C. pneumoniae (UVCP; 5 x 10(6) inclusion-forming units/mouse), lipopolysaccharide (2 microg), or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and sacrificed mice 24 h later. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was obtained to measure cell counts and cytokine levels, lungs were analyzed for histopathology, and lung homogenate chemokine concentrations were determined. Bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDDCs) were generated and stimulated with live C. pneumoniae (multiplicity of infection [MOI], 5), UVCP (MOI, 5), or cHSP60 for 24 h, and the expression of costimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86) was measured by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. cHSP60 induced acute lung inflammation with the same intensity as that of UVCP-induced inflammation in WT mice but not in TLR4(-/-) or MyD88(-/-) mice. cHSP60- and UVCP-induced lung inflammation was associated with increased numbers of cells in BAL, increased neutrophil recruitment, and elevated BAL interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Both cHSP60 and UVCP induced IL-6 release and CD80 and CD86 expression in WT cells but not in MyD88(-/-) BMDDCs. cHSP60 stimulated DC activation in a TLR4- and MyD88-dependent manner with an intensity similar to that induced by UVCP. These data suggest that cHSP60 promotes lung inflammation and DC activation via TLR4 and MyD88 and therefore may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of C. pneumoniae-induced chronic inflammatory lung diseases.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 negatively regulates Toll-like receptor signaling by mediating Mal degradation.

Toll-like receptor (TLR) signals that initiate innate immune responses to pathogens must be tightly regulated to prevent excessive inflammatory damage to the host. The adaptor protein Mal is specifically involved in signaling via TLR2 and TLR4. We demonstrate here that after TLR2 and TLR4 stimulation Mal becomes phosphorylated by Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) and then interacts with SOCS-1, which results in Mal polyubiquitination and subsequent degradation. Removal of SOCS-1 regulation potentiates Mal-dependent p65 phosphorylation and transactivation of NF-kappaB, leading to amplified inflammatory responses. These data identify a target of SOCS-1 that regulates TLR signaling via a mechanism distinct from an autocrine cytokine response. The transient activation of Mal and subsequent SOCS-1-mediated degradation is a rapid and selective means of limiting primary innate immune response.

MyD88 adapter-like (Mal) is phosphorylated by Bruton's tyrosine kinase during TLR2 and TLR4 signal transduction.

Members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family are essential players in activating the host innate immune response against infectious microorganisms. All TLRs signal through Toll/interleukin 1 receptor domain-containing adapter proteins. MyD88 adapter-like (Mal) is one such adapter that specifically is involved in TLR2 and TLR4 signaling. When overexpressed we have found that Mal undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation. Three possible phospho-accepting tyrosines were identified at positions 86, 106, and 187, and two mutant forms of Mal in which tyrosines 86 and 187 were mutated to phenylalanine acted as dominant negative inhibitors of NF-kappaB activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Activation of THP-1 monocytic cells with the TLR4 agonist LPS and the TLR2 agonist macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 induced phosphorylation of Mal on tyrosine residues. We found that the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitor LFM-A13 could block the endogenous phosphorylation of Mal on tyrosine in cells treated with macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 or LPS. Furthermore, Btk immunoprecipitated from THP-1 cells activated by LPS could phosphorylate Mal. Our study therefore provides the first demonstration of the key role of Mal phosphorylation on tyrosine during signaling by TLR2 and TLR4 and identifies a novel function for Btk as the kinase involved.

Mal and MyD88: adapter proteins involved in signal transduction by Toll-like receptors.

Signal transduction processes activated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) include the important transcription factor NF-kappaB and 2 MAP kinases, p38 and Jun N-terminal kinase. These signals ultimately give rise to increased expression of a multitude of pro-inflammatory proteins. Receptor-proximal proteins involved in signalling by all TLRs include the adapter MyD88, 3 IRAKs (IRAK-4, IRAK and IRAK-2), Tollip, Traf-6 and TAK-1. Differences between signals generated by TLRs are emerging, with both TLR4 and TLR2 signalling requiring an additional adapter termed MyD88-adapter-like (Mal; also known as TIRAP). MyD88 and Mal both have a homologous Toll/IL-1 receptor (TIR) domain although they differ in their N-termini, with MyD88 possessing a death domain. In addition, structural models reveal marked differences in surface charges which, when taken with surface charge differences between TLR2 and TLR4 TIR domains, may indicate that TLR4 but not TLR2 recruits Mal directly. Another difference is that Mal can become phosphorylated. Future studies on Mal will reveal specificities in signal transduction by different TLRs, which may ultimately provide molecular explanations for specificities in the innate immune response to infection.

The poxvirus protein A52R targets Toll-like receptor signaling complexes to suppress host defense.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are crucial in the innate immune response to pathogens, in that they recognize and respond to pathogen associated molecular patterns, which leads to activation of intracellular signaling pathways and altered gene expression. Vaccinia virus (VV), the poxvirus used to vaccinate against smallpox, encodes proteins that antagonize important components of host antiviral defense. Here we show that the VV protein A52R blocks the activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) by multiple TLRs, including TLR3, a recently identified receptor for viral RNA. A52R associates with both interleukin 1 receptor-associated kinase 2 (IRAK2) and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), two key proteins important in TLR signal transduction. Further, A52R could disrupt signaling complexes containing these proteins. A virus deletion mutant lacking the A52R gene was attenuated compared with wild-type and revertant controls in a murine intranasal model of infection. This study reveals a novel mechanism used by VV to suppress the host immunity. We demonstrate viral disabling of TLRs, providing further evidence for an important role for this family of receptors in the antiviral response.