Bidirectional regulation of calcium release–activated calcium (CRAC) channel by SARAF

2021 ◽  
Vol 220 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elia Zomot ◽  
Hadas Achildiev Cohen ◽  
Inbal Dagan ◽  
Ruslana Militsin ◽  
Raz Palty

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) through the Ca2+ release–activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel is a central mechanism by which cells generate Ca2+ signals and mediate Ca2+-dependent gene expression. The molecular basis for CRAC channel regulation by the SOCE-associated regulatory factor (SARAF) remained insufficiently understood. Here we found that following ER Ca2+ depletion, SARAF facilitates a conformational change in the ER Ca2+ sensor STIM1 that relieves an activation constraint enforced by the STIM1 inactivation domain (ID; aa 475–483) and promotes initial activation of STIM1, its translocation to ER–plasma membrane junctions, and coupling to Orai1 channels. Following intracellular Ca2+ rise, cooperation between SARAF and the STIM1 ID controls CRAC channel slow Ca2+-dependent inactivation. We further show that in T lymphocytes, SARAF is required for proper T cell receptor evoked transcription. Taking all these data together, we uncover a dual regulatory role for SARAF during both activation and inactivation of CRAC channels and show that SARAF fine-tunes intracellular Ca2+ responses and downstream gene expression in cells.

eLife ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Miao ◽  
Cathrine Miner ◽  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Phyllis I Hanson ◽  
Adish Dani ◽  
...  

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) by calcium release activated calcium (CRAC) channels constitutes a primary route of calcium entry in most cells. Orai1 forms the pore subunit of CRAC channels and Stim1 is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident Ca2+ sensor. Upon store-depletion, Stim1 translocates to domains of ER adjacent to the plasma membrane where it interacts with and clusters Orai1 hexamers to form the CRAC channel complex. Molecular steps enabling activation of SOCE via CRAC channel clusters remain incompletely defined. Here we identify an essential role of α-SNAP in mediating functional coupling of Stim1 and Orai1 molecules to activate SOCE. This role for α-SNAP is direct and independent of its known activity in NSF dependent SNARE complex disassembly. Importantly, Stim1-Orai1 clustering still occurs in the absence of α-SNAP but its inability to support SOCE reveals that a previously unsuspected molecular re-arrangement within CRAC channel clusters is necessary for SOCE.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam G Grieve ◽  
Yi-Chun Yeh ◽  
Lucrezia Zarcone ◽  
Johannes Breuning ◽  
Nicholas Johnson ◽  
...  

SummaryCalcium influx through plasma membrane calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels, which are formed of hexamers of Orai1, is a potent trigger for many important biological processes, most notably in T cell mediated immunity. Through a bioinformatics-led cell biological screen, we have identified Orai1 as a substrate for the rhomboid intramembrane protease, RHBDL2. We show that RHBDL2 prevents stochastic signalling in unstimulated cells through conformational surveillance and cleavage of inappropriately activated Orai1. A conserved, disease-linked proline residue is responsible for RHBDL2 recognising only the active conformation of Orai1, and cleavage by RHBDL2 is required to sharpen switch-like signalling triggered by store-operated calcium entry. Loss of RHBDL2 control of Orai1 causes severe dysregulation of CRAC channel effectors including transcription factor activation, inflammatory cytokine expression and T cell activation. We propose that this seek-and-destroy function may represent an ancient activity of rhomboid proteases in degrading unwanted signalling proteins.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1887
Author(s):  
Inbal Dagan ◽  
Raz Palty

Calcium (Ca2+) signaling plays a dichotomous role in cellular biology, controlling cell survival and proliferation on the one hand and cellular toxicity and cell death on the other. Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) by CRAC channels represents a major pathway for Ca2+ entry in non-excitable cells. The CRAC channel has two key components, the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ sensor stromal interaction molecule (STIM) and the plasma-membrane Ca2+ channel Orai. Physical coupling between STIM and Orai opens the CRAC channel and the resulting Ca2+ flux is regulated by a negative feedback mechanism of slow Ca2+ dependent inactivation (SCDI). The identification of the SOCE-associated regulatory factor (SARAF) and investigations of its role in SCDI have led to new functional and molecular insights into how SOCE is controlled. In this review, we provide an overview of the functional and molecular mechanisms underlying SCDI and discuss how the interaction between SARAF, STIM1, and Orai1 shapes Ca2+ signaling in cells.


Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachid Kacimi ◽  
Jong Youl Kim ◽  
Ken Stauderman ◽  
Michael Dunn ◽  
Sudarshan Hebbar ◽  
...  

Inflammatory responses following ischemia can worsen neurological outcome, and represent a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Store-operated Ca 2+ entry (SOCE) mediated by CRAC channels contribute to calcium signaling in immune cells. CRAC channels consist of the endoplasmic reticulum resident Ca 2+ -sensing protein stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) and the calcium channel protein ORAI1 located in the plasma membrane. Prolonged Ca 2+ entry through CRAC channels activates, via calcineurin, nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), involved in T cell proliferation and cytokine expression. Microglia mediate inflammation in the injured brain, but little is known about the role of CRAC channels in this process. We studied novel CRAC channel inhibitors to explore their therapeutic potential in microglia-mediated injury. A neuron cell line (Neuro-2A, N-2A) was cultured alone or with microglial BV2 cells then exposed to 2h oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD). Some cultures were treated with a novel CRAC channel inhibitor. Toll-like receptor (TLR) -3, -4 agonists or IFNγ were also used to activate microglia. Western blots revealed the presence of CRAC channel proteins STIM1 and ORAI1 in microglia. CRAC channel inhibition decreased NO release and inflammatory proteins iNOS and COX-2 expression in activated microglia, but did not affect STIM1 or ORAI1 expression. CRAC channel inhibitors also reduced agonist induced intracellular calcium accumulation in BV2 cells. Agonists also activated JNK1/2 kinase, NFAT, NF-κB, CREB & STAT1 in microglia, but only JNK1/2 kinase & NFAT were attenuated by inhibitor. OGD decreased N2A neuronal cell viability, further exacerbated by BV2 cells, but neuronal cells were protected by CRAC channel inhibition (n=5, *p<0.05). We then treated male C57/BL6 mice exposed to experimental brain trauma (TBI) and found that CRAC channel inhibition led to decreased lesion size, brain hemorrhage and improved neurological deficits (n=6-7/grp, *p<0.05). We suggest a novel anti-inflammatory approach for treating acute brain injury. Our observations also shed light on new calcium signaling pathways, not previously described in brain injury models.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1341-1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Chun Yeh ◽  
Anant B. Parekh

In eukaryotic cells, calcium entry across the cell surface activates nuclear gene expression, a process critically important for cell growth and differentiation, learning, and memory and immune cell functions. In immune cells, calcium entry occurs through store-operated Ca2+release-activated Ca2+(CRAC) channels, comprised of STIM1 and Orai1 proteins. Local calcium entry through CRAC channels activates expression of c-fos- and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-dependent genes. Although c-fos and NFAT often interact to activate gene expression synergistically, they can be activated independently of one another to regulate distinct genes. This raises the question of how one transcription factor can be activated and not the other when both are stimulated by the same trigger. Here, we show that the lipid raft scaffolding protein caveolin-1 interacts with the STIM1-Orai1 complex to increase channel activity. Phosphorylation of tyrosine 14 on caveolin-1 regulates CRAC channel-evoked c-fos activation without impacting the NFAT pathway or Orai1 activity. Our results reveal that structurally distinct domains of caveolin-1 selectively regulate the ability of local calcium to activate distinct transcription factors. More generally, our findings reveal that modular regulation by a scaffolding protein provides a simple, yet effective, mechanism to tunnel a local signal down a specific pathway.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan E. Yoast ◽  
Scott M. Emrich ◽  
Xuexin Zhang ◽  
Ping Xin ◽  
Vikas Arige ◽  
...  

Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is crucial for coupling receptor stimulation to cellular bioenergetics. Further, Ca2+ uptake by respiring mitochondria prevents Ca2+-dependent inactivation (CDI) of store-operated Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels and inhibits Ca2+ extrusion to sustain cytosolic Ca2+ signaling. However, how Ca2+ uptake by the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) shapes receptor-evoked interorganellar Ca2+ signaling is unknown. Here, we generated several cell lines with MCU-knockout (MCU-KO) as well as tissue-specific MCU-knockdown mice. We show that mitochondrial depolarization, but not MCU-KO, inhibits store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). Paradoxically, despite enhancing Ca2+ extrusion and promoting CRAC channel CDI, MCU-KO increased cytosolic Ca2+ in response to store depletion. Further, physiological agonist stimulation in MCU-KO cells led to enhanced frequency of cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations, endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ refilling, NFAT nuclear translocation and proliferation. However, MCU-KO did not affect inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor activity. Mathematical modeling supports that MCU-KO enhances cytosolic Ca2+, despite limiting CRAC channel activity.


1998 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hubert H. Kerschbaum ◽  
Michael D. Cahalan

We used whole-cell recording to characterize ion permeation, rectification, and block of monovalent current through calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels in Jurkat T lymphocytes. Under physiological conditions, CRAC channels exhibit a high degree of selectivity for Ca2+, but can be induced to carry a slowly declining Na+ current when external divalent ions are reduced to micromolar levels. Using a series of organic cations as probes of varying size, we measured reversal potentials and calculated permeability ratios relative to Na+, PX/PNa, in order to estimate the diameter of the conducting pore. Ammonium (NH4+) exhibited the highest relative permeability (PNH4/PNa = 1.37). The largest permeant ion, tetramethylammonium with a diameter of 0.55 nm, had PTMA/PNa of 0.09. N-methyl-d-glucamine (0.50 × 0.64 × 1.20 nm) was not measurably permeant. In addition to carrying monovalent current, NH4+ reduced the slow decline of monovalent current (“inactivation”) upon lowering [Ca2+]o. This kinetic effect of extracellular NH4+ can be accounted for by an increase in intracellular pH (pHi), since raising intracellular pH above 8 reduced the extent of inactivation. In addition, decreasing pHi reduced monovalent and divalent current amplitudes through CRAC channels with a pKa of 6.8. In several channel types, Mg2+ has been shown to produce rectification by a voltage-dependent block mechanism. Mg2+ removal from the pipette solution permitted large outward monovalent currents to flow through CRAC channels while also increasing the channel's relative Cs+ conductance and eliminating the inactivation of monovalent current. Boltzmann fits indicate that intracellular Mg2+ contributes to inward rectification by blocking in a voltage-dependent manner, with a zδ product of 1.88. Ca2+ block from the outside was also found to be voltage dependent with zδ of 1.62. These experiments indicate that the CRAC channel, like voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, achieves selectivity for Ca2+ by selective binding in a large pore with current–voltage characteristics shaped by internal Mg2+.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn N Kearns ◽  
Lei Liu ◽  
Khadijeh A Sharifi ◽  
Kenneth A Stauderman ◽  
Min S Park ◽  
...  

Introduction: Ischemic stroke triggers waves of propagating action potentials followed by a loss of homeostatic ion gradients, known as cortical spreading depolarizations (SD). Our data indicate that microglia respond to SD by raising intracellular Ca 2+ , triggering a release of proinflammatory cytokines that may exacerbate post-stroke morbidity. Hypothesis: Inhibiting calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels may block microglial Ca2+ influx and activation to potentially provide therapeutic benefit in ischemic stroke. Methods: We generated a mouse line expressing the Ca2+ indicator GCaMP5 in cortical microglia. Using two-photon microscopy, we imaged microglia in vivo following physical stroke via middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) or chemical stroke via 1M KCl solution application. Controls were compared to mice treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic the inflammation of ischemic stroke. To study CRAC channels as a therapeutic target, we administered CM-EX-137, a CRAC channel blocker, and compared Ca2+ activity to controls. Results: We identified periodical Ca2+ waves in cortical microglia following MCAo (Fig. 1A), or localized KCl application (Fig. 1B-E). Further, when compared to controls, LPS-exposed mice expressed significantly greater microglial Ca2+ activity during KCl-triggered SD (Fig. 1C). Additionally, administration of CM-EX-137 effectively abolished the Ca2+ signals in the microglia and propagation of SD upon application of KCl (Fig. 1E). Conclusions: Blocking the Ca2+ influx into microglia after ischemic stroke may decrease the frequency of SD and reduce microglial activation, potentially leading to smaller stroke volumes and improved clinical outcomes. Figure 1: Microglial Ca 2+ after SD. (A) Ca 2+ transients in microglia after MCAo. (B) KCl-induced Ca 2+ activity in naïve microglia. (C) KCl-induced Ca 2+ activity after LPS. (D, E) KCl-induced Ca 2+ wave after (D) vehicle or (E) CM-EX-137 administration.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (39) ◽  
pp. 24403-24414
Author(s):  
Derayvia Grimes ◽  
Ryan Johnson ◽  
Madeline Pashos ◽  
Celeste Cummings ◽  
Chen Kang ◽  
...  

Calcium signals are initiated in immune cells by the process of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), where receptor activation triggers transient calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum, followed by opening of plasma-membrane calcium-release activated calcium (CRAC) channels. ORAI1, ORAI2, and ORAI3 are known to comprise the CRAC channel; however, the contributions of individual isoforms to neutrophil function are not well understood. Here, we show that loss of ORAI1 partially decreases calcium influx, while loss of both ORAI1 and ORAI2 completely abolishes SOCE. In other immune-cell types, loss of ORAI2 enhances SOCE. In contrast, we find that ORAI2-deficient neutrophils display decreased calcium influx, which is correlated with measurable differences in the regulation of neutrophil membrane potential via KCa3.1. Decreased SOCE in ORAI1-, ORAI2-, and ORAI1/2-deficient neutrophils impairs multiple neutrophil functions, including phagocytosis, degranulation, leukotriene, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, rendering ORAI1/2-deficient mice highly susceptible to staphylococcal infection. This study demonstrates that ORAI1 and ORAI2 are the primary components of the neutrophil CRAC channel and identifies subpopulations of neutrophils where cell-membrane potential functions as a rheostat to modulate the SOCE response. These findings have implications for mechanisms that modulate neutrophil function during infection, acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, and cancer.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Husain Yar Khan ◽  
Gabriel B. Mpilla ◽  
Rachel Sexton ◽  
Srikant Viswanadha ◽  
Kumar V. Penmetsa ◽  
...  

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains an unmet clinical problem in urgent need of newer molecularly driven treatment modalities. Calcium signals, particularly those associated with calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels, are known to influence the development, growth, and metastasis of many cancers. This is the first study investigating the impact of CRAC channel inhibition on PDAC cell lines and patient-derived tumor models. PDAC cell lines were exposed to a novel CRAC channel inhibitor, RP4010, in the presence or absence of standard of care drugs such as gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. The in vivo efficacy of RP4010 was evaluated in a hyaluronan-positive PDAC patient-derived xenograft (PDx) in the presence or absence of chemotherapeutic agents. Treatment of PDAC cell lines with single-agent RP4010 decreased cell growth, while the combination with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel exhibited synergy at certain dose combinations. Molecular analysis showed that RP4010 modulated the levels of markers associated with CRAC channel signaling pathways. Further, the combination treatment was observed to accentuate the effect of RP4010 on molecular markers of CRAC signaling. Anti-tumor activity of RP4010 was enhanced in the presence of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in a PDAC PDx model. Our study indicates that targeting CRAC channel could be a viable therapeutic option in PDAC that warrants further clinical evaluation.


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