scholarly journals Selective Interferon Responses of Intestinal Epithelial Cells Minimize Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Cytotoxicity

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob A. Van Winkle ◽  
David A. Constant ◽  
Lena Li ◽  
Timothy J. Nice

ABSTRACT Interferon (IFN) family cytokines stimulate genes (interferon-stimulated genes [ISGs]) that are integral to antiviral host defense. Type I IFNs act systemically, whereas type III IFNs act preferentially at epithelial barriers. Among barrier cells, intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) are particularly dependent on type III IFN for the control and clearance of virus infection, but the physiological basis of this selective IFN response is not well understood. Here, we confirm that type III IFN treatment elicits robust and uniform ISG expression in neonatal mouse IECs and inhibits the replication of IEC-tropic rotavirus. In contrast, type I IFN elicits a marginal ISG response in neonatal mouse IECs and does not inhibit rotavirus replication. In vitro treatment of IEC organoids with type III IFN results in ISG expression that mirrors the in vivo type III IFN response. However, IEC organoids have increased expression of the type I IFN receptor relative to neonate IECs, and the response of IEC organoids to type I IFN is strikingly increased in magnitude and scope relative to type III IFN. The expanded type I IFN-specific response includes proapoptotic genes and potentiates toxicity triggered by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The ISGs stimulated in common by type I and III IFNs have strong interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE) promoter motifs, whereas the expanded set of type I IFN-specific ISGs, including proapoptotic genes, have weak ISRE motifs. Thus, the preferential responsiveness of IECs to type III IFN in vivo enables selective ISG expression during infection that confers antiviral protection but minimizes disruption of intestinal homeostasis. IMPORTANCE Enteric viral infections are a major cause of gastroenteritis worldwide and have the potential to trigger or exacerbate intestinal inflammatory diseases. Prior studies have identified specialized innate immune responses that are active in the intestinal epithelium following viral infection, but our understanding of the benefits of such an epithelium-specific response is incomplete. Here, we show that the intestinal epithelial antiviral response is programmed to enable protection while minimizing epithelial cytotoxicity that can often accompany an inflammatory response. Our findings offer new insight into the benefits of a tailored innate immune response at the intestinal barrier and suggest how dysregulation of this response could promote inflammatory disease.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob A. Van Winkle ◽  
David A. Constant ◽  
Lena Li ◽  
Timothy J. Nice

ABSTRACTInterferon (IFN) family cytokines stimulate genes (ISGs) that are integral to antiviral host defense. Type I IFNs act systemically whereas type III IFNs act preferentially at epithelial barriers. Among barrier cells, intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) are particularly dependent on type III IFN for control and clearance of virus infection, but the physiological basis of this selective IFN response is not well understood. Here, we confirm that type III IFN treatment elicits robust and uniform ISG expression in neonatal mouse IECs and inhibits replication of IEC-tropic rotavirus. In contrast, type I IFN elicits a marginal ISG response in neonatal mouse IECs and does not inhibit rotavirus replication. In vitro treatment of IEC organoids with type III IFN results in ISG expression that mirrors the in vivo type III IFN response. However, the response of IEC organoids to type I IFN is strikingly increased relative to type III IFN in magnitude and scope. The expanded type I IFN-specific response includes pro-apoptotic genes and potentiates toxicity triggered by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). The ISGs stimulated in common by types I and III IFN have strong interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE) promoter motifs, whereas the expanded set of type I IFN-specific ISGs, including pro-apoptotic genes, have weak ISRE motifs. Thus, preferential responsiveness of IECs to type III IFN in vivo enables selective ISG expression during infection that confers antiviral protection but minimizes disruption of intestinal homeostasis.


2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (13) ◽  
pp. 7316-7319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob S. Yount ◽  
Thomas M. Moran ◽  
Carolina B. López

ABSTRACT The RNA helicases RIG-I and MDA5 detect virus infection of dendritic cells (DCs) leading to cytokine induction. Maximal sensitivity for virus detection by these helicases is obtained after their upregulation, which is thought to occur primarily through type I interferon (IFN) signaling. Here we demonstrate that in response to paramyxovirus infection, RIG-I upregulation requires type I IFN whereas MDA5 expression is increased by Sendai virus infection independently of signaling mediated by type I IFN, STAT1, tumor necrosis factor alpha, or NF-κB. This MDA5 upregulation is largely lost in IRF3 knockout DCs and is achieved in type I IFN-deficient cells expressing constitutively active IRF3.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 589
Author(s):  
Gennaro Iaconis ◽  
Ben Jackson ◽  
Kay Childs ◽  
Mark Boyce ◽  
Stephen Goodbourn ◽  
...  

Type I interferons (IFNs) are produced by most cells in response to virus infection and stimulate a program of anti-viral gene expression in neighboring cells to suppress virus replication. Type III IFNs have similar properties, however their effects are limited to epithelial cells at mucosal surfaces due to restricted expression of the type III IFN receptor. Rotavirus (RV) replicates in intestinal epithelial cells that respond predominantly to type III IFNs, and it has been shown that type III rather than type I IFNs are important for controlling RV infections in vivo. The RV NSP1 protein antagonizes the host type I IFN response by targeting IRF-3, IRF-5, IRF-7, or β-TrCP for proteasome-mediated degradation in a strain-specific manner. Here we provide the first demonstration that NSP1 proteins from several human and animal RV strains antagonize type III as well as type I IFN induction. We also show that NSP1 is a potent inhibitor of IRF-1, a previously undescribed property of NSP1 which is conserved among human and animal RVs. Interestingly, all NSP1 proteins were substantially more effective inhibitors of IRF-1 than either IRF-3 or IRF-7 which has significance for evasion of basal anti-viral immunity and type III IFN induction in the intestinal epithelium.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalliopi Pervolaraki ◽  
Soheil Rastgou Talemi ◽  
Dorothee Albrecht ◽  
Felix Bormann ◽  
Connor Bamford ◽  
...  

AbstractIt is currently believed that type I and III interferons (IFNs) have redundant functions. However, the preferential distribution of type III IFN receptor on epithelial cells suggests functional differences at epithelial surfaces. Here, using human intestinal epithelial cells we could show that although both type I and type III IFNs confer an antiviral state to the cells, they do so with distinct kinetics. Type I IFN signaling is characterized by an acute strong induction of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) and confers fast antiviral protection. On the contrary, the slow acting type III IFN mediated antiviral protection is characterized by a weaker induction of ISGs in a delayed manner compared to type I IFN. Moreover, while transcript profiling revealed that both IFNs induced a similar set of ISGs, their temporal expression strictly depended on the IFNs, thereby leading to unique antiviral environments. Using a combination of data-driven mathematical modeling and experimental validation, we addressed the molecular reason for this differential kinetic of ISG expression. We could demonstrate that these kinetic differences are intrinsic to each signaling pathway and not due to different expression levels of the corresponding IFN receptors. We report that type III IFN is specifically tailored to act in specific cell types not only due to the restriction of its receptor but also by providing target cells with a distinct antiviral environment compared to type I IFN. We propose that this specific environment is key at surfaces that are often challenged with the extracellular environment.Author summaryThe human intestinal tract plays two important roles in the body: first it is responsible for nutrient absorption and second it is the primary barrier which protects the human body from the outside environment. This complex tissue is constantly exposed to commensal bacteria and is often exposed to both bacterial and viral pathogens. To protect itself, the gut produces, among others, secreted agents called interferons which help to fight against pathogen attacks. There are several varieties (type I, II, and III) of interferons and our work aims at understanding how type I and III interferon act to protect human intestinal epithelial cells (hIECs) during viral infection. In this study, we confirmed that both interferons can protect hIECs against viral infection but with different kinetics. We determined that type I confer an antiviral state to hIECs faster than type III interferons. We uncovered that these differences were intrinsic to each pathway and not the result of differential abundance of the respective interferon receptors. The results of this study suggest that type III interferon may provide a different antiviral environment to the epithelium target cells which is likely critical for maintaining gut homeostasis. Our findings will also help us to design therapies to aid in controlling and eliminating viral infections of the gut.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
Alexus D. Kolb ◽  
Jinlu Dai ◽  
Evan T. Keller ◽  
Karen M. Bussard

Breast cancer (BC) metastases to bone disrupt the balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts, leading to excessive bone resorption. We identified a novel subpopulation of osteoblasts with tumor-inhibitory properties, called educated osteoblasts (EOs). Here we sought to examine the effect of EOs on osteoclastogenesis during tumor progression. We hypothesized that EOs affect osteoclast development in the bone-tumor niche, leading to suppressed pre-osteoclast fusion and bone resorption. Conditioned media (CM) was analyzed for protein expression of osteoclast factors receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-β ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) via ELISA. EOs were co-cultured with pre-osteoclasts on a bone mimetic matrix to assess osteoclast resorption. Pre-osteoclasts were tri-cultured with EOs plus metastatic BC cells and assessed for tartrate-resistance acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive, multinucleated (≥3 nuclei), mature osteoclasts. Tumor-bearing murine tibias were stained for TRAP to determine osteoclast number in-vivo. EO CM expressed reduced amounts of soluble TNFα and OPG compared to naïve osteoblast CM. Osteoclasts formed in the presence of EOs were smaller and less in number. Upon co-culture on a mimetic bone matrix, a 50% reduction in the number of TRAP-positive osteoclasts formed in the presence of EOs was observed. The tibia of mice inoculated with BC cells had less osteoclasts per bone surface in bones with increased numbers of EO cells. These data suggest EOs reduce osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption. The data imply EOs provide a protective effect against bone resorption in bone metastatic BC.


2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 4856-4867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Okot Nyormoi ◽  
Zhi Wang ◽  
Dao Doan ◽  
Maribelis Ruiz ◽  
David McConkey ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Several reports have linked activating protein 2α (AP-2α) to apoptosis, leading us to hypothesize that AP-2α is a substrate for caspases. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effects of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) on the expression of AP-2 in breast cancer cells. Here, we provide evidence that TNF-α downregulates AP-2α and AP-2γ expression posttranscriptionally during TNF-α-induced apoptosis. Both a general caspase antagonist (zVADfmk) and a caspase 6-preferred antagonist (zVEIDfmk) inhibited TNF-α-induced apoptosis and AP-2α downregulation. In vivo tests showed that AP-2α was cleaved by caspases ahead of the DNA fragmentation phase of apoptosis. Recombinant caspase 6 cleaved AP-2α preferentially, although caspases 1 and 3 also cleaved it, albeit at 50-fold or higher concentrations. Activated caspase 6 was detected in TNF-α-treated cells, thus confirming its involvement in AP-2α cleavage. All three caspases cleaved AP-2α at asp19 of the sequence asp-arg-his-asp (DRHD19). Mutating D19 to A19abrogated AP-2α cleavage by all three caspases. TNF-α-induced cleavage of AP-2α in vivo led to AP-2α degradation and loss of DNA-binding activity, both of which were prevented by pretreatment with zVEIDfmk. AP-2α degradation but not cleavage was inhibited in vivo by PS-431 (a proteasome antagonist), suggesting that AP-2α is degraded subsequent to cleavage by caspase 6 or caspase 6-like enzymes. Cells transfected with green fluorescent protein-tagged mutant AP-2α are resistant to TNF-α-induced apoptosis, further demonstrating the link between caspase-mediated cleavage of AP-2α and apoptosis. This is the first report to demonstrate that degradation of AP-2α is a critical event in TNF-α-induced apoptosis. Since the DRHD sequence in vertebrate AP-2 is widely conserved, its cleavage by caspases may represent an important mechanism for regulating cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.


2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 912-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Greenwel ◽  
Shizuko Tanaka ◽  
Dmitri Penkov ◽  
Wen Zhang ◽  
Michelle Olive ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Extracellular matrix (ECM) formation and remodeling are critical processes for proper morphogenesis, organogenesis, and tissue repair. The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibits ECM accumulation by stimulating the expression of matrix proteolytic enzymes and by downregulating the deposition of structural macromolecules such as type I collagen. Stimulation of ECM degradation has been linked to prolonged activation of jun gene expression by the cytokine. Here we demonstrate that TNF-α inhibits transcription of the gene coding for the α2 chain of type I collagen [α2(I) collagen] in cultured fibroblasts by stimulating the synthesis and binding of repressive CCAAT/enhancer proteins (C/EBPs) to a previously identified TNF-α-responsive element. This conclusion was based on the concomitant identification of C/EBPβ and C/EBPδ as TNF-α-induced factors by biochemical purification and expression library screening. It was further supported by the ability of the C/EBP-specific dominant-negative (DN) protein to block TNF-α inhibition of α2(I) collagen but not TNF-α stimulation of the MMP-13 protease. The DN protein also blocked TNF-α downregulation of the gene coding for the α1 chain of type I collagen. The study therefore implicates repressive C/EBPs in the TNF-α-induced signaling pathway that controls ECM formation and remodeling.


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