Asparaginyl Endopeptidase (Legumain) Supports Human Th1 Induction via Cathepsin L-Mediated Intracellular C3 Activation.
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ABSTRACT: Autocrine activation of the complement receptors C3aR and CD46 by complement activation components C3a and C3b produced through C3 cleavage by the protease cathepsin L (CTSL) during T cell stimulation is a requirement for IFN-? production and Th1 induction in human CD4+ T cells. Thus, lack of autocrine CD46 activation, such as in CD46-deficient patients, is associated with defective Th1 responses and recurrent infections. We have identified LGMN [the gene coding for legumain, also known as asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP)] as one of the key genes induced by CD46 co-stimulation during human CD4+ T cell activation. AEP processes and activates a range of proteins, among those ?1-thymosin and CTSL, which both drive intrinsically Th1 activity-but has so far not been described to be functionally active in human T cells. Here we found that pharmacological inhibition of AEP during activation of human CD4+ T cells reduced CTSL activation and the CTSL-mediated generation of intracellular C3a. This translated into a specific reduction of IFN-? production without affecting cell proliferation or survival. In line with these findings, CD4+ T cells isolated from Lgmn -/- mice also displayed a specific defect in IFN-? secretion and Th1 induction. Furthermore, we did not observe a role for AEP-driven autocrine ?1-thymosin activation in T cell-derived IFN-? production. These data suggest that AEP is an "upstream" activator of the CTSL-C3-IFN-? axis in human CD4+ T cells and hence an important supporter of human Th1 induction.
SUBMITTER: Freeley S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6207624 | biostudies-literature | 2018
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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