RESUMEN
Cross-linking of the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) results in the activation of several protein tyrosine kinases leading to phospholipase C-gamma2-dependent phospholipid hydrolysis and Ca2+ mobilization, followed by activation of the protein kinase C (PKC) family members. Sustained Ca2+ release in B lymphocytes is dependent on the membrane localization and activation of the protein tyrosine kinase BTK. Ca2+ release is a tightly regulated process involving BTK membrane localization through its phosphorylation by PKCbeta. A selective role of PKCbeta in B cell signaling was first revealed by the characterization of PKCbeta knockout mice, which displayed decreased B cell proliferation in response to various mitogenic stimuli. However, it is not clear whether the B cell defects displayed by the PKCbeta knockout mice are due a B cell developmental defect or the scaffolding function of PKCbeta, resulting in a defect in the recruitment or formation of signal transducing complex molecules. Thus, in this report we investigated the effects of pharmacologic inhibition of the catalytic function of PKCbeta on B cell survival and growth. Treatment of Daudi B lymphoma cell line with a selective PKCbeta inhibitor, LY333531, inhibited anti-IgM-induced phosphorylation of BTK on Ser180 in a concentration-dependent manner, which was concomitant with an increase in BTK activation, and Ca2+ mobilization. In primary splenic B cells, LY333531 inhibited BCR-induced B cell proliferation, but did not affect basal or LPS-induced proliferation. Finally, LY333531 treatment resulted in the induction of apoptosis of anti-IgM-activated B cells, which corroborated with their inability to up-regulate pro-survival factors, Bcl-X(L) and Bcl-2. These results support the important and selective role of the PKCbeta enzymatic function in controlling Ca2+ release during BCR signaling leading to B lymphocyte survival and growth.
Asunto(s)
Linfocitos B/enzimología , Linfocitos B/inmunología , Proteína Quinasa C/metabolismo , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfocitos B/metabolismo , Agammaglobulinemia Tirosina Quinasa , Animales , Linfocitos B/citología , Linfocitos B/efectos de los fármacos , Señalización del Calcio/efectos de los fármacos , Supervivencia Celular , Reactivos de Enlaces Cruzados , Femenino , Técnicas In Vitro , Indoles/farmacología , Maleimidas/farmacología , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Proteína Quinasa C/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteína Quinasa C/inmunología , Proteína Quinasa C beta , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/farmacología , Proteínas Tirosina Quinasas/metabolismoRESUMEN
The protein kinase C theta (PKC theta) serine/threonine kinase has been implicated in signaling of T cell activation, proliferation, and cytokine production. However, the in vivo consequences of ablation of PKC theta on T cell function in inflammatory autoimmune disease have not been thoroughly examined. In this study we used PKC theta-deficient mice to investigate the potential involvement of PKC theta in the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a prototypic T cell-mediated autoimmune disease model of the CNS. We found that PKC theta-/- mice immunized with the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide MOG(35-55) were completely resistant to the development of clinical experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis compared with wild-type control mice. Flow cytometric and histopathological analysis of the CNS revealed profound reduction of both T cell and macrophage infiltration and demyelination. Ex vivo MOG(35-55) stimulation of splenic T lymphocytes from immunized PKC theta-/- mice revealed significantly reduced production of the Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma as well as the T cell effector cytokine IL-17 despite comparable levels of IL-2 and IL-4 and similar cell proliferative responses. Furthermore, IL-17 expression was dramatically reduced in the CNS of PKC theta-/- mice compared with wild-type mice during the disease course. In addition, PKC theta-/- T cells failed to up-regulate LFA-1 expression in response to TCR activation, and LFA-1 expression was also significantly reduced in the spleens of MOG(35-55)-immunized PKC theta-/- mice as well as in in vitro-stimulated CD4+ T cells compared with wild-type mice. These results underscore the importance of PKC theta in the regulation of multiple T cell functions necessary for the development of autoimmune disease.
Asunto(s)
Encefalomielitis Autoinmune Experimental/enzimología , Interleucina-17/antagonistas & inhibidores , Interleucina-17/biosíntesis , Isoenzimas/deficiencia , Isoenzimas/genética , Proteína Quinasa C/deficiencia , Proteína Quinasa C/genética , Animales , Linfocitos T CD4-Positivos/metabolismo , Células Cultivadas , Susceptibilidad a Enfermedades , Encefalomielitis Autoinmune Experimental/genética , Encefalomielitis Autoinmune Experimental/inmunología , Encefalomielitis Autoinmune Experimental/patología , Femenino , Glicoproteínas/inmunología , Inmunidad Innata/genética , Interferón gamma/biosíntesis , Isoenzimas/fisiología , Antígeno-1 Asociado a Función de Linfocito/biosíntesis , Antígeno-1 Asociado a Función de Linfocito/genética , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Noqueados , Glicoproteína Mielina-Oligodendrócito , Fragmentos de Péptidos/inmunología , Proteína Quinasa C/fisiología , Proteína Quinasa C-theta , Bazo/citología , Bazo/inmunología , Bazo/metabolismoRESUMEN
Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) exerts potent antiviral activity in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicon systems. However, the mechanisms underlying the direct antiviral effect have not been determined. We found that the type II transcriptional response to IFN-gamma could be suppressed by inhibition of MEK1/2 kinase activity by MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 in the hepatoma cell line Huh-7. Using a bicistronic HCV replicon system expressing a luciferase reporter gene in Huh-7 cells (RLuc-replicon), we showed that inhibition of MEK1/2 kinase activity is sufficient to counteract the antiviral activity of IFN-gamma. Expression of a constitutive active form of Ras inhibited the luciferase activity of RLuc-replicon, whereas a dominant-negative mutant of Ras enhanced the reporter activity, indicating that the Ras-MAPK pathway has a role in limiting replication of the viral RNA. Consistent with the involvement of the Ras-MAPK pathway, treatment with epidermal growth factor suppressed HCV protein expression in the RLuc-replicon cells, an effect that could be abolished by U0126. Inhibition of MEK1/2 kinase activity correlated with reduced phosphorylation of the HCV NS5A protein and enhanced RLuc-replicon luciferase reporter activity, in line with recent reports that phosphorylation of NS5A negatively modulates HCV RNA replication. Finally, genetic deletion analysis in yeast supported the role of a MEK-like kinase(s) in the regulation of NS5A phosphorylation. In conclusion, the direct anti-HCV effect of IFN-gamma in cell culture is, at least in part, mediated through the Ras-MAPK signaling pathway, which possibly involves a direct or indirect modulation of NS5A protein phosphorylation.
Asunto(s)
Antivirales/farmacología , Hepacivirus/efectos de los fármacos , Interferón gamma/farmacología , Sistema de Señalización de MAP Quinasas , Replicación Viral/efectos de los fármacos , Proteínas ras/fisiología , Humanos , MAP Quinasa Quinasa 1/fisiología , MAP Quinasa Quinasa 2/fisiología , Fosforilación , Células Tumorales Cultivadas , Proteínas no Estructurales Virales/metabolismoRESUMEN
DNA ligase is an enzyme essential for DNA replication, repair, and recombination in all organisms. Bacterial DNA ligases catalyze a NAD(+)-dependent DNA ligation reaction, i.e., the formation of a phosphodiester bond between adjacent 3'-OH and 5'-phosphate termini of dsDNA. Due to their essential nature, unique cofactor requirement, and widespread existence in nature, bacterial DNA ligases appear to be valuable targets for identifying novel antibacterial agents. To explore bacterial DNA ligases as antibacterial targets and further characterize them, we developed a simple, robust, homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay (TR-FRET) for measuring Streptococcus pneumoniae DNA ligase activity. This assay involves the use of one dsDNA molecule labeled with biotin and another dsDNA molecule labeled with Cy5, an acceptor fluorophore. During ligation reactions, the donor fluorophore europium (Eu(3+)) labeled with streptavidin was added to the assay mixtures, which bound to the biotin label on the ligated products. This in turn resulted in the FRET from Eu(3+) to Cy5 due to their close proximity. The formation of ligation products was measured by monitoring the emission at 665nm. This assay was validated by the experiments showing that the DNA ligase activity required NAD(+) and MgCl(2), and was inhibited by NMN and AMP, products of the ligase reaction. Using this assay, we determined the K(m) values of the enzyme for dsDNA substrates and NAD(+), and the IC(50) values of NMN and AMP, examined the effects of MgCl(2) and PEG(8000) on the enzyme activity, optimized the concentrations of Eu(3+) in the assay, and validated its utilities for high-throughput screening and biochemical characterizations of this class of enzymes.