Dual-specificity phosphatase 1: a critical regulator of innate immune responses

2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1018-1023 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Abraham ◽  
A.R. Clark

Innate immune responses are critically dependent on MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signalling pathways, in particular JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and p38 MAPK. Both of these kinases are negatively regulated via their dephosphorylation by DUSP1 (dual­-specificity phosphatase 1). Several pro- and anti-inflammatory stimuli converge to regulate the DUSP1 gene and to modulate the time course of its expression. In turn, the pattern of expression of DUSP1 dictates the kinetics of activation of JNK and p38 MAPK, and this influences the expression of several mediators of innate immunity. DUSP1 is therefore a central regulator of innate immunity, and its expression can profoundly affect the outcome of inflammatory challenges. We discuss possible implications for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and their treatment.

2019 ◽  
Vol 295 (6) ◽  
pp. 1575-1586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhihua Qin ◽  
Serena Bonifati ◽  
Corine St. Gelais ◽  
Tai-Wei Li ◽  
Sun-Hee Kim ◽  
...  

Sterile alpha motif and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) is a deoxynucleoside triphosphohydrolase (dNTPase) with a nuclear localization signal (NLS). SAMHD1 suppresses innate immune responses to viral infection and inflammatory stimuli by inhibiting the NF-κB and type I interferon (IFN-I) pathways. However, whether the dNTPase activity and nuclear localization of SAMHD1 are required for its suppression of innate immunity remains unknown. Here, we report that the dNTPase activity, but not nuclear localization of SAMHD1, is important for its suppression of innate immune responses in differentiated monocytic cells. We generated monocytic U937 cell lines stably expressing WT SAMHD1 or mutated variants defective in dNTPase activity (HD/RN) or nuclear localization (mNLS). WT SAMHD1 in differentiated U937 cells significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNAs, as well as IFN-α, IFN-β, and TNF-α mRNA levels induced by Sendai virus infection. In contrast, the HD/RN mutant did not exhibit this inhibition in either U937 or THP-1 cells, indicating that the dNTPase activity of SAMHD1 is important for suppressing NF-κB activation. Of note, in lipopolysaccharide-treated or Sendai virus–infected U937 or THP-1 cells, the mNLS variant reduced TNF-α or IFN-β mRNA expression to a similar extent as did WT SAMHD1, suggesting that SAMHD1-mediated inhibition of innate immune responses is independent of SAMHD1's nuclear localization. Moreover, WT and mutant SAMHD1 similarly interacted with key proteins in NF-κB and IFN-I pathways in cells. This study further defines the role and mechanisms of SAMHD1 in suppressing innate immunity.


2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. 2510-2517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Kakugawa ◽  
Masayuki Shimojima ◽  
Hideo Goto ◽  
Taisuke Horimoto ◽  
Naoki Oshimori ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Viral infections induce signaling pathways in mammalian cells that stimulate innate immune responses and affect cellular processes, such as apoptosis, mitosis, and differentiation. Here, we report that the ribosomal protein S6 kinase alpha 3 (RSK2), which is activated through the “classical” mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, plays a role in innate immune responses to influenza virus infection. RSK2 functions in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation but was not known to play a role in the cellular antiviral response. We have found that knockdown of RSK2 enhanced viral polymerase activity and growth of influenza viruses. Influenza virus infection stimulates NK-κB- and beta interferon-dependent promoters. This stimulation was reduced in RSK2 knockdown cells, suggesting that RSK2 executes its effect through innate immune response pathways. Furthermore, RSK2 knockdown suppressed influenza virus-induced phosphorylation of the double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase PKR, a known antiviral protein. These findings establish a role for RSK2 in the cellular antiviral response.


2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (3) ◽  
pp. G601-G611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen L. W. Walton ◽  
Lisa Holt ◽  
R. Balfour Sartor

Myofibroblasts (MF) play an important role in intestinal wound healing. A compromised epithelial barrier exposes intestinal subepithelial MF to luminal bacterial products. However, responses of murine intestinal MF to bacterial adjuvants and potential roles of intestinal MF in innate immune responses are not well defined. Our aims in this study were to determine innate immune responses and intracellular signaling pathways of intestinal MF exposed to LPS, a prototypic Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligand. Expression of TLR4 in primary murine intestinal MF cultures was confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blotting. LPS-induced secretion of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin (IL)-6, and keratinocyte-derived chemokines (KC) was measured by ELISA. Intracellular responses to LPS were assessed by Western blotting for NF-κB p65, Iκ-Bα, Akt, p38 MAP kinase, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). LPS induced rapid phosphorylation of NF-κB p65, Akt, and p38 MAPK and degradation of Iκ-Bα. LPS induced expression of COX-2 and secretion of PGE2 (2.0 ± 0.8-fold induction vs. unstimulated cells), IL-6 (6.6 ± 0.4-fold induction), and KC (12.5 ± 0.4-fold induction). Inhibition of phosphoinositide-3 (PI3)-kinase, p38 MAPK, or NF-κB pathways reduced LPS-induced PGE2, IL-6, and KC secretion. These studies show that primary murine intestinal MF respond to LPS, evidenced by activation of NF-κB, PI3-kinase, and MAPK signaling pathways and secretion of proinflammatory molecules. Inhibition of these pathways attenuated LPS-dependent PGE2, IL-6, and KC production, indicating that LPS activates MF by multiple signaling pathways. These data support the hypothesis that MF are a component of the innate immune system and may exert paracrine effects on adjacent epithelial and immune cells by responding to luminal bacterial adjuvants.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip Wibisono ◽  
Shawndra Wibisono ◽  
Jan Watteyne ◽  
Chia-Hui Chen ◽  
Durai Sellegounder ◽  
...  

A key question in current immunology is how the innate immune system generates high levels of specificity. Like most invertebrates, Caenorhabditis elegans does not have an adaptive immune system and relies solely on innate immunity to defend itself against pathogen attacks, yet it can still differentiate different pathogens and launch distinct innate immune responses. Here, we have found that functional loss of NMUR-1, a neuronal GPCR homologous to mammalian receptors for the neuropeptide neuromedin U, has diverse effects on C. elegans survival against various bacterial pathogens. Transcriptomic analyses and functional assays revealed that NMUR-1 modulates C. elegans transcription activity by regulating the expression of transcription factors, which, in turn, controls the expression of distinct immune genes in response to different pathogens. Our study has uncovered a molecular basis for the specificity of C. elegans innate immunity that could provide mechanistic insights into understanding the specificity of vertebrate innate immunity.


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