Bacterial LPS and IFN-gamma trigger the tyrosine phosphorylation of vav in macrophages: evidence for involvement of the hck tyrosine kinase

ERK mediates interferon gamma-induced melanoma cell death

BACKGROUND

Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) exerts potent growth inhibitory effects on a wide range of cancer cells through unknown signaling pathways. We pursued complementary screening approaches to characterize the growth inhibition pathway.

METHODS

We performed chemical genomics and whole genome targeting CRISPR/Cas9 screens using patient-derived melanoma lines to uncover essential nodes in the IFNγ-mediated growth inhibition pathway. We used transcriptomic profiling to identify cell death pathways activated upon IFNγ exposure. Live imaging experiments coupled with apoptosis assays confirmed the involvement of these pathways in IFNγ-mediated cell death.

RESULTS

We show that IFNγ signaling activated ERK. Blocking ERK activation rescued IFNγ-mediated apoptosis in 17 of 23 (~ 74%) cell lines representing BRAF, NRAS, NF1 mutant, and triple wild type subtypes of cutaneous melanoma. ERK signaling induced a stress response, ultimately leading to apoptosis through the activity of DR5 and NOXA proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide a new understanding of the IFNγ growth inhibition pathway, which will be crucial in defining mechanisms of immunotherapy response and resistance.

CEACAM3-A Prim(at)e Invention for Opsonin-Independent Phagocytosis of Bacteria

Phagocytosis is one of the key innate defense mechanisms executed by specialized cells in multicellular animals. Recent evidence suggests that a particular phagocytic receptor expressed by human polymorphonuclear granulocytes, the carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 3 (CEACAM3), is one of the fastest-evolving human proteins. In this focused review, we will try to resolve the conundrum why a conserved process such as phagocytosis is conducted by a rapidly changing receptor. Therefore, we will first summarize the biochemical and structural details of this immunoglobulin-related glycoprotein in the context of the human CEACAM family. The function of CEACAM3 for the efficient, opsonin-independent detection and phagocytosis of highly specialized, host-restricted bacteria will be further elaborated. Taking into account the decisive role of CEACAM3 in the interaction with pathogenic bacteria, we will discuss the evolutionary trajectory of the CEACAM3 gene within the primate lineage and highlight the consequences of CEACAM3 polymorphisms in human populations. From a synopsis of these studies, CEACAM3 emerges as an important component of human innate immunity and a prominent example of a dedicated receptor for professional phagocytosis.

Metabolite Profiles of the Cerebrospinal Fluid in Neurosyphilis Patients Determined by Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis

The mechanism underlying the stealth property of neurosyphilis is still unclear. Global metabolomics analysis can provide substantial information on energy metabolism, physiology and possible diagnostic biomarkers and intervention strategies for pathogens. To gain better understanding of the metabolic mechanism of neurosyphilis, we conducted an untargeted metabolomics analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 18 neurosyphilis patients and an identical number of syphilis/non-neurosyphilis patients and syphilis-free patients using the Agilent, 1290 Infinity LC system. The raw data were normalized and subjected to subsequent statistical analysis by MetaboAnalyst 4.0. Metabolites with a variable importance in projection (VIP) greater than one were validated by Student’s T-test. A total of 1,808 molecular features were extracted from each sample using XCMS software, and the peak intensity of each feature was obtained. Partial-least squares discrimination analysis provided satisfactory separation by comparing neurosyphilis, syphilis/non-neurosyphilis and syphilis-free patients. A similar trend was obtained in the hierarchical clustering analysis. Furthermore, several metabolites were identified as significantly different by Student’s T-test, including L-gulono-gamma-lactone, D-mannose, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, hypoxanthine, and S-methyl-5′-thioadenosine. Notably, 87.369-fold and 7.492-fold changes of N-acetyl-L-tyrosine were observed in neurosyphilis patients compared with syphilis/non-neurosyphilis patients and syphilis-free patients. These differential metabolites are involved in overlapping pathways, including fructose and mannose metabolism, lysosomes, ABC transporters, and galactose metabolism. Several significantly expressed metabolites were identified in CSF from neurosyphilis patients, including L-gulono-gamma-lactone, D-mannose, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, and hypoxanthine. These differential metabolites could potentially improve neurosyphilis diagnostics in the future. The role of these differential metabolites in the development of neurosyphilis deserves further exploration.

Association of Lyn kinase with membrane rafts determines its negative influence on LPS-induced signaling

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide activates Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and triggers proinflammatory reactions of macrophages. TLR4 signaling is negatively regulated by Lyn tyrosine kinase, provided the kinase accumulates in membrane rafts as a result of palmitoylation, the catalytic activity, and SH2- and SH3-mediated intermolecular interactions.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the component of Gram-negative bacteria that activates Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to trigger proinflammatory responses. We examined the involvement of Lyn tyrosine kinase in TLR4 signaling of macrophages, distinguishing its catalytic activity and intermolecular interactions. For this, a series of Lyn-GFP constructs bearing point mutations in particular domains of Lyn were overexpressed in RAW264 macrophage-like cells or murine peritoneal macrophages, and their influence on LPS-induced responses was analyzed. Overproduction of wild-type or constitutively active Lyn inhibited production of TNF-α and CCL5/RANTES cytokines and down-regulated the activity of NFκB and IRF3 transcription factors in RAW264 cells. The negative influence of Lyn was nullified by point mutations of Lyn catalytic domain or Src homology 2 (SH2) or SH3 domains or of the cysteine residue that undergoes LPS-induced palmitoylation. Depending on the cell type, overproduction of those mutant forms of Lyn could even up-regulate LPS-induced responses, and this effect was reproduced by silencing of endogenous Lyn expression. Simultaneously, the Lyn mutations blocked its LPS-induced accumulation in the raft fraction of RAW264 cells. These data indicate that palmitoylation, SH2- and SH3-mediated intermolecular interactions, and the catalytic activity of Lyn are required for its accumulation in rafts, thereby determining the negative regulation of TLR4 signaling.

Hematopoietic cell kinase (HCK) as a therapeutic target in immune and cancer cells

The hematopoietic cell kinase (HCK) is a member of the SRC family of cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases (SFKs), and is expressed in cells of the myeloid and B-lymphocyte cell lineages. Excessive HCK activation is associated with several types of leukemia and enhances cell proliferation and survival by physical association with oncogenic fusion proteins, and with functional interactions with receptor tyrosine kinases. Elevated HCK activity is also observed in many solid malignancies, including breast and colon cancer, and correlates with decreased patient survival rates. HCK enhances the secretion of growth factors and pro-inflammatory cytokines from myeloid cells, and promotes macrophage polarization towards a wound healing and tumor-promoting alternatively activated phenotype. Within tumor associated macrophages, HCK stimulates the formation of podosomes that facilitate extracellular matrix degradation, which enhance immune and epithelial cell invasion. By virtue of functional cooperation between HCK and bona fide oncogenic tyrosine kinases, excessive HCK activation can also reduce drug efficacy and contribute to chemo-resistance, while genetic ablation of HCK results in minimal physiological consequences in healthy mice. Given its known crystal structure, HCK therefore provides an attractive therapeutic target to both, directly inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and indirectly curb the source of tumor-promoting changes in the tumor microenvironment.

Co-operation of TLR4 and raft proteins in LPS-induced pro-inflammatory signaling

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of Gram-negative bacteria to induce production of pro-inflammatory mediators aiming at eradication of the bacteria. Dysregulation of the host responses to LPS can lead to a systemic inflammatory condition named sepsis. In a typical scenario, activation of TLR4 is preceded by binding of LPS to CD14 protein anchored in cholesterol- and sphingolipid-rich microdomains of the plasma membrane called rafts. CD14 then transfers the LPS to the TLR4/MD-2 complex which dimerizes and triggers MyD88- and TRIF-dependent production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and type I interferons. The TRIF-dependent signaling is linked with endocytosis of the activated TLR4, which is controlled by CD14. In addition to CD14, other raft proteins like Lyn tyrosine kinase of the Src family, acid sphingomyelinase, CD44, Hsp70, and CD36 participate in the TLR4 signaling triggered by LPS and non-microbial endogenous ligands. In this review, we summarize the current state of the knowledge on the involvement of rafts in TLR4 signaling, with an emphasis on how the raft proteins regulate the TLR4 signaling pathways. CD14-bearing rafts, and possibly CD36-rich rafts, are believed to be preferred sites of the assembly of a multimolecular complex which mediates the endocytosis of activated TLR4.

SHP-1-Pyk2-Src protein complex and p38 MAPK pathways independently regulate IL-10 production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages

The role of tyrosine phosphatase Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase (SHP)-1 in LPS-activated cytokine production and inflammation was investigated by determining TNF-α and IL-10 production in splenic macrophages employing SHP-1-null (me/me) mouse model. LPS-stimulated me/me splenic macrophages secreted significantly less IL-10 with concomitantly elevated levels of TNF-α compared with wild-type (WT) macrophages irrespective of LPS dose and duration of stimulation. IL-10 significantly inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α production in both me/me and WT macrophages. The critical requirement for SHP-1 in regulating LPS-induced IL-10 and TNF-α production was confirmed by interfering with SHP-1 expression in WT macrophages and by reconstituting me/me macrophages with the SHP-1 gene. To delineate the role of SHP-1 in positive regulation of LPS-induced IL-10 production, signaling proteins representing SHP-1 targets were examined. The results reveal that tyrosine kinases Src and proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) regulate SHP-1-dependent LPS-induced IL-10 production and infer that optimal LPS-induced IL-10 production requires an assembly of a protein complex consisting of SHP-1-Pyk2-Src proteins. Moreover, LPS-induced IL-10 production also requires activation of the p38 MAPK independent of SHP-1 function. Overall, to our knowledge our results show for the first time that SHP-1 acts as a positive regulator of LPS-induced IL-10 production in splenic macrophages through two distinct and independent SHP-1-Pyk2-Src and p38 MAPK pathways.

Vav1 regulates MHCII expression in murine resting and activated B cells

Vav1 is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rho GTPases, which is exclusively expressed in cells of the hematopoietic system. In addition to its well-documented GEF activity, it was suggested to have other functions due to the presence of multiple domains and nuclear localization signals in its protein structure. Although GEF-dependent and GEF-independent functions of vav have been implicated in T-cell development and T-cell receptor signaling, the role of vav1 in antigen-presenting cells is poorly understood. We found that vav1 is an important regulator of MHCII expression and transport. Microarray analysis of unstimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages revealed a novel role of vav1 in transcriptional regulation of the MHCII locus, possibly by indirect means. Primary immune cells from vav1-deficient mice had a significantly lower constitutive surface expression of MHCII with the strongest impact observed on splenic and peritoneal B cells. Impaired MHCII expression resulted in a diminished capacity for T-cell activation. Using 6-thio-GTP, a specific inhibitor of the GEF function of vav1, we were able to show that the GEF activity is required for MHCII upregulation in B cells after stimulation with LPS. Furthermore, our data show that vav1 not only affects transcription of the MHCII locus but also is an important regulator of MHCII protein transport to the cell surface.

Signaling networks regulating leukocyte podosome dynamics and function

Podosomes are ventral adhesion structures prominent in cells of the myeloid lineage. A common aspect of these cells is that they are highly motile and must to traverse multiple tissue barriers in order to perform their functions. Recently podosomes have gathered attention from researchers as important cellular structures that can influence cell adhesion, motility and matrix remodeling. Adhesive and soluble ligands act via transmembrane receptors and propagate signals to the leukocyte cytoskeleton via small G proteins of the Rho family, tyrosine kinases and scaffold proteins and are able to induce podosome formation and rearrangements. Manipulation of the signals that regulate podosome formation and dynamics can therefore be a strategy to interfere with leukocyte functions in a multitude of pathological settings, such as infections, atherosclerosis and arthritis. Here, we review the major signaling molecules that act in the formation and regulation of podosomes.

Deoxynivalenol: mechanisms of action, human exposure, and toxicological relevance

The trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) is produced in wheat, barley and corn following infestation by the fungus Fusarium in the field and during storage. Colloquially known as "vomitoxin" because of its emetic effects in pigs, DON has been associated with human gastroenteritis. Since DON is commonly detected in cereal foods, there are significant questions regarding the risks of acute poisoning and chronic effects posed to persons ingesting this trichothecene. A further challenge is how to best manage perceived risks without rendering critical food staples unavailable to an ever-expanding world population. In experimental animal models, acute DON poisoning causes emesis, whereas chronic low-dose exposure elicits anorexia, growth retardation, immunotoxicity as well as impaired reproduction and development resulting from maternal toxicity. Pathophysiologic effects associated with DON include altered neuroendocrine signaling, proinflammatory gene induction, disruption of the growth hormone axis, and altered gut integrity. At the cellular level, DON induces ribotoxic stress thereby disrupting macromolecule synthesis, cell signaling, differentiation, proliferation, and death. There is a need to better understand the mechanistic linkages between these early dose-dependent molecular effects and relevant pathological sequelae. Epidemiological studies are needed to determine if relationships exist between consumption of high DON levels and incidence of both gastroenteritis and potential chronic diseases. From the perspective of human health translation, a particularly exciting development is the availability of biomarkers of exposure (e.g. DON glucuronide) and effect (e.g. IGF1) now make it possible to study the relationship between DON consumption and growth retardation in susceptible human populations such as children and vegetarians. Ultimately, a fusion of basic and translational research is needed to validate or refine existing risk assessments and regulatory standards for this common mycotoxin.

Themis2/ICB1 is a signaling scaffold that selectively regulates macrophage Toll-like receptor signaling and cytokine production

Background

Thymocyte expressed molecule involved in selection 1 (Themis1, SwissProt accession number Q8BGW0) is the recently characterised founder member of a novel family of proteins. A second member of this family, Themis2 (Q91YX0), also known as ICB1 (Induced on contact with basement membrane 1), remains unreported at the protein level despite microarray and EST databases reporting Themis2 mRNA expression in B cells and macrophages.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here we characterise Themis2 protein for the first time and show that it acts as a macrophage signalling scaffold, exerting a receptor-, mediator- and signalling pathway-specific effect on TLR responses in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Themis2 over-expression enhanced the LPS-induced production of TNF but not IL-6 or Cox-2, nor TNF production induced by ligands for TLR2 (PAM3) or TLR3 (poly I∶C). Moreover, LPS-induced activation of the MAP kinases ERK and p38 was enhanced in cells over-expressing Themis2 whereas the activation of JNK, IRF3 or NF-κB p65, was unaffected. Depletion of Themis2 protein by RNA inteference inhibited LPS-induced TNF production in primary human macrophages demonstrating a requirement for Themis2 in this event. Themis2 was inducibly tyrosine phosphorylated upon LPS challenge and interacted with Lyn kinase (P25911), the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor, Vav (P27870), and the adaptor protein Grb2 (Q60631). Mutation of either tyrosine 660 or a proline-rich sequence (PPPRPPK) simultaneously interrupted this complex and reduced by approximately 50% the capacity of Themis2 to promote LPS-induced TNF production. Finally, Themis2 protein expression was induced during macrophage development from murine bone marrow precursors and was regulated by inflammatory stimuli both in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions/Significance

We hypothesise that Themis2 may constitute a novel, physiological control point in macrophage inflammatory responses.

Src family kinases participate in the regulation of encephalomyocarditis virus-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression by macrophages

Src family kinases (SFKs) are non-receptor tyrosine kinases that have been implicated as regulators of the inflammatory response. In this study, the role of SFK activation in the inflammatory response of macrophages to encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) infection was examined. Virus infection of macrophages stimulates the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin (IL)-1β and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Inhibition of SFK attenuates EMCV-induced COX-2 expression and prostaglandin E₂ production, iNOS expression and subsequent nitric oxide production, and IL-1β expression. EMCV-induced COX-2 expression requires the activation of nuclear factor-κB and the mitogen-activated protein kinase p38. Consistent with these previous findings, inhibition of SFKs attenuated the phosphorylation of p38 in response to EMCV infection, suggesting that SFKs may act upstream of p38. These findings provide evidence that SFK activation plays an active role in the regulation of inflammatory gene expression by virus-infected macrophages.

The oncogenic activity of the Src family kinase Hck requires the cooperative action of the plasma membrane- and lysosome-associated isoforms

Hck is a phagocyte specific proto-oncogene of the Src family expressed as two isoforms, p59Hck and p61Hck. It plays a critical role in Bcr/Abl-chronic myeloid leukaemia and is able to transform fibroblasts in vitro. However, the tumourigenic activity of Hck and the respective oncogenic functions of Hck isoforms have not been examined. Tet-Off fibroblasts expressing constitutively active mutants of p59Hck and p61Hck together or individually were used. In contrast to cells expressing p59Hck(ca) or p61Hck(ca) alone, cells expressing both isoforms were transformed in vitro and induced tumour formation in 90% of nude mice within 2 weeks. This is the first demonstration of (i) the tumourigenic activity of Hck in mice, (ii) the cooperative action of the two Hck isoforms in vitro and in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a transforming activity 'split' in two requisite isoforms.

Vav proteins control MyD88-dependent oxidative burst

The importance of reactive oxygen intermediate (ROI) production in antimicrobial responses is demonstrated in human patients who suffer from chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) due to defective NADPH oxidase function. Exactly how bacterial products activating Toll-like receptors (TLRs) induce oxidative burst is unknown. Here, we identify the Vav family of Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) as critical mediators of LPS-induced MyD88-dependent activation of Rac2, NADPH oxidase, and ROI production using mice deficient in Vav1, Vav2, and Vav3. Vav proteins are also required for p38 MAPK activation and for normal regulation of proinflammatory cytokine production, but not for other MyD88-controlled effector pathways such as those involving JNK, COX2, or iNOS and the production of reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNIs). Thus, our data indicate that Vav specifically transduces a subset of signals emanating from MyD88.

Lipopolysaccharide Transiently Activates THP-1 Cell Adhesion

Lipopolysaccharide stimulation of adherent THP-1 cells induces morphological changes that are associated with the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. We hypothesized that LPS would also increase THP-1 cell adhesion and sought to determine the signaling mechanisms regulating this response. We show that LPS significantly increases THP-1 cell attachment after 1 h, supporting the idea that LPS can stimulate integrin function. By 4 h however, the number of adherent cells returned to control levels. Importantly, detached cells were determined to be viable by propidium iodide staining, indicating that the increase in cell adhesion was transient. LPS-induced adhesion to fibrinogen- but not fibronectin-coated wells was also transient, suggesting that adhesion reflected beta2 integrin activation. This idea was supported by the fact that LPS-induced adhesion could be blocked by a function-blocking anti-beta2 integrin antibody. Interestingly, the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) inhibitor, phenylarsine oxide, prevented cell detachment. Taken together, these data suggest that LPS-mediated integrin activation is transient and can be regulated by PTP-mediated signaling events.

CpG DNA enhances macrophage cell spreading by promoting the Src-family kinase-mediated phosphorylation of paxillin

Macrophages are an important component of the innate immune response to infection by microbial pathogens. The activation of macrophages by pathogens is largely mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Bacterial DNA, which contains unmethylated CpG dinucleotide motifs, is specifically recognised by TLR9 and triggers the activation of a complex network of intracellular signalling pathways that orchestrates the ensuing inflammatory responses of macrophages to the pathogen. Here, we have established that CpG DNA promotes reorganisation of the actin cytoskeleton and enhances cell spreading by primary mouse bone marrow macrophages. CpG DNA stimulation resulted in an approximately 70% increase in cell size. Notably, CpG DNA-induced cell spreading was dependent on the activity of Src-family kinases. Tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins was increased in a Src-family kinase-dependent manner following CpG DNA stimulation of bone marrow macrophages, including the cytoskeletal protein paxillin. Paxillin was phosphorylated both in vitro and in vivo by the Src-family kinase Hck. Significantly, paxillin from CpG DNA-stimulated bone marrow macrophages had a greater capacity to bind the SH2 domain of the adapter protein Crk than did paxillin from unstimulated bone marrow macrophages. Furthermore, phosphorylation of paxillin by Hck created a binding site for Crk. We propose that the formation of paxillin-Crk complexes may mediate the cytoskeletal changes that underlie the increased cell spreading of macrophages following their activation by CpG DNA.

SHP-1 inhibits LPS-mediated TNF and iNOS production in murine macrophages

Several lines of evidence have suggested that protein tyrosine phosphatases, including CD45 and SHP-1, regulate macrophage activation. Macrophages from mice lacking SHP-1 (motheaten mice) are hyper-responsive to many stimuli, suggesting that SHP-1 may negatively regulate macrophage activation. Herein we report that the repressible/inducible over-expression of wild-type SHP-1 in a subclone of RAW 264.7 macrophages (RAW-TT10 cells) inhibited both TNF secretion and iNOS protein accumulation in response to stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and recombinant murine interferon-gamma and led to diminished LPS-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of vav1. In contrast, expression of a truncated SHP-1 construct previously shown to interfere with endogenous SHP-1 function modestly augmented LPS-mediated TNF and iNOS production and did not inhibit vav1 tyrosine phosphorylation. Taken together, these data provide the first direct evidence that SHP-1 inhibits macrophage activation by LPS and suggest that this effect may be mediated in part by dephosphorylation of vav1.

Re-arrangements of podosome structures are observed when Hck is activated in myeloid cells

Podosomes are adhesion structures with an extracellular matrix-degrading capacity mostly found in monocyte-derived cells. We have previously shown that the protein tyrosine kinase Hck, a member of the Src family, triggers the de novo formation of podosome rosettes in a lysosome-dependent manner when expressed in its constitutively active form. Hck is specifically expressed in myeloid cells. In human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) it is present at podosomes. Here we addressed whether its activation by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma has an effect on podosome organization in MDMs. Several structures were observed evolving from individual podosomes to clusters, aggregates and rosettes. In chronic myeloid leukemia cells, Hck is constitutively activated by the fusion protein Bcr-Abl and podosome-like structures were present. Finally, in monocyte-derived osteoclasts, Hck was found to accumulate at podosome belts. In conclusion, in monocyte-derived cells, it is likely that Hck could play a role in podosome re-arrangements.

Activation of the Lysosome-Associated p61Hck Isoform Triggers the Biogenesis of Podosomes

Haematopoietic cell kinase (Hck) is a protein tyrosine kinase of the Src family specifically expressed in phagocytes as two isoforms, p59Hck and p61Hck, present at the plasma membrane and lysosomes, respectively. We report that ectopic expression of a constitutively active mutant of p61Hck (p61Hck(ca)) triggered the de novo formation of actin-rich rings at the ventral face of the cells that we characterized as bona fide podosome rosettes, structures involved in cell migration. Their formation required the adaptor domains and the kinase activity of p61Hck, the integrity of microfilament and microtubule networks and concerted action of Cdc42, Rac and Rho. Podosome rosette formation was either abolished when p61Hck(ca) was readdressed from lysosomes to the cytosol or triggered when p59Hck(ca) was relocalized to lysosomes. Lysosomal markers were present at podosome rosettes. By stimulating exocytosis of p61Hck(ca) lysosomes with a calcium ionophore, the formation of podosome rosettes was enhanced. Interestingly, we confirm that, in human macrophages, Hck and lysosomal markers were present at podosomes which were spatially reorganized as clusters, a foregoing step to form rosettes, upon expression of p61Hck(ca). We propose that lysosomes, under the control of p61Hck, are involved in the biogenesis of podosomes, a key phenomenon in the migration of phagocytes.

Influence of IFN-gamma on gene expression in normal human bronchial epithelial cells: modulation of IFN-gamma effects by dexamethasone

Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) plays a role in a variety of lung inflammatory responses, and corticosteroids are frequently employed as a treatment in these conditions. Therefore, the effect of IFN-gamma, of the corticosteroid dexamethasone (Dex), or of both on gene expression was studied in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. NHBE cells were exposed to medium alone, IFN-gamma (300 U/ml), Dex (10(-7) M), or both IFN-gamma and Dex for 8 or 24 h. Gene expression was examined using oligonucleotide microarrays. A principal components analysis demonstrated that the IFN-gamma treatment effect was the primary source of differences in the data. With a 5% false discovery rate, of the 66 genes upregulated by IFN-gamma by twofold or greater at 8 h and 287 genes upregulated at 24 h, coincubation with Dex inhibited the expression of 2 genes at 8 h and 45 genes at 24 h. Prominent among these were cytokines and secreted proteins. Dex cotreatment increased expression of 65 of the 376 genes that were inhibited by IFN-gamma by 50% at 24 h. The majority of these genes encode cell cycle or nuclear proteins. Dex alone increased the expression of only 22 genes and inhibited the expression of 7 genes compared with controls at 24 h. The effect of Dex on IFN-gamma-induced changes suggests a specific, targeted effect on IFN-gamma responses that is substantially greater than the effect of Dex alone. Dex had little effect on the immediate early response to IFN-gamma but a significant effect on the late responses.

Role of vav1 in the lipopolysaccharide-mediated upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase production and nuclear factor for interleukin-6 expression activity in murine macrophages

vav1 has been shown to play a key role in lymphocyte development and activation, but its potential importance in macrophage activation has received little attention. We have previously reported that exposure of macrophages to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leads to increased activity of hck and other src-related tyrosine kinases and to the prompt phosphorylation of vav1 on tyrosine. In this study, we tested the role of vav1 in macrophage responses to LPS, focusing on the upregulation of nuclear factor for interleukin-6 expression (NF-IL-6) activity and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein accumulation in RAW-TT10 murine macrophages. We established a series of stable cell lines expressing three mutant forms of vav1 in a tetracycline-regulatable fashion: (i) a form producing a truncated protein, vavC; (ii) a form containing a point mutation in the regulatory tyrosine residue, vavYF174; and (iii) a form with an in-frame deletion of 6 amino acids required for the guanidine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity of vav1 for rac family GTPases, vavGEFmt. Expression of the truncated mutant (but not the other two mutants) has been reported to interfere with T-cell activation. In contrast, we now demonstrate that expression of any of the three mutant forms of vav1 in RAW-TT10 cells consistently inhibited LPS-mediated increases in iNOS protein accumulation and NF-IL-6 activity. These data provide direct evidence for a role for vav1 in LPS-mediated macrophage activation and iNOS production and suggest that vav1 functions in part via activation of NF-IL-6. Furthermore, these findings indicate that the GEF activity of vav1 is required for its ability to mediate macrophage activation by LPS.

Rac2-deficient murine macrophages have selective defects in superoxide production and phagocytosis of opsonized particles

The Rho family GTPase Rac is a crucial participant in numerous cellular functions and acts as a molecular switch for signal transduction. Mice deficient in hemopoietic-specific Rac2 exhibited agonist-specific defects in neutrophil functions including chemoattractant-stimulated filamentous actin polymerization and chemotaxis, and superoxide production elicited by phorbol ester, fMLP, or IgG-coated particles, despite expression of the highly homologous Rac1 isoform. In this study, functional responses of Rac2-null murine macrophages were characterized to examine whether Rac2 also has nonredundant functions in this phagocytic lineage. In contrast to murine neutrophils, in which Rac1 and Rac2 are present in similar amounts, Rac1 was approximately 4-fold more abundant than Rac2 in both bone marrow-derived and peritoneal exudate macrophages, and macrophage Rac1 levels were unchanged by the absence of Rac2. Accumulation of exudate macrophages during peritoneal inflammation was reduced in rac2(-/-) mice. FcgammaR-mediated phagocytosis of IgG-coated SRBC was also significantly decreased in Rac2-null macrophages, as was NADPH oxidase activity in response to phorbol ester or FcgammaR stimulation. However, phagocytosis and oxidant production stimulated by serum-opsonized zymosan was normal in rac2(-/-) macrophages. Macrophage morphology was also similar in wild-type and Rac2-null cells, as was actin polymerization induced by FcgammaR-mediated phagocytosis or M-CSF. Hence, Rac2-null macrophages have selective defects paralleling many of the observed functional defects in Rac2-null neutrophils. These results provide genetic evidence that although Rac2 is a relatively minor isoform in murine macrophages, it plays a nonoverlapping role with Rac1 to regulate host defense functions in this phagocyte lineage.

Rac1 contributes to maximal activation of STAT1 and STAT3 in IFN-gamma-stimulated rat astrocytes

Rac1 GTPase is implicated as a signaling mediator in various cellular events. In this study, we show that Rac1 contributes to IFN-gamma-induced inflammatory responses in rat astrocytes. We revealed that IFN-gamma rapidly stimulated activation of Rac1 in C6 astroglioma cells by investigating GST-PAK-PBD-binding ability. We also found that Rac1 deficiency led to attenuation of IFN-gamma-responsive transcriptional responses. Compared with levels in control cells, IFN-gamma-induced IFN-gamma-activated sequence promoter activity was markedly reduced in both C6 astroglioma cells and primary astrocytes expressing RacN17, a well-characterized Rac1-negative mutant. The expression of several IFN-gamma-responsive genes, such as MCP-1 and ICAM-1, was also reduced in cells expressing RacN17. Consistent with these observations, IFN-gamma-induced phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3 was lower in C6 cells expressing RacN17 (referred to as C6-RacN17) than in control cells. However, there was no difference in expression level of IFN-gammaRalpha subunit and IFN-gamma-induced phosphorylation of JAK1 between C6 control and C6-RacN17 cells. Interestingly, Rac1 appeared to associate with IFN-gammaRalpha and augment the interaction of IFN-gammaR with either STAT1 or STAT3 in response to IFN-gamma. Taken together, we suggest that Rac1 may serve as an auxiliary mediator of IFN-gamma-signaling, at least at the level of STAT activation, thus contributing to maximal activation of IFN-gamma-responsive inflammatory signaling in rat astrocytes.

Role of vav1- and src-related tyrosine kinases in macrophage activation by CpG DNA

Macrophage activation by CpG DNA requires toll-like receptor 9 and the adaptor protein MyD88. Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide also activates macrophages via a toll-like receptor pathway (TLR-4), but we and others have reported that lipopolysaccharide also stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation in macrophages. Herein we report that exposure of RAW 264.7 murine macrophages to CpG DNA (but not non-CpG DNA) provoked the rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of vav1. PP1, a selective inhibitor of src-related tyrosine kinases, blocked both the CpG DNA-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of vav1 and the CpG DNA-mediated up-regulation of macrophage tumor necrosis factor secretion and inducible nitric-oxide synthase protein accumulation. Furthermore, we found that the inducible expression of any of three dominant interfering mutants of vav1 (a truncated protein, vavC; a form containing a point mutation in the regulatory tyrosine residue, vavYF174; and a form with an in-frame deletion of six amino acids required for the guanidine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity of vav1 for rac family GTPases, vavGEFmt) consistently inhibited CpG DNA-mediated up-regulation of tumor necrosis factor secretion and inducible nitric-oxide synthase protein accumulation in RAW-TT10 macrophages. Finally, we determined that CpG DNA-mediated up-regulation of NF-kappaB activity (but not mitogen-activated protein kinase activation) was inhibited by preincubation with PP1 or by expression of the truncated vavC mutant. Taken together, our results indicate that the tyrosine phosphorylation of vav1 by a src-related tyrosine kinase or kinases plays an important role in the macrophage response to CpG DNA.

Physical and functional interaction between Hck tyrosine kinase and guanine nucleotide exchange factor C3G results in apoptosis, which is independent of C3G catalytic domain

The hematopoietic cell kinase Hck is a Src family tyrosine kinase expressed in cells of myelomonocytic lineage, B lymphocytes, and embryonic stem cells. To study its role in signaling pathways we used the Hck-SH3 domain in protein interaction cloning and identified C3G, the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rap1 and R-Ras, as a protein that associated with Hck. This interaction was direct and was mediated partly through the proline-rich region of C3G. C3G could be co-immunoprecipitated with Hck from Cos-1 cells transfected with Hck and C3G. C3G was phosphorylated on tyrosine 504 in cells when coexpressed with Hck but not with a catalytically inactive mutant of Hck. Phosphorylation of endogenous C3G at Tyr-504 was increased by treatment of human myelomonocytic THP-1 cells with mercuric chloride, which is known to activate Hck tyrosine kinase specifically. Coexpression of Hck with C3G induced a high level of apoptosis in many cell lines by 30-42 h of transfection. Induction of apoptosis was not dependent on Tyr-504 phosphorylation or the catalytic domain of C3G but required the catalytic activity of Hck. Using dominant negative constructs of caspases we found that caspase-1, -8, and -9 are involved in this apoptotic pathway. These results suggest that C3G and Hck interact physically and functionally in vivo to activate kinase-dependent and caspase-mediated apoptosis, which is independent of catalytic domain of C3G.

Contingent phosphorylation/dephosphorylation provides a mechanism of molecular memory in WASP

Cells can retain information about previous stimuli to produce distinct future responses. The biochemical mechanisms by which this is achieved are not well understood. The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) is an effector of the Rho-family GTPase Cdc42, whose activation leads to stimulation of the actin nucleating assembly, Arp2/3 complex. We demonstrate that efficient phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of WASP at Y291 are both contingent on binding to activated Cdc42. Y291 phosphorylation increases the basal activity of WASP toward Arp2/3 complex and enables WASP activation by new stimuli, SH2 domains of Src-family kinases. The requirement for contingency in both phosphorylation and dephosphorylation enables long-term storage of information by WASP following decay of GTPase signals. This biochemical circuitry allows WASP to respond to the levels and timing of GTPase and kinase signals. It provides mechanisms to specifically achieve transient or persistent actin remodeling, as well as long-lasting potentiation of actin-based responses to kinases.

p59Hck isoform induces F-actin reorganization to form protrusions of the plasma membrane in a Cdc42- and Rac-dependent manner

Hck is a protein kinase of the Src family specifically expressed in phagocytes as two isoforms, p59Hck and p61Hck, localized at the plasma membrane and lysosomes, respectively. Their individual involvement in functions ascribed to Hck, phagocytosis, cell migration, and lysosome mobilization, is still unclarified. To investigate the specific role of p59Hck, a constitutively active variant in fusion with green fluorescent protein (p59Hck(ca)) was expressed in HeLa cells. p59Hck(ca) was found at focal adhesion sites and triggered reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, leading to plasma membrane protrusions where it co-localized with F-actin. Similarly, microinjection of p59Hck(ca) cDNA in J774.A1 macrophages induced membrane protrusions. Whereas kinase activity and membrane association of p59Hck were dispensable for location at focal adhesions, p59Hck-induced membrane protrusions were dependent on kinase activity, plasma membrane association, and Src homology 2 but not Src homology 3 domain and were inhibited by dominant-negative forms of Cdc42 or Rac but not by blocking Rho activity. A dominant negative form of p59Hck inhibited the Cdc42- and Rac-dependent FcgammaRIIa-mediated phagocytosis. Expression of the Cdc42/Rac-interacting domain of p21-activated kinase in macrophages abolished the p59Hck(ca)-induced morphological changes. Therefore, p59Hck-triggered remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton depends upon the activity of Cdc42 and Rac to promote formation of membrane protrusions necessary for phagocytosis and cell migration.

Stat1-dependent and -independent pathways in IFN-gamma-dependent signaling

The paradigm that emerged from studies during the past decade established a central role for Jak-Stat (signal transducer and activator of transcription) signaling pathways in promoting the diverse cellular responses induced by interferon gamma (IFN-gamma). However, recent studies have shown that the IFN-gamma receptor activates additional signaling pathways and can regulate gene expression by Stat1-independent pathways. The diversity of gene-expression patterns mediated by Stat1-dependent and -independent mechanisms and the balance between these two pathways play an important role in the biological response to IFN-gamma.

Gamma interferon and lipopolysaccharide interact at the level of transcription to induce tumor necrosis factor alpha expression

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a very potent inducer of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) expression from monocytes and macrophages. Another inflammatory cytokine, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), can potentiate the effects of LPS, but the mechanism is not thoroughly understood. Previous reports emphasized the ability of IFN-gamma to upregulate CD14 expression (the receptor for LPS), and nearly all studies have utilized sequential stimulation with IFN-gamma followed by LPS to exploit this phenomenon. This study demonstrates that IFN-gamma can upregulate the effect of LPS at the level of transcription. Human monoblastic Mono-Mac-6 cells produced up to threefold-greater levels of TNF-alpha when simultaneously stimulated with LPS and IFN-gamma compared to treatment with LPS alone. RNase protection studies showed a similar increase in RNA beginning as early as within 30 min. The synthesis of TNF-alpha mRNA in IFN-gamma- and LPS-treated Mono-Mac-6 cells was also temporally prolonged even though the message turnover rate was identical to that seen in LPS stimulated cells. The modulatory effect of IFN-gamma may be mediated by Jak2.

Role of Hck in the pathogenesis of encephalomyocarditis virus-induced diabetes in mice

Soluble mediators such as interleukin-1beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) produced from activated macrophages play an important role in the destruction of pancreatic beta cells in mice infected with a low dose of the D variant of encephalomyocarditis (EMC-D) virus. The tyrosine kinase signaling pathway was shown to be involved in EMC-D virus-induced activation of macrophages. This investigation was initiated to determine whether the Src family of kinases plays a role in the activation of macrophages, subsequently resulting in the destruction of beta cells, in mice infected with a low dose of EMC-D virus. We examined the activation of p59/p56(Hck), p55(Fgr), and p56/p53(Lyn) in macrophages from DBA/2 mice infected with the virus. We found that p59/p56(Hck) showed a marked increase in both autophosphorylation and kinase activity at 48 h after infection, whereas p55(Fgr) and p56/p53(Lyn) did not. The p59/p56(Hck) activity was closely correlated with the tyrosine phosphorylation level of Vav. Treatment of EMC-D virus-infected mice with the Src kinase inhibitor, PP2, resulted in the inhibition of p59/p56(Hck) activity and almost complete inhibition of the production of TNF-alpha and iNOS in macrophages and the subsequent prevention of diabetes in mice. On the basis of these observations, we conclude that the Src kinase, p59/p56(Hck), plays an important role in the activation of macrophages and the subsequent production of TNF-alpha and nitric oxide, leading to the destruction of pancreatic beta cells, which results in the development of diabetes in mice infected with a low dose of EMC-D virus.

Signaling pathways activated by interferons

Interferons are pleiotropic cytokines that exhibit negative regulatory effects on the growth of normal and malignant hematopoietic cells in vitro and in vivo. There are two different classes of interferons, Type I (alpha, beta, and omega) and Type II (gamma) interferons. Although the precise mechanisms by which these cytokines exhibit their potent effects on hematopoiesis remain unknown, there has been considerable progress in our understanding of the cellular changes that occur upon engagement of interferon receptors. It is now well established that Type I interferons activate multiple signaling pathways in hematopoietic cells, a finding consistent with their pleiotropic biological effects. One major pathway in Type I IFN signaling involves activation of Stat- proteins and formation of complexes that translocate to the nucleus and bind to specific elements to regulate gene transcription. The activation of this pathway (Jak-Stat pathway) is apparently regulated by members of the Jak-family of kinases, which are constitutively associated with the Type I IFN receptor. In addition to the Jak-Stat pathway, multiple other Jak-kinase-dependent signaling cascades are activated, including the IRS-PI 3'-kinase pathway, a pathway involving the vav proto-oncogene product, and a pathway involving adaptor proteins of the Crk-family (CrkL and CrkII). The only Type II interferon, IFNgamma, also activates multiple Jak-kinase-dependent signaling cascades, including the Stat and Crk pathways. Recent evidence suggests that non-Stat pathways play a critical role in the generation of signals for both Type I and Type II interferons and may be the primary mediators of their growth inhibitory effects on hematopoietic cells.

Negative Regulation by Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase of IFN-γ-Dependent Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase

Treatment of cultured peritoneal macrophages with IFN-γ resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of IκBα and IκBβ, NF-κB activation, and expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). Since tyrosine phosphorylation of IκBα is sufficient to activate NF-κB in Jurkat cells, macrophages were treated with the protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor peroxovanadate (POV), which elicited an intense tyrosine phosphorylation of both IκB. However, this phosphorylation failed to activate NF-κB. Treatment with POV of macrophages stimulated with IFN-γ or LPS potentiated the degradation of IκBα and IκBβ, the activation of NF-κB, and the expression of iNOS. Analysis of the iNOS gene promoter activity corresponding to the 5′-flanking region indicated that POV potentiates the cooperation between IFN-γ-activated transcription factors and NF-κB. These results indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation of IκB is not sufficient to activate NF-κB in macrophages and propose a negative role for protein tyrosine phosphatase in the expression of iNOS in response to IFN-γ.

Specific inhibition of interleukin-10 production in murine macrophage-like cells by phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides

The effects of phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides (AS-S-oligos) directed against murine interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA on IL-10 production in RAW264.7 cells, a murine macrophage-like cell line, when stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were examined. Of the six AS-S-oligos used, AS-S-oligos directed against the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of IL-10 mRNA (AS6-S-oligo) showed the strongest inhibitory effect on IL-10 production, and this inhibition was dose and time dependent. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed that the antisense effect originated from a specific reduction of target IL-10 mRNA by hybridization with AS6-S-oligo. In addition, AS6-S-oligo did not affect tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production in cells stimulated by LPS, and S-oligos with control sequences did not affect IL-10 production. These findings suggested that AS6-S-oligo most powerfully inhibited IL-10 production in macrophages by an antisense mechanism.