The Salmonella transmembrane effector SteD hijacks AP1-mediated vesicular trafficking for delivery to antigen-loading MHCII compartments.

SteD is a transmembrane effector of the Salmonella SPI-2 type III secretion system that inhibits T cell activation by reducing the amounts of at least three proteins -major histocompatibility complex II (MHCII), CD86 and CD97 -from the surface of antigen-presenting cells. SteD specifically localises at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and MHCII compartments; however, the targeting, membrane integration and trafficking of SteD are not understood. Using systematic mutagenesis, we identify distinct regions of SteD that are required for these processes. We show that SteD integrates into membranes of the ER/Golgi through a two-step mechanism of membrane recruitment from the cytoplasm followed by integration. SteD then migrates to and accumulates within the TGN. From here it hijacks the host adaptor protein (AP)1-mediated trafficking pathway from the TGN to MHCII compartments. AP1 binding and post-TGN trafficking require a short sequence in the N-terminal cytoplasmic tail of SteD that resembles the AP1-interacting dileucine sorting signal, but in inverted orientation, suggesting convergent evolution.

Casting light on multiple sclerosis heterogeneity: the role of HLA-DRB1 on spinal cord pathology.

Clinical heterogeneity in multiple sclerosis is the rule. Evidence suggests that HLA-DRB1*15 may play a role in clinical outcome. Spinal cord pathology is common and contributes significantly to disability in the disease. The influence of HLA-DRB1*15 on multiple sclerosis spinal cord pathology is unknown. A post-mortem cohort of pathologically confirmed cases with multiple sclerosis (n = 108, 34 males) with fresh frozen material available for genetic analyses and fixed material for pathology was used. HLA-DRB1 alleles were genotyped to select a subset of age- and sex-matched HLA-DRB1*15-positive (n = 21) and negative (n = 26) cases for detailed pathological analyses. For each case, transverse sections from three spinal cord levels (cervical, thoracic and lumbar) were stained for myelin, axons and inflammation. The influence of HLA-DRB1*15 on pathological outcome measures was evaluated. Carriage of HLA-DRB1*15 significantly increased the extent of demyelination (global measure 15+: 23.7% versus 15-: 12.16%, P = 0.004), parenchymal (cervical, P < 0.01; thoracic, P < 0.05; lumbar, P < 0.01) and lesional inflammation (border, P = 0.001; periplaque white matter, P < 0.05) in the multiple sclerosis spinal cord. HLA-DRB1*15 influenced demyelination through controlling the extent of parenchymal inflammation. Meningeal inflammation correlated significantly with small fibre axonal loss in the lumbar spinal cord (r = -0.832, P = 0.003) only in HLA-DRB1*15-positive cases. HLA-DRB1*15 significantly influences pathology in the multiple sclerosis spinal cord. This study casts light on the role of HLA-DRB1*15 in disease outcome and highlights the powerful approach of using microscopic pathology to clarify the way in which genes and clinical phenotypes of neurological diseases are linked.

The Tumour Suppressor TMEM127 Is a Nedd4-Family E3 Ligase Adaptor Required by Salmonella SteD to Ubiquitinate and Degrade MHC Class II Molecules.

The Salmonella enterica effector SteD depletes mature MHC class II (mMHCII) molecules from the surface of infected antigen-presenting cells through ubiquitination of the cytoplasmic tail of the mMHCII ß chain. Here, through a genome-wide mutant screen of human antigen-presenting cells, we show that the NEDD4 family HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase WWP2 and a tumor-suppressing transmembrane protein of unknown biochemical function, TMEM127, are required for SteD-dependent ubiquitination of mMHCII. Although evidently not involved in normal regulation of mMHCII, TMEM127 was essential for SteD to suppress both mMHCII antigen presentation in mouse dendritic cells and MHCII-dependent CD4+ T cell activation. We found that TMEM127 contains a canonical PPxY motif, which was required for binding to WWP2. SteD bound to TMEM127 and enabled TMEM127 to interact with and induce ubiquitination of mature MHCII. Furthermore, SteD also underwent TMEM127- and WWP2-dependent ubiquitination, which both contributed to its degradation and augmented its activity on mMHCII.

Diabetes and infection: assessing the association with glycaemic control in population-based studies.

Diabetes is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The global burden of diabetes is rising because of increased obesity and population ageing. Although preventive and treatment measures are well documented for macrovascular and microvascular complications, little such guidance exists for infections in people with diabetes, despite evidence suggesting greater susceptibility to infections, and worse outcomes. In particular, few studies have characterised the relation between glycaemic control and infectious disease, which we discuss in this Review. Some large population-based observational studies have reported strong associations between higher HbA1c and infection risks for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, studies are contradictory, underpowered, or do not control for confounders. Evidence suggests that better glycaemic control might reduce infection risk, but further longitudinal studies with more frequent measures of HbA1c are needed. Older people (aged 70 years or older) with diabetes are at increased risk of complications, including infectious diseases. There is more uncertainty about appropriate glycaemic control targets in this age group, and evidence suggests that glycaemic control is often neglected. Robust evidence from cohorts with sufficient numbers of older people would help to develop clinically relevant guidelines and targets to reduce mortality, morbidity, and antibiotic use, and to improve quality of life.

Renal transplant immunosuppression impairs natural killer cell function in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Despite an increasing awareness of the importance of innate immunity, the roles of natural killer (NK) cells in transplant rejection and antiviral and cancer immunity during immunosuppression have not been clearly defined. METHODS: To address this issue we have developed a quantitative assay of NK cell function that can be used on clinical samples and have studied the influence of immunosuppression on NK cell function. NK cell degranulation and intracellular interferon (IFN)-γ production were determined by flow cytometry of peripheral blood samples. RESULTS: Overnight ex vivo treatment of peripheral blood cells from healthy controls with ciclosporin or tacrolimus inhibited NK cell degranulation and IFN-γ production in a dose-dependent manner. A similar impairment of function was seen in NK cells from patients treated in vivo with calcineurin inhibitors. In the early post-transplant period, there was a variable reduction of NK cell counts after treatment with alemtuzumab and basiliximab. CONCLUSIONS: The functional inhibition of NK cells in early transplant patients coincides with the period of maximum susceptibility to viral infections. The ability to assay NK cell function in clinical samples allows assessment of the impact of immunosuppression on these effector cells. This information may be helpful in guiding the titration of immunosuppression in the clinical setting.