Serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase1 increases plasma membrane wt-CFTR in human airway epithelial cells by inhibiting its endocytic retrieval

BACKGROUND

Chloride (Cl) secretion by the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) located in the apical membrane of respiratory epithelial cells plays a critical role in maintenance of the airway surface liquid and mucociliary clearance of pathogens. Previously, we and others have shown that the serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase-1 (SGK1) increases wild type CFTR (wt-CFTR) mediated Cl transport in Xenopus oocytes by increasing the amount of wt-CFTR protein in the plasma membrane. However, the effect of SGK1 on the membrane abundance of wt-CFTR in airway epithelial cells has not been examined, and the mechanism whereby SGK1 increases membrane wt-CFTR has also not been examined. Thus, the goal of this study was to elucidate the mechanism whereby SGK1 regulates the membrane abundance of wt-CFTR in human airway epithelial cells.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We report that elevated levels of SGK1, induced by dexamethasone, increase plasma membrane abundance of wt-CFTR. Reduction of SGK1 expression by siRNA (siSGK1) and inhibition of SGK1 activity by the SGK inhibitor GSK 650394 abrogated the ability of dexamethasone to increase plasma membrane wt-CFTR. Overexpression of a constitutively active SGK1 (SGK1-S422D) increased plasma membrane abundance of wt-CFTR. To understand the mechanism whereby SGK1 increased plasma membrane wt-CFTR, we examined the effects of siSGK1 and SGK1-S442D on the endocytic retrieval of wt-CFTR. While siSGK1 increased wt-CFTR endocytosis, SGK1-S442D inhibited CFTR endocytosis. Neither siSGK1 nor SGK1-S442D altered the recycling of endocytosed wt-CFTR back to the plasma membrane. By contrast, SGK1 increased the endocytosis of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates for the first time that SGK1 selectively increases wt-CFTR in the plasma membrane of human airway epithelia cells by inhibiting its endocytic retrieval from the membrane.

Arsenic promotes ubiquitinylation and lysosomal degradation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channels in human airway epithelial cells

Arsenic exposure significantly increases respiratory bacterial infections and reduces the ability of the innate immune system to eliminate bacterial infections. Recently, we observed in the gill of killifish, an environmental model organism, that arsenic exposure induced the ubiquitinylation and degradation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a chloride channel that is essential for the mucociliary clearance of respiratory pathogens in humans. Accordingly, in this study, we tested the hypothesis that low dose arsenic exposure reduces the abundance and function of CFTR in human airway epithelial cells. Arsenic induced a time- and dose-dependent increase in multiubiquitinylated CFTR, which led to its lysosomal degradation, and a decrease in CFTR-mediated chloride secretion. Although arsenic had no effect on the abundance or activity of USP10, a deubiquitinylating enzyme, siRNA-mediated knockdown of c-Cbl, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, abolished the arsenic-stimulated degradation of CFTR. Arsenic enhanced the degradation of CFTR by increasing phosphorylated c-Cbl, which increased its interaction with CFTR, and subsequent ubiquitinylation of CFTR. Because epidemiological studies have shown that arsenic increases the incidence of respiratory infections, this study suggests that one potential mechanism of this effect involves arsenic-induced ubiquitinylation and degradation of CFTR, which decreases chloride secretion and airway surface liquid volume, effects that would be proposed to reduce mucociliary clearance of respiratory pathogens.

The deubiquitinating enzyme USP10 regulates the endocytic recycling of CFTR in airway epithelial cells

The Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) is a cyclic AMP-regulated chloride channel that plays an important role in regulating the volume of the lung airway surface liquid, and thereby mucociliary clearance and elimination of pathogens from the lung. In epithelial cells, cell surface CFTR abundance is determined in part by regulating both CFTR endocytosis from the apical plasma membrane and recycling back to the plasma membrane. We recently reported, using an activity-based chemical screen to identify active deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) in human airway epithelial cells, that Ubiquitin Specific Protease-10 (USP10) is located and active in the early endosomal compartment and regulates the deubiquitination of CFTR and thereby promotes its endocytic recycling. siRNA-mediated knockdown of USP10 increased the multi-ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation of CFTR and decreased the endocytic recycling and the half-life of CFTR in the apical membrane, as well as CFTR-mediated chloride secretion. Overexpression of wild-type USP10 reduced CFTR multi-ubiquitination and degradation, while overexpression of a dominant-negative USP10 promoted increased multi-ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation of CFTR. In the current study, we show localization and activity of USP10 in the early endosomal compartment of primary bronchial epithelial cells, as well as an interaction between CFTR and USP10 in this compartment. These studies demonstrate a novel function for USP10 in facilitating the deubiquitination of CFTR in early endosomes, thereby enhancing the endocytic recycling and cell surface expression of CFTR.

A Pseudomonas aeruginosa toxin that hijacks the host ubiquitin proteolytic system

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an opportunistic pathogen chronically infecting the lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, cystic fibrosis (CF), and bronchiectasis. Cif (PA2934), a bacterial toxin secreted in outer membrane vesicles (OMV) by P. aeruginosa, reduces CFTR-mediated chloride secretion by human airway epithelial cells, a key driving force for mucociliary clearance. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism whereby Cif reduces CFTR-mediated chloride secretion. Cif redirected endocytosed CFTR from recycling endosomes to lysosomes by stabilizing an inhibitory effect of G3BP1 on the deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB), USP10, thereby reducing USP10-mediated deubiquitination of CFTR and increasing the degradation of CFTR in lysosomes. This is the first example of a bacterial toxin that regulates the activity of a host DUB. These data suggest that the ability of P. aeruginosa to chronically infect the lungs of patients with COPD, pneumonia, CF, and bronchiectasis is due in part to the secretion of OMV containing Cif, which inhibits CFTR-mediated chloride secretion and thereby reduces the mucociliary clearance of pathogens.

The deubiquitinating enzyme USP10 regulates the post-endocytic sorting of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in airway epithelial cells

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a member of the ABC transporter superfamily, is a cyclic AMP-regulated chloride channel and a regulator of other ion channels and transporters. In epithelial cells CFTR is rapidly endocytosed from the apical plasma membrane and efficiently recycles back to the plasma membrane. Because ubiquitination targets endocytosed CFTR for degradation in the lysosome, deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are likely to facilitate CFTR recycling. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to identify DUBs that regulate the post-endocytic sorting of CFTR. Using an activity-based chemical screen to identify active DUBs in human airway epithelial cells, we demonstrated that Ubiquitin Specific Protease-10 (USP10) is located in early endosomes and regulates the deubiquitination of CFTR and its trafficking in the post-endocytic compartment. small interference RNA-mediated knockdown of USP10 increased the amount of ubiquitinated CFTR and its degradation in lysosomes, and reduced both apical membrane CFTR and CFTR-mediated chloride secretion. Moreover, a dominant negative USP10 (USP10-C424A) increased the amount of ubiquitinated CFTR and its degradation, whereas overexpression of wt-USP10 decreased the amount of ubiquitinated CFTR and increased the abundance of CFTR. These studies demonstrate a novel function for USP10 in facilitating the deubiquitination of CFTR in early endosomes and thereby enhancing the endocytic recycling of CFTR.