scholarly journals A Role of TMEM16E Carrying a Scrambling Domain in Sperm Motility

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 645-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sayuri Gyobu ◽  
Haruhiko Miyata ◽  
Masahito Ikawa ◽  
Daiju Yamazaki ◽  
Hiroshi Takeshima ◽  
...  

Transmembrane protein 16E (TMEM16E) belongs to the TMEM16 family of proteins that have 10 transmembrane regions and appears to localize intracellularly. Although TMEM16E mutations cause bone fragility and muscular dystrophy in humans, its biochemical function is unknown. In the TMEM16 family, TMEM16A and -16B serve as Ca2+-dependent Cl−channels, while TMEM16C, -16D, -16F, -16G, and -16J support Ca2+-dependent phospholipid scrambling. Here, we show that TMEM16E carries a segment composed of 35 amino acids homologous to the scrambling domain in TMEM16F. When the corresponding segment of TMEM16A was replaced by this 35-amino-acid segment of TMEM16E, the chimeric molecule localized to the plasma membrane and supported Ca2+-dependent scrambling. We next establishedTMEM16E-deficient mice, which appeared to have normal skeletal muscle. However, fertility was decreased in the males. We found that TMEM16E was expressed in germ cells in early spermatogenesis and thereafter and localized to sperm tail.TMEM16E−/−sperm showed no apparent defect in morphology, beating, mitochondrial function, capacitation, or binding to zona pellucida. However, they showed reduced motility and inefficient fertilization of cumulus-free but zona-intact eggsin vitro. Our results suggest that TMEM16E may function as a phospholipid scramblase at inner membranes and that its defect affects sperm motility.

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (41) ◽  
pp. 12800-12805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshihiro Fujii ◽  
Asuka Sakata ◽  
Satoshi Nishimura ◽  
Koji Eto ◽  
Shigekazu Nagata

Phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) exposure on the surface of activated platelets requires the action of a phospholipid scramblase(s), and serves as a scaffold for the assembly of the tenase and prothrombinase complexes involved in blood coagulation. Here, we found that the activation of mouse platelets with thrombin/collagen or Ca2+ ionophore at 20 °C induces PtdSer exposure without compromising plasma membrane integrity. Among five transmembrane protein 16 (TMEM16) members that support Ca2+-dependent phospholipid scrambling, TMEM16F was the only one that showed high expression in mouse platelets. Platelets from platelet-specific TMEM16F-deficient mice exhibited defects in activation-induced PtdSer exposure and microparticle shedding, although α-granule and dense granule release remained intact. The rate of tissue factor-induced thrombin generation by TMEM16F-deficient platelets was severely reduced, whereas thrombin-induced clot retraction was unaffected. The imaging of laser-induced thrombus formation in whole animals showed that PtdSer exposure on aggregated platelets was TMEM16F-dependent in vivo. The phenotypes of the platelet-specific TMEM16F-null mice resemble those of patients with Scott syndrome, a mild bleeding disorder, indicating that these mice may provide a useful model for human Scott syndrome.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (12) ◽  
pp. 3066-3071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rikiya Watanabe ◽  
Takaharu Sakuragi ◽  
Hiroyuki Noji ◽  
Shigekazu Nagata

Transmembrane protein 16F (TMEM16F) is a Ca2+-dependent phospholipid scramblase that translocates phospholipids bidirectionally between the leaflets of the plasma membrane. Phospholipid scrambling of TMEM16F causes exposure of phosphatidylserine in activated platelets to induce blood clotting and in differentiated osteoblasts to promote bone mineralization. Despite the importance of TMEM16F-mediated phospholipid scrambling in various biological reactions, the fundamental features of the scrambling reaction remain elusive due to technical difficulties in the preparation of a platform for assaying scramblase activity in vitro. Here, we established a method to express and purify mouse TMEM16F as a dimeric molecule by constructing a stable cell line and developed a microarray containing membrane bilayers with asymmetrically distributed phospholipids as a platform for single-molecule scramblase assays. The purified TMEM16F was integrated into the microarray, and monitoring of phospholipid translocation showed that a single TMEM16F molecule transported phospholipids nonspecifically between the membrane bilayers in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Thermodynamic analysis of the reaction indicated that TMEM16F transported 4.5 × 104 lipids per second at 25 °C, with an activation free energy of 47 kJ/mol. These biophysical features were similar to those observed with channels, which transport substrates by facilitating diffusion, and supported the stepping-stone model for the TMEM16F phospholipid scramblase.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Zhao ◽  
Tao Zheng ◽  
Wenbin Gong ◽  
Jie Wu ◽  
Haohao Xie ◽  
...  

AbstractCrohn’s disease (CD) is an intestinal immune-dysfunctional disease. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed particles full of functional molecules, e.g., nuclear acids. Recently, EVs have been shown to participate in the development of CD by realizing intercellular communication among intestinal cells. However, the role of EVs carrying double-strand DNA (dsDNA) shed from sites of intestinal inflammation in CD has not been investigated. Here we isolated EVs from the plasma or colon lavage of murine colitis and CD patients. The level of exosomal dsDNA, including mtDNA and nDNA, significantly increased in murine colitis and active human CD, and was positively correlated with the disease activity. Moreover, the activation of the STING pathway was verified in CD. EVs from the plasma of active human CD triggered STING activation in macrophages in vitro. EVs from LPS-damaged colon epithelial cells were also shown to raise inflammation in macrophages via activating the STING pathway, but the effect disappeared after the removal of exosomal dsDNA. These findings were further confirmed in STING-deficient mice and macrophages. STING deficiency significantly ameliorated colitis. Besides, potential therapeutic effects of GW4869, an inhibitor of EVs release were assessed. The application of GW4869 successfully ameliorated murine colitis by inhibiting STING activation. In conclusion, exosomal dsDNA was found to promote intestinal inflammation via activating the STING pathway in macrophages and act as a potential mechanistic biomarker and therapeutic target of CD.


Author(s):  
Jelena Damm ◽  
Joachim Roth ◽  
Rüdiger Gerstberger ◽  
Christoph Rummel

AbstractBackground:Studies with NF-IL6-deficient mice indicate that this transcription factor plays a dual role during systemic inflammation with pro- and anti-inflammatory capacities. Here, we aimed to characterize the role of NF-IL6 specifically within the brain.Methods:In this study, we tested the capacity of short interfering (si) RNA to silence the inflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor-interleukin 6 (NF-IL6) in brain cells underResults:In cells of a mixed neuronal and glial primary culture from the ratConclusions:This approach was, thus, not suitable to characterize the role NF-IL6 in the brain


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian M. Richmond ◽  
Dhrumil Patel ◽  
Tomoya Watanabe ◽  
Colton J. Garelli ◽  
Madhuri Garg ◽  
...  

AbstractMorphea, or localized scleroderma, is characterized by an inflammatory phase followed by cutaneous fibrosis, which may lead to disfigurement and/or disability. Previous work from our group showed that the CXCR3 ligands CXCL9 and CXCL10 are highly upregulated in lesional skin of morphea patients. Here, we used an acute inflammatory and fibrotic bleomycin mouse model of morphea to examine the role of the CXCR3 chemokine axis in pathogenesis. We first characterized which cells produce the CXCR3 ligands in the skin using the Reporter of Expression of CXCR3 ligands mouse (REX3). We found that fibroblasts contribute the bulk of CXCL9 and CXCL10, whereas endothelial cells are key dual chemokine producers. Macrophages, which have high MFI of chemokine expression, upregulated CXCL9 production over time, fibroblasts CXCL10 production, and T cells dual chemokine expression. To determine whether bleomycin treatment could directly induce expression of these chemokines, we treated cultured REX3 mouse dermis monolayers in vitro with bleomycin or IFNγ with TNF and found that bleomycin could induce low amounts of CXCL9 directly in fibroblasts, whereas the cytokines were required for optimal CXCL9 and CXCL10 production. To determine whether these chemokines are mechanistically involved in pathogenesis, we induced fibrosis in CXCL9, CXCL10, or CXCR3 deficient mice and found that fibrosis is dependent on CXCL9 and CXCR3. Addition of recombinant CXCL9, but not CXCL10, to cultured mouse fibroblasts induces collagen 1a1 mRNA expression, indicating the chemokine itself can contribute to fibrosis. Taken together, our studies provide evidence that acute intradermal bleomycin administration in mice can model inflammatory morphea, and that CXCL9 and its receptor CXCR3 are mechanistically involved in pathogenesis.One Sentence SummaryCXCL9 drives acute morphea pathogenesis in mice.


2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara McCurdy ◽  
William A Boisvert

Macrophage accumulation is a key process affecting all stages of atherosclerosis. Whether these cells accumulate in plaque solely by recruitment of monocytes from circulation or by proliferation within the plaque is an important question that has garnered much interest in recent years. Originally identified as a lymphocyte activation marker, CD98hc (SLC3A2) is a transmembrane protein involved in cell proliferation and survival via integrin signaling and MAP kinase activation. We hypothesized that CD98hc deficiency in myeloid cells would have a protective effect on atherosclerosis development and plaque composition by limiting macrophage proliferation. For the studies described, we utilized mice with myeloid-specific deletion of the CD98hc ( CD98hc fl/fl LysMCre + ) to determine the effects of CD98hc deficiency on macrophage function in the context of atherosclerosis . We performed in vitro assays to investigate the role of CD98hc in the proliferation and survival of primary mouse bone marrow derived macrophages. Although we found no differences in the number of bone marrow cells isolated from control or CD98hc -/- animals, after differentiation with MCS-F for 7 days, the number of macrophages obtained from CD98hc -/- mice was approximately 80% lower (7.2 ± 2.2 x 10 6 vs. 42.4 ± 4.6 x 10 6 per mouse) compared to control mice. Proliferation assays in vitro using EdU revealed approximately 50% (15.4 ± 2.5% vs. 7.5±1.8%) reduced cell proliferation in CD98hc -/- macrophages compared to control cells that could not be rescued with the addition M-CSF. In a 6-week atherosclerosis study using Ldlr -/- CD98hc fl/fl LysMCre + mice, Oil-Red O staining of whole aortae as well as aortic sinus sections showed that atherosclerotic plaque development was reduced compared to Ldlr -/- CD98hc fl/fl LysMCre - control mice. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining of atherosclerotic tissues revealed a reduction in macrophage abundance and proliferation within the plaque of Ldlr -/- CD98hc fl/fl LysMCre + mice compared to control mice. These findings support an important role of CD98hc in macrophage proliferation within the plaque environment, and provide a novel target for reducing atherosclerosis.


2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paresa Taghavie-Moghadam ◽  
Matthew Butcher ◽  
Mark Kaplan ◽  
Jerry Nadler ◽  
Elena Galkina

T helper 1 (Th1) cells constitute the majority of plaque infiltrating IFNγ+ T cells and play a pro-atherogenic role. Th1 cells are induced via IFNγ-dependent activation of T-box expressed in T cells (Tbet) and/or IL-12-dependent activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (Stat4). While the role of Tbet in atherosclerosis is established, the impact of the IL-12/Stat4-dependent pathway is not well defined. To address the role of Stat4 in atherosclerosis, we bred Stat4-deficient mice with Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice to generate Stat4-/-Apoe-/- mice. Deficiency of Stat4 resulted in approximately a 70% reduction in the plaque burden for 34 week old Stat4-/-Apoe-/- mice fed a chow diet and in 12 week old Stat4-/-Apoe-/- mice fed a western diet there was approximately a 40% reduction in plaque burden, both compared with diet matched Apoe-/- controls females (p<0.001). To assess the effect of Stat4 on Th1 and Treg cell differentiation, we performed an in vitro polarization assay. Deficiency of Stat4 reduced differentiation of IFNγ+ Th1 cells in Th1 conditions, but supported the induction of Tregs in Treg polarizing conditions, confirming the importance of Stat4 in regulating the Th1/Treg balance. In contrast to the in vitro results, we found no difference in the expression of both IFNγ and Foxp3 amongst Stat4-/-Apoe-/- and Apoe-/- lymph nodes and splenic CD4+ T cells; suggesting that additional cytokines in vivo may induce IFNγ+Th1 and inhibit Treg differentiation. Stat4 deficiency also resulted in increased splenic B cell numbers and a slight increase in B1a dependent T15/E06 mRNA expression. Stat4 is a powerful regulator of chemokine expression within peripheral tissues. Adoptively transferred Apoe-/- B cells and CD11b+ cells migrated more efficiently into Stat4-/-Apoe-/- aortas compared to Apoe-/- recipients. However, percentages of macrophages, as determined by CD11b+CD68+ were reduced within the spleens and aortas of Stat4-/-Apoe-/- mice as compared to Apoe-/- controls at steady state conditions. In conclusion, Stat4 deficiency results in reduced atherosclerosis via the modulation of B cell function and aortic leukocyte content.


2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 2515-2523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriano L. S. Souza ◽  
Ester Roffê ◽  
Vanessa Pinho ◽  
Danielle G. Souza ◽  
Adriana F. Silva ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In human schistosomiasis, the concentrations of the chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α/CCL3) is greater in the plasma of patients with clinical hepatosplenic disease. The objective of the present study was to confirm the ability of CCL3 to detect severe disease in patients classified by ultrasonography (US) and to evaluate the potential role of CCL3 in Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice. CCL3 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the plasma of S. mansoni-infected patients. CCL3-deficient mice were infected with 25 cercariae, and various inflammatory and infectious indices were evaluated. The concentration of CCL3 was higher in the plasma of S. mansoni-infected than noninfected patients. Moreover, CCL3 was greater in those with US-defined hepatosplenic than with the intestinal form of the disease. In CCL3-deficient mice, the size of the granuloma and the liver eosinophil peroxidase activity and collagen content were diminished compared to wild-type mice. In CCL3-deficient mice, the worm burden after 14 weeks of infection, but not after 9 weeks, was consistently smaller. The in vitro response of mesenteric lymph node cells to antigen stimulation was characterized by lower levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10. CCL3 is a marker of disease severity in infected humans, and experimental studies in mice suggest that CCL3 may be a causative factor in the development of severe schistosomiasis.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 113 (8) ◽  
pp. 1759-1767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gefeng Zhu ◽  
Mathew M. Augustine ◽  
Takeshi Azuma ◽  
Liqun Luo ◽  
Sheng Yao ◽  
...  

Abstract B7-H4 is an immunoglobulin superfamily molecule and shown to be inhibitory for T-cell responses. To explore physiologic roles of B7-H4, we created B7-H4–deficient (KO) mice by genetic targeting. B7-H4KO mice are healthy and their T- and B-cell responses to polyclonal antigens are in normal range. However, B7-H4KO mice are more resistant to infection by Listeria monocytogenes than their littermates. Within 3 days after infection, bacterial colonies in livers and spleens are significantly lower than the controls, suggesting a role of B7-H4 in enhancing innate immunity. Further studies demonstrate that neutrophils increase in peripheral organs of B7-H4KO mice more so than their littermates but their bactericidal functions remain unchanged. Augmented innate resistance is completely dependent on neutrophils, even in the absence of adaptive immunity. In vitro B7-H4 inhibits the growth of bone marrow–derived neutrophil progenitors, suggesting an inhibitory function of B7-H4 in neutrophil expansion. Our results identify B7-H4 as a negative regulator of the neutrophil response to infection and provide a new target for manipulation of innate immunity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Soto ◽  
Laura Ramírez ◽  
José Carlos Solana ◽  
Emma C. L. Cook ◽  
Elena Hernández-García ◽  
...  

Unveiling the protective immune response to visceral leishmaniasis is critical for a rational design of vaccines aimed at reducing the impact caused by this fatal, if left untreated, vector-borne disease. In this study we sought to determine the role of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like 3 (Batf3) in the evolution of infection with Leishmania infantum, the causative agent of human visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean Basin and Latin America. For that, Batf3-deficient mice in C57BL/6 background were infected with an L. infantum strain expressing the luciferase gene. Bioluminescent imaging, as well as in vitro parasite titration, demonstrated that Batf3-deficient mice were unable to control hepatic parasitosis as opposed to wild-type C57BL/6 mice. The impaired microbicide capacities of L. infantum-infected macrophages from Batf3-deficient mice mainly correlated with a reduction of parasite-specific IFN-γ production. Our results reinforce the implication of Batf3 in the generation of type 1 immunity against infectious diseases.


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