A non-conserved amino acid variant regulates differential signalling between human and mouse CD28.

CD28 superagonistic antibodies (CD28SAb) can preferentially activate and expand immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Treg) in mice. However, pre-clinical trials assessing CD28SAbs for the therapy of autoimmune diseases reveal severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome in humans, thereby implying the existence of distinct signalling abilities between human and mouse CD28. Here, we show that a single amino acid variant within the C-terminal proline-rich motif of human and mouse CD28 (P212 in human vs. A210 in mouse) regulates CD28-induced NF-κB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Moreover, this Y209APP212 sequence in humans is crucial for the association of CD28 with the Nck adaptor protein for actin cytoskeleton reorganisation events necessary for CD28 autonomous signalling. This study thus unveils different outcomes between human and mouse CD28 signalling to underscore the importance of species difference when transferring results from preclinical models to the bedside.

Short peptides from leucyl-tRNA synthetase rescue disease-causing mitochondrial tRNA point mutations.

Mutations in mitochondrial (mt) genes coding for mt-tRNAs are responsible for a range of syndromes, for which no effective treatment is available. We recently showed that the carboxy-terminal domain (Cterm) of human mt-leucyl tRNA synthetase rescues the pathologic phenotype associated either with the m.3243A>G mutation in mt-tRNA(Leu(UUR)) or with mutations in the mt-tRNA(Ile), both of which are aminoacylated by Class I mt-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (mt-aaRSs). Here we show, by using the human transmitochondrial cybrid model, that the Cterm is also able to improve the phenotype caused by the m.8344A>G mutation in mt-tRNA(Lys), aminoacylated by a Class II aaRS. Importantly, we demonstrate that the same rescuing ability is retained by two Cterm-derived short peptides, ß30_31 and ß32_33, which are effective towards both the m.8344A>G and the m.3243A>G mutations. Furthermore, we provide in vitro evidence that these peptides bind with high affinity wild-type and mutant human mt-tRNA(Leu(UUR)) and mt-tRNA(Lys), and stabilize mutant mt-tRNA(Leu(UUR)). In conclusion, we demonstrate that small Cterm-derived peptides can be effective tools to rescue cellular defects caused by mutations in a wide range of mt-tRNAs.

Activation of an endothelial Notch1-Jagged1 circuit induces VCAM1 expression, an effect amplified by interleukin-1ß.

The Notch1 and Notch4 signaling pathways regulate endothelial cell homeostasis. Inflammatory cytokines induce the expression of endothelial adhesion molecules, including VCAM1, partly by downregulating Notch4 signaling. We investigated the role of endothelial Notch1 in this IL-1ß-mediated process. Brief treatment with IL-1ß upregulated endothelial VCAM1 and Notch ligand Jagged1. IL-1ß decreased Notch1 mRNA levels, but levels of the active Notch1ICD protein remained constant. IL-1ß-mediated VCAM1 induction was downregulated in endothelial cells subjected to pretreatment with a pharmacological inhibitor of the γ-secretase, which activates Notch receptors, producing NotchICD. It was also downregulated in cells in which Notch1 and/or Jagged1 were silenced.Conversely, the forced expression of Notch1ICD in naïve endothelial cells upregulated VCAM1 per se and amplified IL-1ß-mediated VCAM1 induction. Jagged1 levels increased and Notch4 signaling was downregulated in parallel. Finally, Notch1ICD and Jagged1 expression was upregulated in the endothelium of the liver in a model of chronic liver inflammation.In conclusion, we describe here a cell-autonomous, pro-inflammatory endothelial Notch1-Jagged1 circuit (i) triggering the expression of VCAM1 even in the absence of inflammatory cytokines and (ii) enhancing the effects of IL-1ß. Thus, IL-1ß regulates Notch1 and Notch4 activity in opposite directions, consistent with a selective targeting of Notch1 in inflamed endothelium.

Targeting estrogen receptor ß as preventive therapeutic strategy for Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.

Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a maternally inherited blinding disease characterized by degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and consequent optic nerve atrophy. Peculiar features of LHON are incomplete penetrance and gender bias, with a marked male prevalence. Based on the different hormonal metabolism between genders, we proposed that estrogens play a protective role in females and showed that these hormones ameliorate mitochondrial dysfunction in LHON through the estrogen receptors (ERs). We also showed that ERß localize to the mitochondria of RGCs. Thus, targeting ERß may become a therapeutic strategy for LHON specifically aimed at avoiding or delaying the onset of disease in mutation carriers. Here, we tested the effects of ERß targeting on LHON mitochondrial defective metabolism by treating LHON cybrid cells carrying the m.11778G>A mutation with a combination of natural estrogen-like compounds that bind ERß with high selectivity. We demonstrated that these molecules improve cell viability by reducing apoptosis, inducing mitochondrial biogenesis and strongly reducing the levels of reactive oxygen species in LHON cells. These effects were abolished in cells with ERß knockdown by silencing receptor expression or by using specific receptor antagonists. Our observations support the hypothesis that estrogen-like molecules may be useful in LHON prophylactic therapy. This is particularly important for lifelong disease prevention in unaffected LHON mutation carriers. Current strategies attempting to combat degeneration of RGCs during the acute phase of LHON have not been very effective. Implementing a different and preemptive approach with a low risk profile may be very helpful.

The isolated carboxy-terminal domain of human mitochondrial leucyl-tRNA synthetase rescues the pathological phenotype of mitochondrial tRNA mutations in human cells.

Mitochondrial (mt) diseases are multisystem disorders due to mutations in nuclear or mtDNA genes. Among the latter, more than 50% are located in transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and are responsible for a wide range of syndromes, for which no effective treatment is available at present. We show that three human mt aminoacyl-tRNA syntethases, namely leucyl-, valyl-, and isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase are able to improve both viability and bioenergetic proficiency of human transmitochondrial cybrid cells carrying pathogenic mutations in the mt-tRNA(Ile) gene. Importantly, we further demonstrate that the carboxy-terminal domain of human mt leucyl-tRNA synthetase is both necessary and sufficient to improve the pathologic phenotype associated either with these "mild" mutations or with the "severe" m.3243A>G mutation in the mt-tRNA(L)(eu(UUR)) gene. Furthermore, we provide evidence that this small, non-catalytic domain is able to directly and specifically interact in vitro with human mt-tRNA(Leu(UUR)) with high affinity and stability and, with lower affinity, with mt-tRNA(Ile). Taken together, our results sustain the hypothesis that the carboxy-terminal domain of human mt leucyl-tRNA synthetase can be used to correct mt dysfunctions caused by mt-tRNA mutations.

Isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase levels modulate the penetrance of a homoplasmic m.4277T>C mitochondrial tRNA(Ile) mutation causing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The genetic and epigenetic factors underlying the variable penetrance of homoplasmic mitochondrial DNA mutations are poorly understood. We investigated a 16-year-old patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy harboring a homoplasmic m.4277T>C mutation in the mt-tRNA(Ile) (MTTI) gene. Skeletal muscle showed multiple respiratory chain enzyme abnormalities and a decreased steady-state level of the mutated mt-tRNA(Ile). Transmitochondrial cybrids grown on galactose medium demonstrated a functional effect of this mutation on cell viability, confirming pathogenicity. These findings were reproduced in transmitochondrial cybrids, harboring a previously described homoplasmic m.4300A>G MTTI mutation. The pathogenic role of the m.4277T>C mutation may be ascribed to misfolding of the mt-tRNA molecule, as demonstrated by the altered electrophoretic migration of the mutated mt-tRNA. Indeed, structure and sequence analyses suggest that thymidine at position 4277 of mt-tRNA(Ile) is involved in a conserved tertiary interaction with thymidine at position 4306. Interestingly, the mutation showed variable penetrance within family members, with skeletal muscle from the patient's clinically unaffected mother demonstrating normal muscle respiratory chain activities and steady-state levels of mt-tRNA(Ile), while homoplasmic for the m.4277T>C mutation. Analysis of mitochondrial isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase revealed significantly higher expression levels in skeletal muscle and fibroblasts of the unaffected mother when compared with the proband, while the transient over-expression of the IARS2 gene in patient transmitochondrial cybrids improved cell viability. This is the first observation that constitutively high levels of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) in human tissues prevent the phenotypic expression of a homoplasmic mt-tRNA point mutation. These findings extend previous observations on aaRSs therapeutic effects in yeast and human.

Notch3 and canonical NF-kappaB signaling pathways cooperatively regulate Foxp3 transcription.

Notch3 overexpression has been previously shown to positively regulate the generation and function of naturally occurring regulatory T cells and the expression of Foxp3, in cooperation with the pTα/pre-TCR pathway. In this study, we show that Notch3 triggers the trans activation of Foxp3 promoter depending on the T cell developmental stage. Moreover, we discovered a novel CSL/NF-κB overlapping binding site within the Foxp3 promoter, and we demonstrate that the activation of NF-κB, mainly represented by p65-dependent canonical pathway, plays a positive role in Notch3-dependent regulation of Foxp3 transcription. Accordingly, the deletion of protein kinase C, which mediates canonical NF-κB activation, markedly reduces regulatory T cell number and per cell Foxp3 expression in transgenic mice with a constitutive activation of Notch3 signaling. Collectively, our data indicate that the cooperation among Notch3, protein kinase C, and p65/NF-κB subunit modulates Foxp3 expression, adding new insights in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in regulatory T cell homeostasis and function.

The chemokine Bv8/prokineticin 2 is up-regulated in inflammatory granulocytes and modulates inflammatory pain.

Neutrophil migration into injured tissues is invariably accompanied by pain. Bv8/prokineticin 2 (PK2), a chemokine characterized by a unique structural motif comprising five disulfide bonds, is highly expressed in inflamed tissues associated to infiltrating cells. Here, we demonstrate the fundamental role of granulocyte-derived PK2 (GrPK2) in initiating inflammatory pain and driving peripheral sensitization. In animal models of complete Freund's adjuvant-induced paw inflammation the development and duration of pain temporally correlated with the expression levels of PK2 in the inflamed sites. Such an increase in PK2 mRNA depends mainly on a marked up-regulation of PK2 gene transcription in granulocytes. A substantially lower up-regulation was also detected in macrophages. From a pool of peritoneal granulocytes, elicited in rats by oyster glycogen, we purified the GrPK2 protein, which displayed high affinity for the prokineticin receptors (PKRs) and, when injected into the rat paw, induced hypersensitivity to noxious stimuli as the amphibian prokineticin Bv8 did. Mice lacking PKR1 or PKR2 developed significantly less inflammation-induced hyperalgesia in comparison with WT mice, confirming the involvement of both PKRs in inflammatory pain. The inflammation-induced up-regulation of PK2 was significantly less in pkr1 null mice than in WT and pkr2 null mice, demonstrating a role of PKR1 in setting PK2 levels during inflammation. Pretreatment with a nonpeptide PKR antagonist, which preferentially binds PKR1, dose-dependently reduced and eventually abolished both prokineticin-induced hypernociception and inflammatory hyperalgesia. Inhibiting PK2 formation or antagonizing PKRs may represent another therapeutic approach for controlling inflammatory pain.

Notch3 and pTalpha/pre-TCR sustain the in vivo function of naturally occurring regulatory T cells.

Dysregulated generation and/or function of naturally occurring 'CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells' (T(reg)s) play key role in the development of autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes. Recent findings suggest that Notch3 signaling activation promotes thymic generation and peripheral expansion and in vivo function of naturally occurring T(reg)s, thus preventing autoimmune diabetes progression in mouse models. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects have remained elusive, thus far. Here, we show that the expression of pTalpha gene is up-regulated in naturally occurring T(reg)s, at both mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, by using double mutant mice, with T cell-targeted constitutive activation of Notch3 in a pTalpha(-/-) background, we demonstrate that pTalpha deletion significantly counteracts the Notch3-dependent expansion, the increased FoxP3 expression and the enhanced in vitro activity of naturally occurring T(reg)s. Notably, the absence of pTalpha also impairs the Notch3-dependent protection against experimentally induced autoimmune diabetes. Finally, by adoptive cell transfer experiments, we demonstrated that this failure is directly related to the impaired in vivo function of naturally occurring T(reg)s bearing pTalpha deletion. Collectively, our data suggest that pTalpha expression is required for the in vivo function of naturally occurring T(reg)s and that the activation of Notch3 signaling may positively regulate the function of this population, through the pTalpha/pre-T cell receptor pathway.

Notch signaling and diseases: an evolutionary journey from a simple beginning to complex outcomes.

Notch signaling pathway regulates a wide variety of cellular processes during development and it also plays a crucial role in human diseases. This important link is firmly established in cancer, since a rare T-ALL-associated genetic lesion has been initially reported to result in deletion of Notch1 ectodomain and constitutive activation of its intracellular region. Interestingly, the cellular response to Notch signaling can be extremely variable depending on the cell type and activation context. Notch signaling triggers signals implicated in promoting carcinogenesis and autoimmune diseases, whereas it can also sustain responses that are critical to suppress carcinogenesis and to negatively regulate immune response. However, Notch signaling induces all these effects via an apparently simple signal transduction pathway, diversified into a complex network along evolution from Drosophila to mammals. Indeed, an explanation of this paradox comes from a number of evidences accumulated during the last few years, which dissected the intrinsic canonical and non-canonical components of the Notch pathway as well as several modulatory extrinsic signaling events. The identification of these signals has shed light onto the mechanisms whereby Notch and other pathways collaborate to induce a particular cellular phenotype. In this article, we review the role of Notch signaling in cells as diverse as T lymphocytes and epithelial cells of the epidermis, with the main focus on understanding the mechanisms of Notch versatility.

Notch3 and the Notch3-upregulated RNA-binding protein HuD regulate Ikaros alternative splicing.

Constitutive activation of the transmembrane receptor, Notch3, and loss of function of the hematopoietic transcription repressor, Ikaros (IK), play direct roles in T-cell differentiation and leukemogenesis that are dependent on pre-T-cell receptor (pre-TCR) signaling. We demonstrate the occurrence of crosstalk between Notch3 and IK that results in transcriptional regulation of the gene encoding the pTalpha chain of the pre-TCR. We also show that, in the presence of the pre-TCR, constitutive activation of Notch3 in thymocytes causes increased expression of dominantnegative non-DNA-binding IK isoforms, which are able to restrain the IK inhibition of Notch3's transcriptional activation of pTalpha. This effect appears to be mediated by Notch3's pre-TCR-dependent upregulation of the RNA-binding protein, HuD. Notch3 signaling thus appears to play a critical role in the diminished IK activity described in several lymphoid leukemias. By exerting transcription-activating and transcription-repressing effects on the pTalpha promoter, Notch3 and IK cooperate in the fine-tuning of pre-TCR expression and function, which has important implications for the regulation of thymocyte differentiation and proliferation.

Notch1-dependent lymphomagenesis is assisted by but does not essentially require pre-TCR signaling.

Overexpression of intracellular Notch plays an important role in the generation of human acute lymphoblastic T cell leukemia (T-ALL). In mouse models, it was shown that Notch-dependent T-ALL required pre-TCR signaling. Here we show that pre-TCR signaling is required to condition mice for Notch-dependent transformation but that it is not required to sustain malignant growth of T-ALL. In contrast to previous studies, we found that disease development does not require pre-TCR but that it can be accelerated in Rag2(-/-) mice by transient mimicking of pre-TCR signals.

PKC theta mediates pre-TCR signaling and contributes to Notch3-induced T-cell leukemia.

Protein kinase (PK)C theta is a critical regulator of mature T-cell activation and proliferation, being implicated in TCR-triggered nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B activation and providing important survival signals to leukemic T cells. We previously showed that overexpression of pT alpha/pre-TCR and constitutive activation of NF-kappa B characterize the T-cell leukemia/lymphoma developing in Notch3-IC transgenic mice. We report here that PKC theta is a downstream target of Notch3 signaling and that its activation and membrane translocation require a functional pre-TCR in order to trigger NF-kappa B activation in thymocytes and lymphoma cells of transgenic mice. Furthermore, deletion of PKC theta in Notch3-IC transgenic mice reduces the incidence of leukemia, correlating with decreased NF-kappa B activation. This paper therefore suggests that PKC theta mediates the activation of NF-kappa B by pre-TCR in immature thymocytes and contributes to the development of Notch3-dependent T-cell lymphoma.

Pre-TCR-triggered ERK signalling-dependent downregulation of E2A activity in Notch3-induced T-cell lymphoma.

Notch and basic helix-loop-helix E2A pathways specify cell fate and regulate neoplastic transformation in a variety of cell types. Whereas Notch enhances tumorigenesis, E2A suppresses it. However, whether and how Notch and E2A interact functionally in an integrative mechanism for regulating neoplastic transformation remains to be understood. It has been shown that Notch3-induced T-cell leukaemia is abrogated by the inactivation of pTalpha/pre-T-cell antigen receptor (pre-TCR). We report here that Notch3-induced transcriptional activation of pTalpha/pre-TCR is responsible for the downregulation of E2A DNA binding and transcriptional activity. Further, the E2A messenger RNA and protein levels remain unaltered but the E2A inhibitor Id1 expression is augmented in thymocytes and T lymphoma cells derived from Notch3 transgenic mice. The increase in Id1 expression is achieved by pre-TCR-induced extracellular-signalling-regulated kinase 1/2. These observations support a model in which the upregulation of pre-TCR signalling seems to be the prerequi-site for Notch3-induced inhibition of E2A, thus leading to the development of lymphoma in Notch3 transgenic mice.

Expression of activated Notch3 in transgenic mice enhances generation of T regulatory cells and protects against experimental autoimmune diabetes.

Thymic-derived dysregulated tolerance has been suggested to occur in type 1 diabetes via impaired generation of CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells, leading to autoimmune beta cell destruction. In this study, we demonstrate that Notch3 expression is a characteristic feature of CD4(+)CD25(+) cells. Furthermore, streptozotocin-induced autoimmune diabetes fails to develop in transgenic mice carrying the constitutively active intracellular domain of Notch3 in thymocytes and T cells. The failure to develop the disease is associated with an increase of CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells, accumulating in lymphoid organs, in pancreas infiltrates and paralleled by increased expression of IL-4 and IL-10. Accordingly, CD4(+) T cells from Notch3-transgenic mice inhibit the development of hyperglycemia and insulitis when injected into streptozotocin-treated wild-type mice and display in vitro suppressive activity. These observations, therefore, suggest that Notch3-mediated events regulate the expansion and function of T regulatory cells, leading to protection from experimental autoimmune diabetes and identify the Notch pathway as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in type 1 diabetes.

Notch3, another Notch in T cell development.

Different members of the Notch family have been described to play a critical role in T cell lineage commitment and T cell development and functions. Nevertheless, whether they act as redundant molecules, by affecting the same molecular mechanisms, or play distinct roles in T cell differentiation and/or functions is not clear. Altered Notch3 signaling impairs the developmentally regulated interplay between pre-TCR and NF-kappaB signaling and allows the disruption of early thymocyte differentiation and the development of T cell leukemia, thus identifying the crucial role of Notch3 receptor in the coordination of T cell differentiation and growth control.

Notch signalling at the crossroads of T cell development and leukemogenesis.

Members of the Notch family (e.g. Notch1 and Notch3) have been recently described to play a critical role in T cell development and their constitutive activation has been related to T cell leukaemia in both animal models and human disease. Nevertheless, whether they act as redundant molecules, by affecting the same molecular mechanisms, or play distinct roles in T cell differentiation and/or leukemogenesis is not clear. Altered Notch signalling impairs the developmentally-regulated interplay between pre-TCR signalling, NFkappaB and E2A activities, thus identifying the crucial role of Notch receptors at the cross-roads of disrupted lymphoid differentiation and neoplastic transformation.

Notch, a unifying target in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia?

The expression of both Notch3 and pre-T-cell-receptor (pre-TCR) invariant chain appears to be a common feature of all T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALL). Notch genes, and other genes that are dysregulated in some T-ALL subgroups, encode factors that play a crucial role in both T-cell development and leukemogenesis. A complex network of signals, involving Notchs, pre-TCR, nuclear factor kappaB and E2A, appears to be responsible for the leukemogenesis process. Thus, T-ALL is a paradigm for developmental pathways that underlie the pathogenesis of this disease.

Combined expression of pTalpha and Notch3 in T cell leukemia identifies the requirement of preTCR for leukemogenesis.

Notch receptors are conserved regulators of cell fate and have been implicated in the regulation of T cell differentiation and lymphomagenesis. However, neither the generality of Notch involvement in leukemia, nor the molecules with which Notch may interact have been clarified. Recently, we showed that transgenic mice expressing the constitutively active intracellular domain of Notch3 in thymocytes and T cells developed early and aggressive T cell neoplasias. Although primarily splenic, the tumors sustained features of immature thymocytes, including expression of pTalpha, a defining component of the pre T cell receptor, known to be a potent signaling complex provoking thymocyte survival, proliferation, and activation. Thus, enforced expression of Notch3, which is ordinarily down-regulated as thymocytes mature, may sustain pre T cell receptor expression, causing dysregulated hyperplasia. This hypothesis has been successfully tested in this article by the observation that deletion of pTalpha in Notch3 transgenic mice abrogates tumor development, indicating a crucial role for pTalpha in T cell leukemogenesis. Parallel observations were made in humans, in that all T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias examined showed expression of Notch3 and of the Notch target gene HES-1, as well as of pTalpha a and b transcripts, whereas the expression of all these genes was dramatically reduced or absent in remission. Together, these results suggest that the combined expression of Notch3 and pTalpha sustains T cell leukemogenesis and may represent pathognomonic molecular features of human T-ALL.