Project description:Human mutations in the death receptor Fas or its ligand FasL cause autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), whereas mutations in caspase-8 or its adaptor FADD â which mediate cell death downstream of Fas/FasL â cause severe immunodeficiency in addition to ALPS. Mouse models have corroborated a role for FADD-caspase-8 in promoting inflammatory responses, but the mechanisms underlying immunodeficiency remain undefined. Here, we identify NEDD4-binding protein 1 (N4BP1) as a suppressor of cytokine production that is cleaved and inactivated by caspase-8. N4BP1 deletion in mice significantly increased production of select cytokines upon Toll-like receptor (TLR) 1/2, TLR7, or TLR9 stimulation, but not upon TLR3 or TLR4 engagement. N4BP1 did not suppress TLR3 or TLR4 responses in wild-type macrophages owing to TRIF- and caspase-8-dependent cleavage of N4BP1. Notably, impaired TLR3 and TLR4 cytokine responses of caspase-8-deficient macrophages were largely rescued by co-deletion of N4BP1. Thus, persistence of intact N4BP1 in caspase-8-deficient macrophages impairs their ability to mount robust cytokine responses. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), like TLR3 or TLR4 agonists, also induced caspase-8-dependent cleavage of N4BP1, thereby licensing TRIF-independent TLRs to produce higher levels of inflammatory cytokines. Illustrating the importance of this function of TNF in vivo, TNF blockade increased the mortality of mice infected with Streptococcus Pneumoniae, but did not do so when infected mice lacked N4BP1. Collectively, our results identify N4BP1 as a potent suppressor of cytokine responses; reveal N4BP1 cleavage by Caspase-8 as a point of signal integration during inflammation; and offer an explanation for immunodeficiency caused by FADD-caspase-8 mutations.
Project description:Human mutations in the death receptor Fas or its ligand FasL cause autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), whereas mutations in caspase-8 or its adaptor FADD â which mediate cell death downstream of Fas/FasL â cause severe immunodeficiency in addition to ALPS. Mouse models have corroborated a role for FADD-caspase-8 in promoting inflammatory responses, but the mechanisms underlying immunodeficiency remain undefined. Here, we identify NEDD4-binding protein 1 (N4BP1) as a suppressor of cytokine production that is cleaved and inactivated by caspase-8. N4BP1 deletion in mice significantly increased production of select cytokines upon Toll-like receptor (TLR) 1/2, TLR7, or TLR9 stimulation, but not upon TLR3 or TLR4 engagement. N4BP1 did not suppress TLR3 or TLR4 responses in wild-type macrophages owing to TRIF- and caspase-8-dependent cleavage of N4BP1. Notably, impaired TLR3 and TLR4 cytokine responses of caspase-8-deficient macrophages were largely rescued by co-deletion of N4BP1. Thus, persistence of intact N4BP1 in caspase-8-deficient macrophages impairs their ability to mount robust cytokine responses. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), like TLR3 or TLR4 agonists, also induced caspase-8-dependent cleavage of N4BP1, thereby licensing TRIF-independent TLRs to produce higher levels of inflammatory cytokines. Illustrating the importance of this function of TNF in vivo, TNF blockade increased the mortality of mice infected with Streptococcus Pneumoniae, but did not do so when infected mice lacked N4BP1. Collectively, our results identify N4BP1 as a potent suppressor of cytokine responses; reveal N4BP1 cleavage by Caspase-8 as a point of signal integration during inflammation; and offer an explanation for immunodeficiency caused by FADD-caspase-8 mutations.
Project description:Identification of innate immune responses in the livers of mice infected with liver-stage arresting, transgenic, Plasmodium yoelii parasites. Whole liver samples from mock and P. yoelli fabb/f- infected C57BL/6 and BALB/cJ mice. Samples were taken 3 days post infection
Project description:Interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) form the backbone of innate immune system and are pivotal for limiting intra- and intercellular viral replication and spread. We conducted a mass spectrometry–based survey to understand the fundamental organization of the innate immune system and to explore molecular functions of individual ISGs. We identified interactions between 104 ISGs and 1,401 cellular binding partners engaging in 2,734 high-confidence interactions. 90% of these interactions are unreported so far, and our survey therefore illuminates a far wider activity spectrum of ISGs than currently known. Integration of the resulting ISG-interaction network with published datasets and functional studies allowed us to identify novel regulators of immunity and immune system–related processes. Given the extraordinary robustness of the innate immune system, this ISG network may serve as a blueprint for therapeutic targeting of cellular systems in order to efficiently fight viral infections.
Project description:Although genomic instability can trigger cancer-intrinsic innate immune responses that promote tumor rejection, cancer cells often evade these responses by overexpressing immune checkpoint regulators, such as PD-L1. Here, we identify the SNF2-family DNA translocase SMARCAL1 as a factor that favors tumor immune evasion by a dual mechanism involving both the suppression of innate immune signaling and the induction of PD-L1-mediated immune checkpoint responses. Mechanistically, SMARCAL1 relieves endogenous DNA damage and suppresses cGAS-STING-dependent immune signaling during cancer cell growth. Simultaneously, it cooperates with the AP-1 family member JUN to maintain chromatin accessibility at a transcriptional regulatory element in the PD-L1 gene, thereby promoting PD-L1 expression in cancer cells. Loss of SMARCAL1 enhances anti-tumor immune responses and sensitizes tumors to immune checkpoint blockade in a mouse melanoma model. Collectively, these studies uncover SMARCAL1 as a valuable target for cancer immunotherapy.