Human cytomegalovirus UL48 deubiquitinase primarily targets innermost tegument proteins pp150 and itself to regulate their stability and protects virions from inclusion of ubiquitin conjugates

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ki Mun Kwon ◽  
Young Eui Kim ◽  
Myoung Kyu Lee ◽  
Woo-Chang Chung ◽  
Seokhwan Hyeon ◽  
...  

Viral deubiquitinases (DUBs) regulate cellular innate immunity to benefit viral replication. In human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), the UL48-encoded DUB regulates innate immune responses including NF-κB signaling. Although UL48 DUB is known to regulate its stability via auto-deubiquitination, its impact on other viral proteins is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the role of UL48 DUB in regulating the ubiquitination of viral proteins by comparing the levels of ubiquitinated viral peptides in wild-type and DUB active-site mutant virus-infected cells using mass spectrometry. We found that ubiquitinated peptides were increased in DUB-mutant virus infection for 90% of viral proteins with the innermost tegument proteins pp150 (encoded by UL32) and pUL48 itself being most significantly affected. The highly deubiquitinated lysine residues of pUL48 were mapped within its N-terminal DUB domain and the nuclear localization signal. Among them, the arginine substitution of lysine 2 (K2R) increased pUL48 stability and enhanced viral growth at low multiplicity of infection, indicating that K2 auto-deubiquitination has a role in regulating pUL48 stability. pUL48 also interacted with pp150 and increased pp150 expression by downregulating its ubiquitination. Furthermore, we found that, unlike the wild-type virus, mutant viruses expressing the UL48 protein with the DUB-domain deleted or DUB active-site mutated contain higher levels of ubiquitin conjugates, including the ubiquitinated forms of pp150, in their virions. Collectively, our results demonstrate that UL48 DUB mainly acts on the innermost tegument proteins pp150 and pUL48 itself during HCMV infection and may play a role in protecting virions from the inclusion of ubiquitin conjugates. Importance Herpesviruses encode highly conserved tegument proteins that contain deubiquitinase (DUB) activity. Although the role of viral DUBs in the regulation of host innate immune responses has been established, their roles in the stability or function of viral proteins are not well understood. In this study, we performed a comparative analysis of the levels of ubiquitinated viral peptides between wild-type and DUB-inactive HCMV infections and demonstrate that the innermost tegument proteins pp150 and pUL48 (DUB itself) are major targets of viral DUB. We also show that ubiquitinated viral proteins are effectively incorporated into the virions of DUB mutant viruses but not the wild-type virus. Our study demonstrates that viral DUBs may play important roles in promoting the stability of viral proteins and inhibiting the inclusion of ubiquitin conjugates into virions.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrice Cognasse ◽  
Kathryn Hally ◽  
Sebastien Fauteux-Daniel ◽  
Marie-Ange Eyraud ◽  
Charles-Antoine Arthaud ◽  
...  

AbstractAside from their canonical role in hemostasis, it is increasingly recognized that platelets have inflammatory functions and can regulate both adaptive and innate immune responses. The main topic this review aims to cover is the proinflammatory effects and side effects of platelet transfusion. Platelets prepared for transfusion are subject to stress injury upon collection, preparation, and storage. With these types of stress, they undergo morphologic, metabolic, and functional modulations which are likely to induce platelet activation and the release of biological response modifiers (BRMs). As a consequence, platelet concentrates (PCs) accumulate BRMs during processing and storage, and these BRMs are ultimately transfused alongside platelets. It has been shown that BRMs present in PCs can induce immune responses and posttransfusion reactions in the transfusion recipient. Several recent reports within the transfusion literature have investigated the concept of platelets as immune cells. Nevertheless, current and future investigations will face the challenge of encompassing the immunological role of platelets in the scope of transfusion.


Viruses ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aitor Nogales ◽  
Luis Martinez-Sobrido ◽  
David Topham ◽  
Marta DeDiego

Influenza A viruses (IAV) can infect a broad range of animal hosts, including humans. In humans, IAV causes seasonal annual epidemics and occasional pandemics, representing a serious public health and economic problem, which is most effectively prevented through vaccination. The defense mechanisms that the host innate immune system provides restrict IAV replication and infection. Consequently, to successfully replicate in interferon (IFN)-competent systems, IAV has to counteract host antiviral activities, mainly the production of IFN and the activities of IFN-induced host proteins that inhibit virus replication. The IAV multifunctional proteins PA-X and NS1 are virulence factors that modulate the innate immune response and virus pathogenicity. Notably, these two viral proteins have synergistic effects in the inhibition of host protein synthesis in infected cells, although using different mechanisms of action. Moreover, the control of innate immune responses by the IAV NS1 and PA-X proteins is subject to a balance that can determine virus pathogenesis and fitness, and recent evidence shows co-evolution of these proteins in seasonal viruses, indicating that they should be monitored for enhanced virulence. Importantly, inhibition of host gene expression by the influenza NS1 and/or PA-X proteins could be explored to develop improved live-attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV) by modulating the ability of the virus to counteract antiviral host responses. Likewise, both viral proteins represent a reasonable target for the development of new antivirals for the control of IAV infections. In this review, we summarize the role of IAV NS1 and PA-X in controlling the antiviral response during viral infection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaoyao Xia ◽  
Yikun Li ◽  
Xiaoyan Wu ◽  
Qingzhuo Zhang ◽  
Siyuan Chen ◽  
...  

Iron fine-tunes innate immune responses, including macrophage inflammation. In this review, we summarize the current understanding about the iron in dictating macrophage polarization. Mechanistically, iron orchestrates macrophage polarization through several aspects, including cellular signaling, cellular metabolism, and epigenetic regulation. Therefore, iron modulates the development and progression of multiple macrophage-associated diseases, such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and liver diseases. Collectively, this review highlights the crucial role of iron for macrophage polarization, and indicates the potential application of iron supplementation as an adjuvant therapy in different inflammatory disorders relative to the balance of macrophage polarization.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quentin Marquant ◽  
Daphné Laubreton ◽  
Carole Drajac ◽  
Elliot Mathieu ◽  
Edwige Bouguyon ◽  
...  

AbstractThe microbiota contributes to shaping efficient and safe immune defenses in the gut. However, little is known about the role of the microbiota in the education of pulmonary innate immune responses. Here, we tested whether the endogenous microbiota can modulate reactivity of pulmonary tissue to pathogen stimuli by comparing the response of specific pathogen-free (SPF) and germ-free (GF) mice. Using SPF and GF mice intranasally exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of Gram-negative bacteria, we observed earlier and greater inflammation in the pulmonary compartment of GF mice than that of SPF mice. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was more abundantly expressed in the lungs of GF mice than those of SPF mice at steady state, which could predispose the innate immunity of GF mice to strongly react to environmental stimuli. Lung explants were stimulated with different TLR agonists or infected with the human airways pathogen, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), resulting in greater inflammation under almost all conditions for the GF explants. Finally, alveolar macrophages (AM) from GF mice presented a higher innate immune response upon RSV infection than those of SPF mice. Overall, these data suggest that the presence of microbiota in SPF mice induced a process of innate immune tolerance in the lungs by a mechanism which remains to be elucidated. Our study represents a step forward to establishing the link between the microbiota and the immune reactivity of the lungs.Plain Language summaryMicrobiota represents an important partner of immunologic system at the interface between immune cells and epithelium. It is well known, notably in the gut, that the microbiota contributes in shaping efficient and safe defenses. However, little is known about the role of the microbiota in the education of pulmonary innate immune responses. In this study, we postulate that endogenous microbiota could dampen an excessive reactivity of pulmonary tissue to external stimuli. Thus, we sought to study the innate immune reaction switched on by viral or bacterial ligands in respiratory tract cells coming from mice with or without microbiota (germ-free condition, GF). Altogether, our results show a higher inflammatory reaction in GF condition. This study represents a step forward to better establish the link between the microbiota and the reactivity of the lung tissue. Not only these data demonstrate that the microbiota educates the pulmonary innate immune system, but also contributes the emerging concept of using respiratory commensal bacteria as potential next-generation probiotics to prevent susceptibility to respiratory diseases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imran Ahmad ◽  
Araceli Valverde ◽  
Raza Ali Naqvi ◽  
Afsar R. Naqvi

Macrophages (Mφ) are immune cells that exhibit remarkable functional plasticity. Identification of novel endogenous factors that can regulate plasticity and innate immune functions of Mφ will unravel new strategies to curb immune-related diseases. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of endogenous, non-protein coding, regulatory RNAs that are increasingly being associated with various cellular functions and diseases. Despite their ubiquity and abundance, lncRNA-mediated epigenetic regulation of Mφ polarization and innate immune functions is poorly studied. This study elucidates the regulatory role of lncRNAs in monocyte to Mφ differentiation, M1/M2 dichotomy and innate immune responses. Expression profiling of eighty-eight lncRNAs in monocytes and in vitro differentiated M2 Mφ identified seventeen differentially expressed lncRNAs. Based on fold-change and significance, we selected four differentially expressed lncRNAs viz., RN7SK, GAS5, IPW, and ZFAS1 to evaluate their functional impact. LncRNA knockdown was performed on day 3 M2 Mφ and the impact on polarization was assessed on day 7 by surface marker analysis. Knockdown of RN7SK and GAS5 showed downregulation of M2 surface markers (CD163, CD206, or Dectin) and concomitant increase in M1 markers (MHC II or CD23). RN7SK or GAS5 knockdown showed no significant impact on CD163, CD206, or CD23 transcripts. M1/M2 markers were not impacted by IPW or ZFAS1 knockdown. Functional regulation of antigen uptake/processing and phagocytosis, two central innate immune pathways, by candidate lncRNA was assessed in M1/M2 Mφ. Compared to scramble, enhanced antigen uptake and processing were observed in both M1/M2 Mφ transfected with siRNA targeting GAS5 and RN7SK but not IPW and ZFAS1. In addition, knockdown of RN7SK significantly augmented uptake of labelled E. coli in vitro by M1/M2 Mφ, while no significant difference was in GAS5 silencing cells. Together, our results highlight the instrumental role of lncRNA (RN7SK and GAS5)-mediated epigenetic regulation of macrophage differentiation, polarization, and innate immune functions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (50) ◽  
pp. 25106-25114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenqian Li ◽  
Jun Yan ◽  
Yan Yu

Receptors of innate immune cells function synergistically to detect pathogens and elicit appropriate immune responses. Many receptor pairs also appear “colocalized” on the membranes of phagosomes, the intracellular compartments for pathogen ingestion. However, the nature of the seemingly receptor colocalization and the role it plays in immune regulation are unclear, due to the inaccessibility of intracellular phagocytic receptors. Here, we report a geometric manipulation technique to directly probe the role of phagocytic receptor “colocalization” in innate immune regulation. Using particles with spatially patterned ligands as phagocytic targets, we can decouple the receptor pair, Dectin-1 and Toll-like receptor (TLR)2, to opposite sides on a single phagosome or bring them into nanoscale proximity without changing the overall membrane composition. We show that Dectin-1 enhances immune responses triggered predominantly by TLR2 when their centroid-to-centroid proximity is <500 nm, but this signaling synergy diminishes upon receptor segregation beyond this threshold distance. Our results demonstrate that nanoscale proximity, not necessarily colocalization, between Dectin-1 and TLR2 is required for their synergistic regulation of macrophage immune responses. This study elucidates the relationship between the spatial organization of phagocytic receptors and innate immune responses. It showcases a technique that allows spatial manipulation of receptors and their signal cross-talk on phagosomes inside living cells.


2019 ◽  
Vol 131 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenling Jian ◽  
Lili Gu ◽  
Brittney Williams ◽  
Yan Feng ◽  
Wei Chao ◽  
...  

Abstract Editor’s Perspective What We Already Know about This Topic What This Article Tells Us That Is New Background Sepsis remains a critical illness with high mortality. The authors have recently reported that mouse plasma RNA concentrations are markedly increased during sepsis and closely associated with its severity. Toll-like receptor 7, originally identified as the sensor for single-stranded RNA virus, also mediates host extracellular RNA-induced innate immune responses in vitro and in vivo. Here, the authors hypothesize that innate immune signaling via Toll-like receptor 7 contributes to inflammatory response, organ injury, and mortality during polymicrobial sepsis. Methods Sepsis was created by (1) cecal ligation and puncture or (2) stool slurry peritoneal injection. Wild-type and Toll-like receptor 7 knockout mice, both in C57BL/6J background, were used. The following endpoints were measured: mortality, acute kidney injury biomarkers, plasma and peritoneal cytokines, blood bacterial loading, peritoneal leukocyte counts, and neutrophil phagocytic function. Results The 11-day overall mortality was 81% in wild-type mice and 48% in Toll-like receptor 7 knockout mice after cecal ligation and puncture (N = 27 per group, P = 0.0031). Compared with wild-type septic mice, Toll-like receptor 7 knockout septic mice also had lower sepsis severity, attenuated plasma cytokine storm (wild-type vs. Toll-like receptor 7 knockout, interleukin-6: 43.2 [24.5, 162.7] vs. 4.4 [3.1, 12.0] ng/ml, P = 0.003) and peritoneal inflammation, alleviated acute kidney injury (wild-type vs. Toll-like receptor 7 knockout, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin: 307 ± 184 vs.139 ± 41-fold, P = 0.0364; kidney injury molecule-1: 40 [16, 49] vs.13 [4, 223]-fold, P = 0.0704), lower bacterial loading, and enhanced leukocyte peritoneal recruitment and phagocytic activities at 24 h. Moreover, stool slurry from wild-type and Toll-like receptor 7 knockout mice resulted in similar level of sepsis severity, peritoneal cytokines, and leukocyte recruitment in wild-type animals after peritoneal injection. Conclusions Toll-like receptor 7 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of polymicrobial sepsis by mediating host innate immune responses and contributes to acute kidney injury and mortality.


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