The canonical antiviral protein oligoadenylate synthetase 1 elicits antibacterial functions by enhancing IRF1 translation.

An important property of the host innate immune response during microbial infection is its ability to control the expression of antimicrobial effector proteins, but how this occurs post-transcriptionally is not well defined. Here, we describe a critical antibacterial role for the classic antiviral gene 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1). Human OAS1 and its mouse ortholog, Oas1b, are induced by interferon-γ and protect against cytosolic bacterial pathogens such as Francisella novicida and Listeria monocytogenes in vitro and in vivo. Proteomic and transcriptomic analysis showed reduced IRF1 protein expression in OAS1-deficient cells. Mechanistically, OAS1 binds and localizes IRF1 mRNA to the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-Golgi endomembranes, licensing effective translation of IRF1 mRNA without affecting its transcription or decay. OAS1-dependent translation of IRF1 leads to the enhanced expression of antibacterial effectors, such as GBPs, which restrict intracellular bacteria. These findings uncover a noncanonical function of OAS1 in antibacterial innate immunity.

Oligoadenylate synthetase 1 displays dual antiviral mechanisms in driving translational shutdown and protecting interferon production.

In response to viral infection, how cells balance translational shutdown to limit viral replication and the induction of antiviral components like interferons (IFNs) is not well understood. Moreover, how distinct isoforms of IFN-induced oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1) contribute to this antiviral response also requires further elucidation. Here, we show that human, but not mouse, OAS1 inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication through its canonical enzyme activity via RNase L. In contrast, both mouse and human OAS1 protect against West Nile virus infection by a mechanism distinct from canonical RNase L activation. OAS1 binds AU-rich elements (AREs) of specific mRNAs, including IFNß. This binding leads to the sequestration of IFNß mRNA to the endomembrane regions, resulting in prolonged half-life and continued translation. Thus, OAS1 is an ARE-binding protein with two mechanisms of antiviral activity: driving inhibition of translation but also a broader, non-canonical function of protecting IFN expression from translational shutdown.

RNA-binding protein isoforms ZAP-S and ZAP-L have distinct antiviral and immune resolution functions.

The initial response to viral infection is anticipatory, with host antiviral restriction factors and pathogen sensors constantly surveying the cell to rapidly mount an antiviral response through the synthesis and downstream activity of interferons. After pathogen clearance, the host's ability to resolve this antiviral response and return to homeostasis is critical. Here, we found that isoforms of the RNA-binding protein ZAP functioned as both a direct antiviral restriction factor and an interferon-resolution factor. The short isoform of ZAP bound to and mediated the degradation of several host interferon messenger RNAs, and thus acted as a negative feedback regulator of the interferon response. In contrast, the long isoform of ZAP had antiviral functions and did not regulate interferon. The two isoforms contained identical RNA-targeting domains, but differences in their intracellular localization modulated specificity for host versus viral RNA, which resulted in disparate effects on viral replication during the innate immune response.

Differential Activation of the Transcription Factor IRF1 Underlies the Distinct Immune Responses Elicited by Type I and Type III Interferons.

Type I and III interferons (IFNs) activate similar downstream signaling cascades, but unlike type I IFNs, type III IFNs (IFNλ) do not elicit strong inflammatory responses in vivo. Here, we examined the molecular mechanisms underlying this disparity. Type I and III IFNs displayed kinetic differences in expression of IFN-stimulated genes and proinflammatory responses, with type I IFNs preferentially stimulating expression of the transcription factor IRF1. Type III IFNs failed to induce IRF1 expression because of low IFNλ receptor abundance and insufficient STAT1 activation on epithelial cells and thus did not activate the IRF1 proinflammatory gene program. Rather, IFNλ stimulation preferentially induced factors implicated in tissue repair. Our findings suggest that IFN receptor compartmentalization and abundance confer a spatiotemporal division of labor where type III IFNs control viral spread at the site of the infection while restricting tissue damage; the transient induction of inflammatory responses by type I IFNs recruits immune effectors to promote protective immunity.

Re-evaluating Strategies to Define the Immunoregulatory Roles of miRNAs.

miRNAs play an important role in fine-tuning host immune homeostasis and responses through the regulation of mRNA stability and translation. Studies have demonstrated that miRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression has a profound impact on immune cell development, function, and response to invading pathogens. As we continue to examine the mechanisms by which miRNAs maintain the balance between robust protective host immune responses and dysregulated responses that promote immune pathology, careful consideration of the complexity of post-transcriptional immune regulation is needed. Distinct tissue- and stimulus-specific RNA-RNA and RNA-protein interactions can modulate the functions of a given miRNA. Thus, new challenges emerge in the identification of post-transcriptional coregulatory modules and the genetic factors that impact miRNA function.

mTOR kinase inhibitors promote antibody class switching via mTORC2 inhibition.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a kinase that functions in two distinct complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2. In peripheral B cells, complete deletion of mTOR suppresses germinal center B-cell responses, including class switching and somatic hypermutation. The allosteric mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin blocks proliferation and differentiation, but lower doses can promote protective IgM responses. To elucidate the complexity of mTOR signaling in B cells further, we used ATP-competitive mTOR kinase inhibitors (TOR-KIs), which inhibit both mTORC1 and mTORC2. Although TOR-KIs are in clinical development for cancer, their effects on mature lymphocytes are largely unknown. We show that high concentrations of TOR-KIs suppress B-cell proliferation and differentiation, yet lower concentrations that preserve proliferation increase the fraction of B cells undergoing class switching in vitro. Transient treatment of mice with the TOR-KI compound AZD8055 increased titers of class-switched high-affinity antibodies to a hapten-protein conjugate. Mechanistic investigation identified opposing roles for mTORC1 and mTORC2 in B-cell differentiation and showed that TOR-KIs enhance class switching in a manner dependent on forkhead box, subgroup O (FoxO) transcription factors. These observations emphasize the distinct actions of TOR-KIs compared with rapamycin and suggest that TOR-KIs might be useful to enhance production of class-switched antibodies following vaccination.

Selective inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110α preserves lymphocyte function.

Class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is essential for clonal expansion, differentiation, and effector function of B and T lymphocytes. The p110δ catalytic isoform of PI3K is highly expressed in lymphocytes and plays a prominent role in B and T cell responses. Another class IA PI3K catalytic isoform, p110α, is a promising drug target in cancer but little is known about its function in lymphocytes. Here we used highly selective inhibitors to probe the function of p110α in lymphocyte responses in vitro and in vivo. p110α inhibition partially reduced B cell receptor (BCR)-dependent AKT activation and proliferation, and diminished survival supported by the cytokines BAFF and IL-4. Selective p110δ inhibition suppressed B cell responses much more strongly, yet maximal suppression was achieved by targeting multiple PI3K isoforms. In mouse and human T cells, inhibition of single class IA isoforms had little effect on proliferation, whereas pan-class I inhibition did suppress T cell expansion. In mice, selective p110α inhibition using the investigational agent MLN1117 (previously known as INK1117) did not disrupt the marginal zone B cell compartment and did not block T cell-dependent germinal center formation. In contrast, the selective p110δ inhibitor IC87114 strongly suppressed germinal center formation and reduced marginal zone B cell numbers, similar to a pan-class I inhibitor. These findings show that although acute p110α inhibition partially diminishes AKT activation, selective p110α inhibitors are likely to be less immunosuppressive in vivo compared with p110δ or pan-class I inhibitors.

Quantitative proteomic and genetic analyses of the schizophrenia susceptibility factor dysbindin identify novel roles of the biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex 1.

The Biogenesis of Lysosome-Related Organelles Complex 1 (BLOC-1) is a protein complex containing the schizophrenia susceptibility factor dysbindin, which is encoded by the gene DTNBP1. However, mechanisms engaged by dysbindin defining schizophrenia susceptibility pathways have not been quantitatively elucidated. Here, we discovered prevalent and novel cellular roles of the BLOC-1 complex in neuronal cells by performing large-scale Stable Isotopic Labeling of Cells in Culture (SILAC) quantitative proteomics combined with genetic analyses in dysbindin-null mice (Mus musculus) and the genome of schizophrenia patients. We identified 24 proteins that associate with the BLOC-1 complex, many of which were altered in content/distribution in cells or tissues deficient in BLOC-1. New findings include BLOC-1 interactions with the COG complex, a Golgi apparatus tether, and antioxidant enzymes peroxiredoxins 1-2. Importantly, loci encoding eight of the 24 proteins are affected by genomic copy number variation in schizophrenia patients. Thus, our quantitative proteomic studies expand the functional repertoire of the BLOC-1 complex and provide insight into putative molecular pathways of schizophrenia susceptibility.

PI3K signalling in B- and T-lymphocytes: new developments and therapeutic advances.

Activation of PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) is a shared response to engagement of diverse types of transmembrane receptors. Depending on the cell type and stimulus, PI3K activation can promote different fates including proliferation, survival, migration and differentiation. The diverse roles of PI3K signalling are well illustrated by studies of lymphocytes, the cells that mediate adaptive immunity. Genetic and pharmacological experiments have shown that PI3K activation regulates many steps in the development, activation and differentiation of both B- and T-cells. These findings have prompted the development of PI3K inhibitors for the treatment of autoimmunity and inflammatory diseases. PI3K activation, however, has both positive and negative roles in immune system activation. Consequently, although PI3K suppression can attenuate immune responses it can also enhance inflammation, disrupt peripheral tolerance and promote autoimmunity. An exciting discovery is that a selective inhibitor of the p110δ catalytic isoform of PI3K, CAL-101, achieves impressive clinical efficacy in certain B-cell malignancies. A model is emerging in which p110δ inhibition disrupts signals from the lymphoid microenvironment, leading to release of leukaemia and lymphoma cells from their protective niche. These encouraging findings have given further momentum to PI3K drug development efforts in both cancer and immune diseases.

Regulatory T cells suppress CD4+ effector T cell activation by controlling protein synthesis.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) suppress the activation and subsequent effector functions of CD4 effector T cells (Teffs). However, molecular mechanisms that enforce Treg-mediated suppression in CD4 Teff are unclear. We found that Tregs suppressed activation-induced global protein synthesis in CD4 Teffs prior to cell division. We analyzed genome-wide changes in the transcriptome and translatome of activated CD4 Teffs. We show that mRNAs encoding for the protein synthesis machinery are regulated at the level of translation in activated CD4 Teffs by Tregs. Tregs suppressed global protein synthesis of CD4 Teffs by specifically inhibiting mRNAs of the translation machinery at the level of mTORC1-mediated translation control through concerted action of immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and TGFß. Lastly, we found that the therapeutic targeting of protein synthesis with the RNA helicase eIF4A inhibitor rocaglamide A can alleviate inflammatory CD4 Teff activation caused by acute Treg depletion in vivo. These data show that peripheral tolerance is enforced by Tregs through mRNA translational control in CD4 Teffs.

Germline SAMD9L truncation variants trigger global translational repression.

SAMD9L is an interferon-induced tumor suppressor implicated in a spectrum of multisystem disorders, including risk for myeloid malignancies and immune deficiency. We identified a heterozygous de novo frameshift variant in SAMD9L in an infant with B cell aplasia and clinical autoinflammatory features who died from respiratory failure with chronic rhinovirus infection. Autopsy demonstrated absent bone marrow and peripheral B cells as well as selective loss of Langerhans and Purkinje cells. The frameshift variant led to expression of a truncated protein with interferon treatment. This protein exhibited a gain-of-function phenotype, resulting in interference in global protein synthesis via inhibition of translational elongation. Using a mutational scan, we identified a region within SAMD9L where stop-gain variants trigger a similar translational arrest. SAMD9L variants that globally suppress translation had no effect or increased mRNA transcription. The complex-reported phenotype likely reflects lineage-dominant sensitivities to this translation block. Taken together, our findings indicate that interferon-triggered SAMD9L gain-of-function variants globally suppress translation.

Translation control of the immune checkpoint in cancer and its therapeutic targeting.

Cancer cells develop mechanisms to escape immunosurveillance, among which modulating the expression of immune suppressive messenger RNAs is most well-documented. However, how this is molecularly achieved remains largely unresolved. Here, we develop an in vivo mouse model of liver cancer to study oncogene cooperation in immunosurveillance. We show that MYC overexpression (MYCTg) synergizes with KRASG12D to induce an aggressive liver tumor leading to metastasis formation and reduced mouse survival compared with KRASG12D alone. Genome-wide ribosomal footprinting of MYCTg;KRASG12 tumors compared with KRASG12D revealed potential alterations in translation of mRNAs, including programmed-death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). Further analysis revealed that PD-L1 translation is repressed in KRASG12D tumors by functional, non-canonical upstream open reading frames in its 5' untranslated region, which is bypassed in MYCTg;KRASG12D tumors to evade immune attack. We show that this mechanism of PD-L1 translational upregulation was effectively targeted by a potent, clinical compound that inhibits eIF4E phosphorylation, eFT508, which reverses the aggressive and metastatic characteristics of MYCTg;KRASG12D tumors. Together, these studies reveal how immune-checkpoint proteins are manipulated by distinct oncogenes at the level of mRNA translation, which can be exploited for new immunotherapies.

The 4E-BP-eIF4E axis promotes rapamycin-sensitive growth and proliferation in lymphocytes.

Rapamycin has been used as a clinical immunosuppressant for many years; however, the molecular basis for its selective effects on lymphocytes remains unclear. We investigated the role of two canonical effectors of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR): ribosomal S6 kinases (S6Ks) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding proteins (4E-BPs). S6Ks are thought to regulate cell growth (increase in cell size), and 4E-BPs are thought to control proliferation (increase in cell number), with mTORC1 signaling serving to integrate these processes. However, we found that the 4E-BP-eIF4E signaling axis controlled both the growth and proliferation of lymphocytes, processes for which the S6Ks were dispensable. Furthermore, rapamycin disrupted eIF4E function selectively in lymphocytes, which was due to the increased abundance of 4E-BP2 relative to that of 4E-BP1 in these cells and the greater sensitivity of 4E-BP2 to rapamycin. Together, our findings suggest that the 4E-BP-eIF4E axis is uniquely rapamycin-sensitive in lymphocytes and that this axis promotes clonal expansion of these cells by coordinating growth and proliferation.

Resistance to mTOR kinase inhibitors in lymphoma cells lacking 4EBP1.

Inhibitors of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) hold promise for treatment of hematological malignancies. Analogs of the allosteric mTOR inhibitor rapamycin are approved for mantle cell lymphoma but have limited efficacy in other blood cancers. ATP-competitive "active-site" mTOR inhibitors produce more complete mTOR inhibition and are more effective than rapamycin in preclinical models of leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. In parallel to clinical trials of active-site mTOR inhibitors, it will be important to identify resistance mechanisms that might limit drug efficacy in certain patients. From a panel of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell lines, we found that the VAL cell line is particularly resistant to apoptosis in the presence of active-site mTOR inhibitors. Mechanistic investigation showed that VAL does not express eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein-1 (4EBP1), a key negative regulator of translation controlled by mTOR. Although VAL cells express the related protein 4EBP2, mTOR inhibitor treatment fails to displace eukaryotic initiation factor 4G from the mRNA cap-binding complex. Knockdown of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E, or re-expression of 4EBP1, sensitizes cells to apoptosis when treated with active-site mTOR inhibitors. These findings provide a naturally occurring example of 4EBP deficiency driving lymphoma cell resistance to active-site mTOR inhibitors.

Effects of novel isoform-selective phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors on natural killer cell function.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are promising targets for therapeutic development in cancer. The class I PI3K isoform p110α has received considerable attention in oncology because the gene encoding p110α (PIK3CA) is frequently mutated in human cancer. However, little is known about the function of p110α in lymphocyte populations that modulate tumorigenesis. We used recently developed investigational inhibitors to compare the function of p110α and other isoforms in natural killer (NK) cells, a key cell type for immunosurveillance and tumor immunotherapy. Inhibitors of all class I isoforms (pan-PI3K) significantly impaired NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against tumor cells, whereas p110α-selective inhibitors had no effect. In NK cells stimulated through NKG2D, p110α inhibition modestly reduced PI3K signaling output as measured by AKT phosphorylation. Production of IFN-γ and NK cell-derived chemokines was blocked by a pan-PI3K inhibitor and partially reduced by a p110δinhibitor, with lesser effects of p110α inhibitors. Oral administration of mice with MLN1117, a p110α inhibitor in oncology clinical trials, had negligible effects on NK subset maturation or terminal subset commitment. Collectively, these results support the targeting of PIK3CA mutant tumors with selective p110α inhibitors to preserve NK cell function.

Reciprocal effects of rab7 deletion in activated and neglected T cells.

Mouse models lacking proteins essential for autophagosome formation have demonstrated that autophagy plays a critical role in T cell development and activation. To better understand the function of autophagy in quiescent and activated lymphocytes, we have generated a mouse deficient in rab7 selectively in T cells and compared the effects of blocking autophagy at an early (atg5(-/-)) or late (rab7(-/-)) stage on T cell biology. rab7(-/-) murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and T cells generated from these mice exhibit a profound block in autophagosome degradation and are as sensitive as atg5(-/-) cells to extracellular nutrient limitation. Rab7(flox/flox)CD4-Cre(+) mice lacking the RAB7 protein in both CD4 and CD8 T cells had reduced numbers of peripheral T cells, but this defect was not as severe as in Atg5(flox/flox)CD4-Cre(+) mice despite efficient rab7 deletion and inhibition of autophagic flux. This difference may stem from the reduced ROS generation and enhanced survival of rab7(-/-) T cells compared with wild-type and atg5(-/-) T cells in the absence of cytokine stimulation. rab7(-/-) and atg5(-/-) T cells exhibited similar defects in proliferation both following antibody-mediated T cell receptor (TCR) cross-linking and using a more physiologic activation protocol, allogeneic stimulation. Interestingly, autophagy was not required to provide building blocks for the upregulation of nutrient transporter proteins immediately following activation. Together, these studies suggest that autophagosome degradation is required for the survival of activated T cells, but that loss of rab7 is better tolerated in naïve T cells than the loss of atg5.

Effective and selective targeting of leukemia cells using a TORC1/2 kinase inhibitor.

Targeting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein is a promising strategy for cancer therapy. The mTOR kinase functions in two complexes, TORC1 (target of rapamycin complex-1) and TORC2 (target of rapamycin complex-2); however, neither of these complexes is fully inhibited by the allosteric inhibitor rapamycin or its analogs. We compared rapamycin with PP242, an inhibitor of the active site of mTOR in both TORC1 and TORC2 (hereafter referred to as TORC1/2), in models of acute leukemia harboring the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) translocation. We demonstrate that PP242, but not rapamycin, causes death of mouse and human leukemia cells. In vivo, PP242 delays leukemia onset and augments the effects of the current front-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors more effectively than does rapamycin. Unexpectedly, PP242 has much weaker effects than rapamycin on the proliferation and function of normal lymphocytes. PI-103, a less selective TORC1/2 inhibitor that also targets phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), is more immunosuppressive than PP242. These findings establish that Ph(+) transformed cells are more sensitive than normal lymphocytes to selective TORC1/2 inhibitors and support the development of such inhibitors for leukemia therapy.