Collaboration between a cis-interacting natural killer cell receptor and membrane sphingolipid is critical for the phagocyte function

Inhibitory natural killer (NK) cell receptors recognize MHC class I (MHC-I) in trans on target cells and suppress cytotoxicity. Some NK cell receptors recognize MHC-I in cis, but the role of this interaction is uncertain. Ly49Q, an atypical Ly49 receptor expressed in non-NK cells, binds MHC-I in cis and mediates chemotaxis of neutrophils and type I interferon production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells. We identified a lipid-binding motif in the juxtamembrane region of Ly49Q and found that Ly49Q organized functional membrane domains comprising sphingolipids via sulfatide binding. Ly49Q recruited actin-remodeling molecules to an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif, which enabled the sphingolipid-enriched membrane domain to mediate complicated actin remodeling at the lamellipodia and phagosome membranes during phagocytosis. Thus, Ly49Q facilitates integrative regulation of proteins and lipid species to construct a cell type-specific membrane platform. Other Ly49 members possess lipid binding motifs; therefore, membrane platform organization may be a primary role of some NK cell receptors.

Human SLC15A4 is crucial for TLR-mediated type I interferon production and mitochondrial integrity

Solute carrier family 15 member 4 (SLC15A4) is an endolysosome-resident amino acid transporter that regulates innate immune responses, and is genetically associated with inflammatory diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and colitis. SLC15A4-deficient mice showed the amelioration of symptoms of these model diseases, and thus SLC15A4 is a promising therapeutic target of SLE and colitis. For developing a SLC15A4-based therapeutic strategy, understanding human SLC15A4's properties is essential. Here, we characterized human SLC15A4 and demonstrated that human SLC15A4 possessed pH- and temperature-dependent activity for the transportation of dipeptides or tripeptides. Human SLC15A4 localized in LAMP1+ compartments and constitutively associated with Raptor and LAMTORs. We also investigated SLC15A4's role in inflammatory responses using the human plasmacytoid dendritic cell line, CAL-1. Knock down (KD) of the SLC15A4 gene in CAL-1 (SLC15A4-KD CAL-1) impaired Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 or TLR9-triggered type I interferon (IFN-I) production and mTORC1 activity, indicating that human SLC15A4 is critical for TLR7/8/9-mediated inflammatory signaling. We also examined SLC15A4's role in the autophagy response since SLC15A4 loss caused the decrease of mTORC1 activity, which greatly influences autophagy. We found that SLC15A4 was not required for autophagy induction, but was critical for autophagy sustainability. Notably, SLC15A4-KD CAL-1 severely decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in starvation conditions. Our findings revealed that SLC15A4 plays a key role in mitochondrial integrity in human cells, which might benefit immune cells in fulfilling their functions in an inflammatory milieu.

Type I interferon limits mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis by controlling secretory granule homeostasis

Type I interferon (IFN-I) is a family of multifunctional cytokines that modulate the innate and adaptive immunity and are used to treat mastocytosis. Although IFN-I is known to suppress mast cell function, including histamine release, the mechanisms behind its effects on mast cells have been poorly understood. We here investigated IFN-I’s action on mast cells using interferon-α/β receptor subunit 1 (Ifnar1)-deficient mice, which lack a functional IFN-I receptor complex, and revealed that IFN-I in the steady state is critical for mast cell homeostasis, the disruption of which is centrally involved in systemic anaphylaxis. Ifnar1-deficient mice showed exacerbated systemic anaphylaxis after sensitization, which was associated with increased histamine in the circulation, even though the mast cell numbers and high affinity immunoglobulin E receptor (FcεRI) expression levels were similar between Ifnar1-deficient and wild-type (WT) mice. Ifnar1-deficient mast cells showed increased secretory granule synthesis and exocytosis, which probably involved the increased transcription of Tfeb. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1(Stat1) and Stat2 were unexpectedly insufficient to mediate these IFN-I functions, and instead, Stat3 played a critical role in a redundant manner with Stat1. Our findings revealed a novel regulation mechanism of mast cell homeostasis, in which IFN-I controls lysosome-related organelle biogenesis.

This study reveals a novel role for type I interferon in mast cell homeostasis; spontaneous type I interferon signaling regulates the biogenesis of secretory granules and maturation of mast cells via STAT1 and STAT3, and limits the onset of systemic anaphylaxis.

Lysosome biogenesis regulated by the amino-acid transporter SLC15A4 is critical for functional integrity of mast cells

Mast cells possess specialized lysosomes, so-called secretory granules, which play a key role not only in allergic responses but also in various immune disorders. The molecular mechanisms that control secretory-granule formation are not fully understood. Solute carrier family member 15A4 (SLC15A4) is a lysosome-resident amino-acid/oligopeptide transporter that is preferentially expressed in hematopoietic lineage cells. Here, we demonstrated that SLC15A4 is required for mast-cell secretory-granule homeostasis, and limits mast-cell functions and inflammatory responses by controlling the mTORC1-TFEB signaling axis. In mouse Slc15a4-/- mast cells, diminished mTORC1 activity increased the expression and nuclear translocation of TFEB, a transcription factor, which caused secretory granules to degranulate more potently. This alteration of TFEB function in mast cells strongly affected the FcεRI-mediated responses and IL-33-triggered inflammatory responses both in vitro and in vivo. Our results reveal a close relationship between SLC15A4 and secretory-granule biogenesis that is critical for the functional integrity of mast cells.

The histidine transporter SLC15A4 coordinates mTOR-dependent inflammatory responses and pathogenic antibody production

SLC15A4 is a lysosome-resident, proton-coupled amino-acid transporter that moves histidine and oligopeptides from inside the lysosome to the cytosol of eukaryotic cells. SLC15A4 is required for Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7)- and TLR9-mediated type I interferon (IFN-I) productions in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and is involved in the pathogenesis of certain diseases including lupus-like autoimmunity. How SLC15A4 contributes to diseases is largely unknown. Here we have shown that B cell SLC15A4 was crucial for TLR7-triggered IFN-I and autoantibody productions in a mouse lupus model. SLC15A4 loss disturbed the endolysosomal pH regulation and probably the v-ATPase integrity, and these changes were associated with disruption of the mTOR pathway, leading to failure of the IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF7)-IFN-I regulatory circuit. Importantly, SLC15A4's transporter activity was necessary for the TLR-triggered cytokine production. Our findings revealed that SLC15A4-mediated optimization of the endolysosomal state is integral to a TLR7-triggered, mTOR-dependent IRF7-IFN-I circuit that leads to autoantibody production.