Two distinct receptor-binding domains of human glycyl-tRNA synthetase 1 displayed on extracellular vesicles activate M1 polarization and phagocytic bridging of macrophages to cancer cells.

Macrophages play important roles in cancer microenvironment. Human cytosolic glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GARS1) was previously shown to be secreted via extracellular vesicles (EVs) from macrophages to trigger cancer cell death. However, the effects of GARS1-containing EVs (GARS1-EVs) on macrophages as well as on cancer cells and the working mechanisms of GARS1 in cancer microenvironment are not yet understood. Here we show that GARS1-EVs induce M1 polarization and facilitate phagocytosis of macrophages. GARS1-EVs triggers M1 polarization of macrophage via the specific interaction of the extracellular cadherin subdomains 1-4 of the cadherin EGF LAG seven-pass G-type receptor 2 (CELSR2) with the N-terminal WHEP domain containing peptide region of GARS1, and activates the RAF-MEK-ERK pathway for M1 type cytokine production and phagocytosis. Besides, GARS1 interacted with cadherin 6 (CDH6) of cancer cells via its C-terminal tRNA-binding domain to induce cancer cell death. In vivo model, GARS1-EVs showed potent suppressive activity against tumor initiation via M1 type macrophages. GARS1 displayed on macrophage-secreted extracellular vesicles suppressed tumor growth in dual mode, namely through pro-apoptotic effect on cancer cells and M1 polarization effect on macrophages. Collectively, these results elucidate the unique tumor suppressive activity and mechanism of GARS1-EVs by activating M1 macrophage via CELSR2 as well as by direct killing of cancer cells via CDH6.

Primary structures of both subunits of Escherichia coli glycyl-tRNA synthetase.

Escherichia coli glycyl-tRNA synthetase is one of two aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases which is comprised of two different subunits (in an alpha 2 beta 2 structure). The two coding regions occur in tandem in the order alpha + beta and are synthesized from a single mRNA (Keng, T., Webster, T. A., Sauer, R. T., and Schimmel, P. R. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 12503-12508). Primary structures of both proteins were determined by DNA sequencing of each coding region and by analysis of tryptic fragments of the enzyme. The alpha-subunit is 303 codons and terminates with TAA; the beta-subunit is 689 codons followed by tandem TAA stops. S1 nuclease mapping of the 3'-end of the two-cistron glyS mRNA showed that it predominantly ends 33/34 bases beyond the tandem stops with an RNA polymerse terminator sequence. Altogether, 43% of the translated polypeptide sequences were confirmed by mass spectrometric analysis of peptide fragments including confirmation of the COOH-terminal end of the beta-chain. This involved determinations, by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, of the masses of numerous whole tryptic fragments (with an accuracy of better than 1 Da) and of fragments truncated by one to three cycles of Edman degradations. The primary structures of the two subunits show no homologies with each other and have no internal sequence repeats of significance. While there are no extensive homologies with five other sequenced, or partially sequenced, synthetases, the alpha-subunit has a short sequence which can be aligned with sequences found in functionally important areas of two other synthetases and in uncharacterized parts of a third and fourth synthetase.

Two enzymically active forms of glycyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus brevis. Purification and properties.

Using sucrose density centrifugation and gel filtration of a 105000 X g supernatant of Bacillus brevis two enzymic activities of glycyl-tRNA synthetase were separated. Enzyme catalyzing the aminoacylation of tRNA (E1) elutes in a high-molecular-weight region. Enzyme active in glycylhydroxamate formation (E2) elutes from a Sephadex gel column and sediments in sucrose density gradient in a region of relatively low molecular weight. The presence of two enzymic activities does not depend on the method of cell disruption; their proportion does not change when protease inhibitor (diisopropylphosphorofluoridate) is added to the extraction buffer. Both E1 and E2 were purified to a nearly homogeneous state. Sedimentation coefficients (sw,20) were found to be 8.6 S and 3.6 S and molecular weights 226000 and 66000 for E1 and E2, respectively. During storage, E1 dissociates into two components, one of which has electrophoretic mobility identical to E2. The molecular weight of the other component is about 1600000. Electrophoresis of E1 in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate reveals two bands corresponding to molecular weights of 81000 and 30000. Under these conditions, E2 dissociates into a polypeptide with a molecular weight of 30000. Valine was found to be the N-terminal amino acid for E2 and both valine and glutamic acid were N-terminal amino acids for E1. It is concluded that E1 is a tetrameric protein consisting of two large and two small subunits (alpha2beta2). E2 is a component of E1 with a structural formula alpha2.