scholarly journals Cellular uptake of extracellular nucleosomes induces innate immune responses by binding and activating cGMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huawei Wang ◽  
Chuanlong Zang ◽  
Mengtian Ren ◽  
Mengdi Shang ◽  
Zhenghua Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract The nucleosome is the basic structural repeating unit of chromatin. DNA damage and cell apoptosis release nucleosomes into the blood circulatory system, and increased levels of circulating nucleosomes have been observed to be related to inflammation and autoimmune diseases. However, how circulating nucleosomes trigger immune responses has not been fully elucidated. cGAS (cGMP-AMP synthase) is a recently discovered pattern recognition receptor that senses cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). In this study, we employed in vitro reconstituted nucleosomes to examine whether extracellular nucleosomes can gain access to the cytoplasm of mammalian cells to induce immune responses by activating cGAS. We showed that nucleosomes can be taken up by various mammalian cells. Additionally, we found that in vitro reconstituted mononucleosomes and oligonucleosomes can be recognized by cGAS. Compared to dsDNA, nucleosomes exhibit higher binding affinities to cGAS but considerably lower potency in cGAS activation. Incubation of monocytic cells with reconstituted nucleosomes leads to limited production of type I interferons and proinflammatory cytokines via a cGAS-dependent mechanism. This proof-of-concept study reveals the cGAS-dependent immunogenicity of nucleosomes and highlights the potential roles of circulating nucleosomes in autoimmune diseases, inflammation, and antitumour immunity.

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Wu ◽  
Caoqi Lei ◽  
Tian Xia ◽  
Xuan Zhong ◽  
Qing Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract TIR domain-containing adaptor inducing interferon-β (TRIF) is an essential adaptor protein required for innate immune responses mediated by Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3- and TLR4. Here we identify USP19 as a negative regulator of TLR3/4-mediated signaling. USP19 deficiency increases the production of type I interferons (IFN) and proinflammatory cytokines induced by poly(I:C) or LPS in vitro and in vivo. Usp19-/- mice have more serious inflammation after poly(I:C) or LPS treatment, and are more susceptible to inflammatory damages and death following Salmonella typhimurium infection. Mechanistically, USP19 interacts with TRIF and catalyzes the removal of TRIF K27-linked polyubiquitin moieties, thereby impairing the recruitment of TRIF to TLR3/4. In addition, the RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complex Cullin-3-Rbx1-KCTD10 catalyzes K27-linked polyubiquitination of TRIF at K523, and deficiency of this complex inhibits TLR3/4-mediated innate immune signaling. Our findings thus reveal TRIF K27-linked polyubiquitination and deubiquitination as a critical regulatory mechanism of TLR3/4-mediated innate immune responses.


2009 ◽  
Vol 206 (9) ◽  
pp. 1899-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M. McWhirter ◽  
Roman Barbalat ◽  
Kathryn M. Monroe ◽  
Mary F. Fontana ◽  
Mamoru Hyodo ◽  
...  

The innate immune system responds to unique molecular signatures that are widely conserved among microbes but that are not normally present in host cells. Compounds that stimulate innate immune pathways may be valuable in the design of novel adjuvants, vaccines, and other immunotherapeutics. The cyclic dinucleotide cyclic-di–guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) is a recently appreciated second messenger that plays critical regulatory roles in many species of bacteria but is not produced by eukaryotic cells. In vivo and in vitro studies have previously suggested that c-di-GMP is a potent immunostimulatory compound recognized by mouse and human cells. We provide evidence that c-di-GMP is sensed in the cytosol of mammalian cells via a novel immunosurveillance pathway. The potency of cytosolic signaling induced by c-di-GMP is comparable to that induced by cytosolic delivery of DNA, and both nucleic acids induce a similar transcriptional profile, including triggering of type I interferons and coregulated genes via induction of TBK1, IRF3, nuclear factor κB, and MAP kinases. However, the cytosolic pathway that senses c-di-GMP appears to be distinct from all known nucleic acid–sensing pathways. Our results suggest a novel mechanism by which host cells can induce an inflammatory response to a widely produced bacterial ligand.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamiru N. Alkie ◽  
Jondavid de Jong ◽  
Kristof Jenik ◽  
Karl M. Klinger ◽  
Stephanie J. DeWitte-Orr

Abstract Innate immunity is induced when pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) bind host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)] is a synthetic analogue of viral dsRNA that acts as a PAMP, inducing type I interferons (IFNs) in vertebrates. In the present study, the immunostimulatory effects of high molecular weight (HMW) poly(I:C) in rainbow trout cells were measured when bound to a cationic phytoglycogen nanoparticle (Nano-HMW). The physical characteristics of the nanoparticle itself, when bound to different lengths of dsRNA and when cell associated was evaluated. Optimal concentration and timing for innate immune stimulation was measured using the RTG-P1 reporter cell line. The immunostimulatory effects of HMW poly (I:C) was compared to Nano-HMW in vitro using the RTgutGC cell line cultured in a conventional monolayer or a transwell culture system. The ability of an activated intestinal epithelium to transmit an antiviral signal to macrophages was evaluated using a co-culture of RTgutGC cells and RTSll (a monocyte/macrophage cell). In all culture conditions, Nano-HMW was a more effective inducer of IFN-related antiviral immune responses compared to HMW poly (I:C) alone. This study introduces the use of cationic phytoglycogen nanoparticles as a novel delivery system for immunomodulatory molecules to enhance immune responses in aquatic vertebrates.


Reproduction ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 153 (6) ◽  
pp. 821-834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keqin Yan ◽  
Dingqing Feng ◽  
Jing Liang ◽  
Qing Wang ◽  
Lin Deng ◽  
...  

Viral infections of the ovary may perturb ovarian functions. However, the mechanisms underlying innate immune responses in the ovary are poorly understood. The present study demonstrates that cytosolic viral DNA sensor signaling initiates the innate immune response in mouse ovarian granulosa cells and affects endocrine function. The cytosolic DNA sensors p204 and cGAS and their common signaling adaptor stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) were constitutively expressed in granulosa cells. Transfection with VACV70, a synthetic vaccinia virus (VACV) DNA analog, induced the expression of type I interferons (IFNA/B) and major inflammatory cytokines (TNFA and IL6) through IRF3 and NF-κB activation respectively. Moreover, several IFN-inducible antiviral proteins, including 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthetase, IFN-stimulating gene 15 and Mx GTPase 1, were also induced by VACV70 transfection. The innate immune responses in granulosa cells were significantly reduced by the transfection of specific small-interfering RNAs targeting p204, cGas or Sting. Notably, the VACV70-triggered innate immune responses affected steroidogenesis in vivo and in vitro. The data presented in this study describe the mechanism underlying ovarian immune responses to viral infection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (24) ◽  
pp. 13232
Author(s):  
Wanglong Zheng ◽  
Nengwen Xia ◽  
Jiajia Zhang ◽  
Nanhua Chen ◽  
François Meurens ◽  
...  

The cGAS–STING pathway is a key component of the innate immune system and exerts crucial roles in the detection of cytosolic DNA and invading pathogens. Accumulating evidence suggests that the intrinsic cGAS–STING pathway not only facilitates the production of type I interferons (IFN-I) and inflammatory responses but also triggers autophagy. Autophagy is a homeostatic process that exerts multiple effects on innate immunity. However, systematic evidence linking the cGAS–STING pathway and autophagy is still lacking. Therefore, one goal of this review is to summarize the known mechanisms of autophagy induced by the cGAS–STING pathway and their consequences. The cGAS–STING pathway can trigger canonical autophagy through liquid-phase separation of the cGAS–DNA complex, interaction of cGAS and Beclin-1, and STING-triggered ER stress–mTOR signaling. Furthermore, both cGAS and STING can induce non-canonical autophagy via LC3-interacting regions and binding with LC3. Subsequently, autophagy induced by the cGAS–STING pathway plays crucial roles in balancing innate immune responses, maintaining intracellular environmental homeostasis, alleviating liver injury, and limiting tumor growth and transformation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisatake Matsumoto ◽  
Brendon P. Scicluna ◽  
Kin Ki Jim ◽  
Fahimeh Falahi ◽  
Wanhai Qin ◽  
...  

Our previous work identified human immunodeficiency virus type I enhancer binding protein 1 (HIVEP1) as a putative driver of LPS-induced NF-κB signaling in humans in vivo. While HIVEP1 is known to interact with NF-ĸB binding DNA motifs, its function in mammalian cells is unknown. We report increased HIVEP1 mRNA expression in monocytes from patients with sepsis and monocytes stimulated by Toll-like receptor agonists and bacteria. In complementary overexpression and gene deletion experiments HIVEP1 was shown to inhibit NF-ĸB activity and induction of NF-ĸB responsive genes. RNA sequencing demonstrated profound transcriptomic changes in HIVEP1 deficient monocytic cells and transcription factor binding site analysis showed enrichment for κB site regions. HIVEP1 bound to the promoter regions of NF-ĸB responsive genes. Inhibition of cytokine production by HIVEP1 was confirmed in LPS-stimulated murine Hivep1-/- macrophages and HIVEP1 knockdown zebrafish exposed to the common sepsis pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. These results identify HIVEP1 as a negative regulator of NF-κB in monocytes/macrophages that inhibits proinflammatory reactions in response to bacterial agonists in vitro and in vivo.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2060
Author(s):  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Shuaiyin Chen ◽  
Yuefei Jin ◽  
Wangquan Ji ◽  
Weiguo Zhang ◽  
...  

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a member of the Coronaviridae family, which is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic followed by unprecedented global societal and economic disruptive impact. The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense against invading pathogens and is induced by a variety of cellular receptors that sense viral components. However, various strategies are exploited by SARS-CoV-2 to disrupt the antiviral innate immune responses. Innate immune dysfunction is characterized by the weak generation of type I interferons (IFNs) and the hypersecretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to mortality and organ injury in patients with COVID-19. This review summarizes the existing understanding of the mutual effects between SARS-CoV-2 and the type I IFN (IFN-α/β) responses, emphasizing the relationship between host innate immune signaling and viral proteases with an insight on tackling potential therapeutic targets.


Vaccines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Escudero-Pérez ◽  
César Muñoz-Fontela

Filoviruses, such as Ebola and Marburg virus, encode viral proteins with the ability to counteract the type I interferon (IFN-I) response. These IFN-I antagonist proteins are crucial to ensure virus replication, prevent an antiviral state in infected and bystander cells, and impair the ability of antigen-presenting cells to initiate adaptive immune responses. However, in recent years, a number of studies have underscored the conflicting data between in vitro studies and in vivo data obtained in animal models and clinical studies during outbreaks. This review aims to summarize these data and to discuss the relative contributions of IFN-α and IFN-β to filovirus pathogenesis in animal models and humans. Finally, we evaluate the putative utilization of IFN-I in post-exposure therapy and its implications as a biomarker of vaccine efficacy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 295 (6) ◽  
pp. 1575-1586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhihua Qin ◽  
Serena Bonifati ◽  
Corine St. Gelais ◽  
Tai-Wei Li ◽  
Sun-Hee Kim ◽  
...  

Sterile alpha motif and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) is a deoxynucleoside triphosphohydrolase (dNTPase) with a nuclear localization signal (NLS). SAMHD1 suppresses innate immune responses to viral infection and inflammatory stimuli by inhibiting the NF-κB and type I interferon (IFN-I) pathways. However, whether the dNTPase activity and nuclear localization of SAMHD1 are required for its suppression of innate immunity remains unknown. Here, we report that the dNTPase activity, but not nuclear localization of SAMHD1, is important for its suppression of innate immune responses in differentiated monocytic cells. We generated monocytic U937 cell lines stably expressing WT SAMHD1 or mutated variants defective in dNTPase activity (HD/RN) or nuclear localization (mNLS). WT SAMHD1 in differentiated U937 cells significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNAs, as well as IFN-α, IFN-β, and TNF-α mRNA levels induced by Sendai virus infection. In contrast, the HD/RN mutant did not exhibit this inhibition in either U937 or THP-1 cells, indicating that the dNTPase activity of SAMHD1 is important for suppressing NF-κB activation. Of note, in lipopolysaccharide-treated or Sendai virus–infected U937 or THP-1 cells, the mNLS variant reduced TNF-α or IFN-β mRNA expression to a similar extent as did WT SAMHD1, suggesting that SAMHD1-mediated inhibition of innate immune responses is independent of SAMHD1's nuclear localization. Moreover, WT and mutant SAMHD1 similarly interacted with key proteins in NF-κB and IFN-I pathways in cells. This study further defines the role and mechanisms of SAMHD1 in suppressing innate immunity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Amadio ◽  
Giulia Maria Piperno ◽  
Federica Benvenuti

Modified or misplaced DNA can be recognized as a danger signal by mammalian cells. Activation of cellular responses to DNA has evolved as a defense mechanism to microbial infections, cellular stress, and tissue damage, yet failure to control this mechanism can lead to autoimmune diseases. Several monogenic and multifactorial autoimmune diseases have been associated with type-I interferons and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) induced by deregulated recognition of self-DNA. Hence, understanding how cellular mechanism controls the pathogenic responses to self-nucleic acid has important clinical implications. Fine-tuned membrane trafficking and cellular compartmentalization are two major factors that balance activation of DNA sensors and availability of self-DNA ligands. Intracellular transport and organelle architecture are in turn regulated by cytoskeletal dynamics, yet the precise impact of actin remodeling on DNA sensing remains elusive. This review proposes a critical analysis of the established and hypothetical connections between self-DNA recognition and actin dynamics. As a paradigm of this concept, we discuss recent evidence of deregulated self-DNA sensing in the prototypical actin-related primary immune deficiency (Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome). We anticipate a broader impact of actin-dependent processes on tolerance to self-DNA in autoimmune disorders.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document