Project description:Sensing of pathogens by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) induces an inflammatory response; controlled responses confer immunity but uncontrolled responses cause harm. Here we define how a multi-modular scaffold, GIV (a.k.a Girdin) titrates such inflammatory response in macrophages. Upon challenge with microbe-derived lipopolysaccharides (LPS, a ligand for TLR4), macrophages with GIV mount a more tolerant (hypo-reactive) transcriptional response and suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines and signaling pathways (i.e., NFkB and CREB) downstream of TLR4 compared to their GIV-depleted counterparts.
Project description:Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) sensing of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the most potent pathogen-associated molecular pattern of gram-negative bacteria, activates NF-κB and Irf3, which induces inflammatory cytokines and interferons that trigger an intense inflammatory response, which is critical for host defense but can also cause serious inflammatory pathology, including sepsis. Although TLR4 inhibition is an attractive therapeutic approach for suppressing overexuberant inflammatory signaling, previously identified TLR4 antagonists have not shown any clinical benefit. Here, we identify disulfiram (DSF), an FDA-approved drug for alcoholism, as a specific inhibitor of TLR4-mediated inflammatory signaling. TLR4 cell surface expression, LPS sensing, dimerization and signaling depend on TLR4 binding to MD-2. DSF and other cysteine-reactive drugs, previously shown to block LPS-triggered inflammatory cell death (pyroptosis), inhibit TLR4 signaling by covalently modifying Cys133 of MD-2, a key conserved residue that mediates TLR4 sensing and signaling. DSF blocks LPS-triggered inflammatory cytokine, chemokine, and interferon production by macrophages in vitro. In the aggressive N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine mouse model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in which TLR4 plays an important role, DSF markedly suppresses neuroinflammation and dopaminergic neuron loss, and restores motor function. Our findings identify a role for DSF in curbing TLR4-mediated inflammation and suggest that DSF and other drugs that target MD-2 might be useful for treating PD and other diseases in which inflammation contributes importantly to pathogenesis.
Project description:The NFκB family of transcription factors is a major regulator of the innate immune responses, and its dysregulation has been linked to several inflammatory diseases. In this study we focused on bone marrow derived macrophages from the recently described p65-DsRed/IκBα-eGFP transgenic strain, in which a human copy of RelA (p65) was introduced into the mouse genome. Confocal imaging analysis showed that the human RelA is expressed these cells and can translocate to the nucleus upon Toll-like receptor 4 activation (TLR4). RNA sequencing analysis of polysaccharide-stimulated macrophage cultures, revealed that the extra copy of human RelA impacts on gene transcription, affecting both NFκB and non-NFκB target genes, including immediate-early and late response NFκB target genes, such as Fos and Cxcl10, respectively. In validation experiments on NFB targets we observed reduced mRNA levels, but similar expression kinetic profile of the transgenic cells compared to the wild type. Enrichment pathway analysis based on the differentially regulated genes revealed that interferon and cytokine signaling, are affected downstream TLR4. These immune response pathways were also affected when the macrophages were treated with tumor necrosis factor. The impact of genetic manipulation on cell-specific functions is particularly important and highlights the need of understanding the molecular basis on which complicated in vitro and in vivo experiments will be designed on.
Project description:Interferon (IFN)γ and interleukin (IL)-4 are central regulators of T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) immune responses, respectively. Both cytokines have a major impact on macrophage phenotypes: IFNγ–priming and subsequent TLR4 activation induces so called classically activated macrophages that are characterized by pronounced pro-inflammatory responses, whereas IL-4–treated macrophages, commonly called alternatively activated, are known to develop enhanced capacity for endocytosis, antigen presentation, and tissue repair and are generally considered anti-inflammatory. Considering IL-4 as priming rather than activating stimulus, we now compared the TLR4–dependent global gene activation program in IFNγ– versus IL-4–pretreated mouse macrophages, which has rarely been studied so far. Although both cytokines frequently induced opposing effects on gene transcription, the subsequent activation of bone marrow-derived macrophages by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produced a strong, priming dependent pro-inflammatory response in both macrophage types. For example, the production of key pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-12 was significantly higher in IL-4– versus IFNγ–primed macrophages and several cytokine genes, including Il19, Ccl17, Ccl22, Ccl24 and Cxcl5, were preferentially induced in alternatively primed and LPS activated mouse macrophages. In a subset of genes, including IL12a, IFNγ priming was actually found to suppress LPS–induced gene expression in a Stat1–dependent manner. Our data suggest that IL-4–priming is not per se anti-inflammatory but generates a macrophage that is “tissue protective” but still capable of mounting a strong inflammatory response after TLR4–dependent activation. Keywords: Gene expression profiling Gene expression was investigated in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM). On day 7, BMM were stimulated with either IL-4 or IFNγ overnight (18h in total). LPS treatment was performed in primed and unprimed macrophages 4 h prior to harvesting. At least three independent experiments were performed for each condition.
Project description:Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of obesity and is linked to the development of numerous diseases. The activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by long-chain saturated fatty acids (lcSFAs) is an important process in understanding how obesity initiates inflammation. While experimental evidence supports an important role for TLR4 in obesity-induced inflammation in vivo, via a mechanism thought to involve direct binding to and activation of TLR4 by lcSFAs, several lines of evidence argue against lcSFAs being direct TLR4 agonists. Using multiple orthogonal approaches, we herein provide evidence that while loss-of-function models confirm that TLR4 does, indeed, regulate lcSFA-induced inflammation, TLR4 is not a receptor for lcSFAs. Rather, we show that TLR4-dependent priming alters gene expression, lipid metabolic pathways, and membrane lipid composition, which are necessary for lcSFA-induced inflammation. These results reconcile previous discordant observations and challenge the prevailing view of TLR4's role in initiating obesity-induced inflammation.
Project description:Developmental signals are known to modulate inflammation. How ever, the mechanistic insight that links developmental and inflammatory signaling remains elusive. In the current study, we identifya critical role of NF-kB system in mediating stimulus specific crosstalk that allows developmental LTbR signals to sustain inflammatory TLR4 induced RelA/NF-kB response and gene expression. LTbR activated non-canonical signaling targets canonical TLR4 induced, nfkb2 encoded p100 not only to deplete inhibitory IkBd/(p100)2, but also to supplement RelA:p52/NF-kB dimers. Robust crosstalk in the gut epithelial cells are important, as crosstalk-defective nfkb2-/- mice succumbed to gut infection by Citrobacter rodentium due to hypo-inflammatory responses. Finally, we present evidence for a crosstalk motif that integrates tissue microenvironment derived developmental cues to ameliorate the pathogen response. Total RNA from WT early passage MEFs stimulated with ligands LPS, LTbR and LPS+LTbR for 24hrs were analyzed for global gene expression levels
Project description:Interferon (IFN)γ and interleukin (IL)-4 are central regulators of T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) immune responses, respectively. Both cytokines have a major impact on macrophage phenotypes: IFNγ–priming and subsequent TLR4 activation induces so called classically activated macrophages that are characterized by pronounced pro-inflammatory responses, whereas IL-4–treated macrophages, commonly called alternatively activated, are known to develop enhanced capacity for endocytosis, antigen presentation, and tissue repair and are generally considered anti-inflammatory. Considering IL-4 as priming rather than activating stimulus, we now compared the TLR4–dependent global gene activation program in IFNγ– versus IL-4–pretreated mouse macrophages, which has rarely been studied so far. Although both cytokines frequently induced opposing effects on gene transcription, the subsequent activation of bone marrow-derived macrophages by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produced a strong, priming dependent pro-inflammatory response in both macrophage types. For example, the production of key pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-12 was significantly higher in IL-4– versus IFNγ–primed macrophages and several cytokine genes, including Il19, Ccl17, Ccl22, Ccl24 and Cxcl5, were preferentially induced in alternatively primed and LPS activated mouse macrophages. In a subset of genes, including IL12a, IFNγ priming was actually found to suppress LPS–induced gene expression in a Stat1–dependent manner. Our data suggest that IL-4–priming is not per se anti-inflammatory but generates a macrophage that is “tissue protective” but still capable of mounting a strong inflammatory response after TLR4–dependent activation. Keywords: Gene expression profiling
Project description:The toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a central regulator of innate immune signaling that primarily recognizes bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) cell wall constituents to trigger cytokine secretion. We identify the intramembrane protease RHBDL4 as a negative regulator of TLR4 signaling. We show that RHBDL4-triggers the degradation of TLR4’s trafficking factor TMED7, a member of the p24 family of COPII adaptor proteins, which counteracts the transport of TLR4 to the cell surface. Besides TMED7, RHBDL4 cleaves a subset of related p24 cargo receptors, suggesting that this is a general protein abundance control mechanism to regulate the loading of specific secretory proteins into COPII vesicles. Notably, TLR4 activation by LPS mediates transcriptional upregulation of RHBDL4. Hence, TLR4 activation triggers an RHBDL4-dependent negative feedback loop to reduce the export of newly synthesized TLR4 molecules from the endoplasmic reticulum into COPII-coated vesicles. This secretory cargo tuning mechanism prevents the over-activation of TLR4-dependent signaling and consequently alleviates septic shock in a mouse model.
Project description:Macrophage polarization between the M2 (repair, pro-tumorigenic) and M1 (inflammatory) phenotypes is seen as a continuum of states. The detailed transcriptional events and signals downstream of CSF-1R that contribute to amplification of the M2 phenotype and suppression of the M1 phenotype are largely unknown. Macrophage CSF-1R pTyr-721 signaling promotes cell motility and enhancement of tumor cell invasion in vitro. Combining analysis of cellular systems for CSF-1R gain-of-function and loss-of-function with bioinformatic analysis of the macrophage CSF-1R pTyr-721-regulated transcriptome, we uncovered miR-21 as a downstream molecular switch controlling macrophage activation and identified ERK1/2 and NF-M-NM-:B as CSF-1R pTyr-721-regulated signaling nodes. We show that CSF-1R pTyr-721 signaling suppresses the proinflammatory phenotype, predominantly by induction of miR-21. Profiling of the miR-21-regulated mRNAs revealed that 80% of the CSF-1-regulated canonical miR-21 targets are pro-inflammatory molecules. Additionally, miR-21 positively regulates M2 marker expression. Moreover, miR-21 feeds back to positively regulate its own expression and to limit CSF-1R-mediated activation of ERK1/2 and NF-M-NM-:B. Consistent with an anti-inflammatory role of miRNA-21, intraperitoneal injection of mice with a miRNA-21 inhibitor increases the recruitment of inflammatory monocytes and enhances the peritoneal monocyte/macrophage response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). M-bM-^@M-^C These results identify the macrophage miR-21 network as a novel target for controlling macrophage polarization. We performed microarray-based analysis on four mouse macrophage cell lines, two CSF-1R pTyr-721-expressing cell lines (M-/-.WT and M-/-.3ABY721) and two CSF-1R Tyr-721-deficient lines (M-/-.Y721F and M-/-.3AB). Total RNA (two biological replicates) was extracted from CSF-1-starved cells (UR) or from cells constitutively grown in CSF-1 (CONST). Additionally, CSF-1-starved M-/-.WT and M-/-.Y721F cell lines were stimulated with CSF-1 for 0min, 20 min, 60 min and 180 min and used for total RNA extraction. Total RNA preparations with Ribosomal Integrity Numbers (RIN) > 9.5 were used for microarray analysis. A total of 100 ug/cell line/replicate was used for gene expresion analysis on the Affymetrix Mouse Gene ST1.0 chips at the Genomics Core at Einstein, according to manufacturerM-bM-^@M-^Ys instructions. Differential expression analysis was performed using the M-bM-^@M-^XlimmaM-bM-^@M-^Y package of R/Bioconductor to identify significantly differentially expressed mRNAs over time, in response to CSF-1 treatment and to the genotype. CSF1-regulated genes were identified according to the cutoff with both expression folder change > 1.5 and p-value < 0.05.
Project description:Developmental signals are known to modulate inflammation. How ever, the mechanistic insight that links developmental and inflammatory signaling remains elusive. In the current study, we identifya critical role of NF-kB system in mediating stimulus specific crosstalk that allows developmental LTbR signals to sustain inflammatory TLR4 induced RelA/NF-kB response and gene expression. LTbR activated non-canonical signaling targets canonical TLR4 induced, nfkb2 encoded p100 not only to deplete inhibitory IkBd/(p100)2, but also to supplement RelA:p52/NF-kB dimers. Robust crosstalk in the gut epithelial cells are important, as crosstalk-defective nfkb2-/- mice succumbed to gut infection by Citrobacter rodentium due to hypo-inflammatory responses. Finally, we present evidence for a crosstalk motif that integrates tissue microenvironment derived developmental cues to ameliorate the pathogen response.