Investigation of conventional and unconventional protein secretion using galectin-3
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ABSTRACT: Protein secretion is an essential process in cell biology. The conventional secretion pathway is well known, and involves proteins with a signal sequence being directed into the endoplasmic reticulum. Once in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, proteins are trafficked through the Golgi and remain separate from the cytosol throughout their journey to the outside of the cell. More recently, proteins without a signal sequence have been found outside the cell. These proteins are secreted unconventionally, and avoid the ER-Golgi route. For both pathways, some aspects remain unclear, particularly surrounding the regulation of protein secretion. Galectin-3, an unconventionally secreted protein, was used here to investigate both conventional and unconventional protein secretion. The unconventional protein secretion of galectin-3 is poorly understood. To address this, genetic manipulation of galectin-3 was used to gain insights into the mechanism of galectin-3 secretion. It was found that galectin-3 does not require unfolding or binding to cell surface glycoproteins to be secreted. Galectin-3 was also used to assess protein secretion using a genome-wide CRISPR screen. As galectin‑3 binds to cell surface glycoproteins, galectin-3 on the cell surface was used to assess secretion of these glycoproteins. Hits were validated by a glycoprotein secretion assay. Using this pipeline, 93 hits were identified as involved in protein secretion, of which 51 were novel hits not previously associated with protein secretion. Many of the hits identified also resulted in a phenotype of altered Golgi morphology, and five of these were investigated further. Two novel hits that localised to the Golgi were identified, TMEM220 and GPR161. GPR161 likely mediates its effect on Golgi morphology by its interaction with golgin A5. This thesis presents new insights into both conventional and unconventional protein secretion. Insights into the mechanism for galaectin-3 secretion were revealed. A novel Golgi-localised regulator of secretion, GRP161, was identified, with a mechanism for action suggested. Importantly, the list of 51 novel genes identified will serve as a useful resource for other researchers investigating protein secretion.
Project description:Background: The fundamental process of protein secretion from eukaryotic cells has been well described for many years, yet gaps in our understanding of how this process is regulated remain. Methods: With the aim of identifying novel genes involved in the secretion of glycoproteins, we used a screening pipeline consisting of a pooled genome-wide CRISPR screen, followed by secondary siRNA screening of the hits to identify and validate several novel regulators of protein secretion. Results: We present approximately 50 novel genes not previously associated with protein secretion, many of which also had an effect on the structure of the Golgi apparatus. We further studied a small selection of hits to investigate their subcellular localization. One of these, GPR161, is a novel Golgi-resident protein that we propose maintains Golgi structure via an interaction with golgin A5. Conclusions: This study has identified new factors for protein secretion involved in Golgi homeostasis.
Project description:NLRP3 inflammasome assembles in response to stress or danger signals and leads to unconventional secretion of proinflammatory IL-1. FADD is an NLRP3 inflammasome component. Here we found that classical NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human monocytes/macrophages induced FADD secretion, which required potassium efflux, functional NLRP3 sensor, ASC adaptor and caspase-1 scaffold molecule. FADD is a leaderless protein unconventionally secreted through plasma membrane-derived microvesicles. Blood-derived monocytes from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients secreted more FADD following NLRP3 inflammasome activation than those from healthy donors, and we found increased levels of FADD in the sera (ESPOIR cohort) and synovial fluids from RA patients. Levels of synovial FADD correlated with the inflammatory status of the joint. These data reveal that FADD secretion occurs during inflammatory disease in vivo.
Project description:In cells, several cargoes are delivered to the cell surface or the extracellular space via unconventional secretion routes. GRASP55 is a Golgi protein that regulates unconventional secretion of distinct proteins and controls the assembly and membrane stacking of Golgi cisternae. Recent work suggested that the role of GRASP55 in unconventional secretion may involve its relocalization to other organelles. However, the stimuli that drive GRASP55-dependent unconventional secretion, the signaling events that regulate GRASP55 function, the subcellular locations where GRASP55 acts, and the cargoes that follow this route for secretion remain unclear. Here, we show that mTORC1 directly phosphorylates GRASP55 at multiple sites to maintain its Golgi localization. Cellular stresses or drugs that inhibit mTORC1 cause GRASP55 dephosphorylation and relocalization to autophagosomal / MVB structures. Using secretome and surfactome analyses in GRASP55-null cells, we identify for the first time numerous -previously unknown- cargoes that rely on this unconventional secretory pathway.
Project description:Galectin-1 is a prototype member of the galectin family of b-galactoside-binding proteins with several immunoregulatory activities (Sundblad et al., 2017). Although this lectin exerts extracellular activities by cross-linking cell surface glycoconjugates, the mechanisms and molecular machinery involved in its secretion are uncertain as it lacks the classical signal sequence required for ER-Golgi release (Camby, 2006; Croci et al., 2014). To assess the global impact of galectin-1 on LPS-induced transcriptomic response, we performed RNAseq analysis of total RNAs from the spleen and the lungs of wild-type and Lgals1-/- mice injected with LPS.
Project description:The goal of the project is to identify interactors of GRASP, a golgi-associated protein, to elucidate the mechanism of unconventional secretion.
Project description:As in animals, cell-cell communication plays pivotal role in male-female recognition during plant sexual reproduction. Prelaid peptides secreted from the female reproductive tissues guide pollen tubes towards ovules for fertilization. However, the elaborate mechanisms for this dialogue have remained elusive, particularly from the male perspective. We perform genome-wide quantitative liquid chromatography coupled tandem mass spectrometry of a pistil-stimulated pollen tube secretome and identify 801 pollen tube-secreted proteins. Interestingly, in silico analysis reveals that the pollen tube-secretome is dominated by unconventional-type secreted proteins representing 57% of the total secretome. In support, we show that unconventional-type protein, translationally controlled tumor protein, is secreted to the apoplast. Remarkably, we discover that this protein could be secreted by infiltrating through the initial phases of the conventional secretory pathway and could reach the apoplast via exosomes as demonstrated by co-localization with Oleisin1 exosome marker. We demonstrate that Arabidopsis thaliana translationally controlled tumor protein-knockdown plants have pollen tubes that poorly navigate to the target ovule, and the knocked down allele is poorly transmitted through the male. We show that regulators of the endoplasmic reticulum-trans-golgi network protein secretory pathway control secretion of pollen tube-secreted cysteine-rich proteins, including pollen tube attractants, and are essential for pollen tube growth and guidance, as well as ovule-targeting competence. This work, the first pollen tube secretome study, identifies novel genome-wide pollen tube-secreted proteins with potential function in pollen tube-ovule guidance for sexual reproduction. Functional analysis highlights a potential mechanism for pollen tube unconventional protein secretion and reveals likely regulators of pollen tube protein secretion. The association of pollen tube-secreted proteins with marker proteins shown to be secreted via exosomes in other species suggest secretion via exosomes as a possible mechanism for cell-cell communication between the pollen tube and female reproductive cells. For processed dataset with quantitative information, see Hafidh S, Potesil D, Fila J et al. Genome Bilogy 2016.
Project description:The goal of this study was to examine differences in gene expression of tumor specific CD8 T cells in an in vivo tumor mouse model after inhibition of galectin-3 protein expression by genetic knockout. Galectin-3 is thought to modulate CD8 T cell response by cross-linking cell surface glycoproteins Galectin-3 is a 31 kD carbohydrate-binding lectin that is over-expressed by many human malignancies. It also modulates T cell responses through a diverse array of mechanisms including induction of apoptosis, TCR cross linking in CD8+ T cells, and T cell receptor (TCR) down regulation in CD4+ T cells. We found that patients responding to a granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) secreting allogeneic pancreatic tumor vaccine developed post immunization antibody responses to galectin-3 on a proteomic screen. We used the HER-2/neu (neu-N) transgenic mouse model to study galectin-3 binding on adoptively transferred high avidity neu-specific CD8+ T cells derived from TCR transgenic mice. Here, we show that galectin-3 binds preferentially to activated antigen-committed CD8+ T cells only in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Galectin-3 deficient mice exhibit improved CD8+ T cell effector function and increased expression of several inflammatory genes when compared with wild type (WT) mice. We also show that galectin-3 binds to LAG-3, and LAG-3 expression is necessary for galectin-3 mediated suppression of CD8+ T cells in vitro. Lastly, galectin-3 deficient mice have significantly elevated levels of circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), which are superior to conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) in activating CD8+ T cells. Binding of galectin-3 to cell-surface glycoproteins on immune cells suppresses a pro-inflammatory immune response. Thus, inhibiting galectin-3 in conjunction with CD8+ T cell directed immunotherapies should enhance the tumor specific immune response.
Project description:The goal of this study was to examine differences in gene expression of tumor specific CD8 T cells in an in vivo tumor mouse model after inhibition of galectin-3 protein expression by genetic knockout. Galectin-3 is thought to modulate CD8 T cell response by cross-linking cell surface glycoproteins Galectin-3 is a 31 kD carbohydrate-binding lectin that is over-expressed by many human malignancies. It also modulates T cell responses through a diverse array of mechanisms including induction of apoptosis, TCR cross linking in CD8+ T cells, and T cell receptor (TCR) down regulation in CD4+ T cells. We found that patients responding to a granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) secreting allogeneic pancreatic tumor vaccine developed post immunization antibody responses to galectin-3 on a proteomic screen. We used the HER-2/neu (neu-N) transgenic mouse model to study galectin-3 binding on adoptively transferred high avidity neu-specific CD8+ T cells derived from TCR transgenic mice. Here, we show that galectin-3 binds preferentially to activated antigen-committed CD8+ T cells only in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Galectin-3 deficient mice exhibit improved CD8+ T cell effector function and increased expression of several inflammatory genes when compared with wild type (WT) mice. We also show that galectin-3 binds to LAG-3, and LAG-3 expression is necessary for galectin-3 mediated suppression of CD8+ T cells in vitro. Lastly, galectin-3 deficient mice have significantly elevated levels of circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), which are superior to conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) in activating CD8+ T cells. Binding of galectin-3 to cell-surface glycoproteins on immune cells suppresses a pro-inflammatory immune response. Thus, inhibiting galectin-3 in conjunction with CD8+ T cell directed immunotherapies should enhance the tumor specific immune response. 3 different experimental groups were studied. Galectin-3 WT CD8 T cells adoptively transferred into Galectin-3 WT mice, galectin-3 WT CD8 T cells transferred into galectin-3 KO mice, and finally galectin-3 KO CD8 T cells transferred into galectin-3 KO mice. Galectin-3 WT CD8 T cells transferred into Galectin-3 WT mice were used as the reference group. Four biological replicates were submitted for each group, and adoptively transfered CD8 T cells were isolated 5 days post-adoptive transfer into tumor-bearing mice treated with a whole cell GM-CSF secreting vaccine. Cells were purified by cell sorting on the Thy1.2 surface marker.
Project description:The oomycete potato blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans secretes a diverse set of proteins to manipulate host plant immunity. However, there is limited knowledge about the role(s) of majority of these secreted proteins. Here we subjected extracellular proteins from in vitro cultured hyphae to LC/MS/MS to investigate the cargo of protein secretion pathways in P. infestans, in particular the conventional secretory pathway. Like the apoplastic effector EPIC1 (a cysteine protease inhibitor), we show that secretion of cell wall degrading enzymes and pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-like proteins is inhibited by brefeldin A (BFA) in vitro and in planta, demonstrating that these proteins are secreted by the conventional, Golgi-mediated pathway. For comparison, an RXLR (Arg-any amino acid-Leu-Arg) effector, Pi22926, was shown to be unconventionally secreted at haustoria, pathogen structures that penetrate host plant cells, and delivered into infected cells to suppress host defences, consistent with previous findings. We further characterised a pectinesterase (PE), a cell wall degrading enzyme, and INF4, a PAMP-like protein. Both were highly expressed early in infection, enhanced P. infestans colonization, and secreted at haustoria. Notably, in P. infestans transformed lines, PE-mRFP accumulated around the base of haustoria while INF4-mRFP was found to envelop the whole haustorium. We propose that the haustorium is a major site for both non-conventional and conventional secretion, and cell wall degrading enzymes and PAMP proteins are secreted at these sites to facilitate pathogenicity in P. infestans.