PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Alison M Condliffe

Publications and source records attributed to Alison M Condliffe.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Gbetagammas and the Ras binding domain of p110gamma are both important regulators of PI(3)Kgamma signalling in neutrophils.

Through their ability to regulate production of the key lipid messenger PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3), the class I phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinases (PI(3)Ks) support many critical cell responses. They, in turn, can be regulated by cell-surface receptors through signals acting on either their adaptor subunits (for example, through phosphotyrosine or Gbetagammas) or their catalytic subunits (for example, through GTP-Ras). The relative significance of these controlling inputs is undefined in vivo. Here, we have studied the roles of Gbetagammas, the adaptor p101, Ras and the Ras binding domain (RBD) in the control of the class I PI(3)K, PI(3)Kgamma, in mouse neutrophils. Loss of p101 leads to major reductions in the accumulation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3), activation of protein kinase B (PKB) and in migration towards G-protein activating ligands in vitro, and to an aseptically inflamed peritoneum in vivo. Loss of sensitivity of PI(3)Kgamma to Ras unexpectedly caused similar reductions, but additionally caused a substantial loss in production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We conclude that Gbetagammas, p101 and the Ras-RBD interaction all have important roles in the regulation of PI(3)Kgamma in vivo and that they can simultaneously, but differentially, control distinct PI(3)Kgamma effectors.

Animals↗

RhoG regulates the neutrophil NADPH oxidase.

RhoG is a Rho family small GTPase implicated in cytoskeletal regulation, acting either upstream of or in parallel to Rac1. The precise function(s) of RhoG in vivo has not yet been defined. We have identified a novel role for RhoG in signaling the neutrophil respiratory burst stimulated by G protein-coupled receptor agonists. Bone marrow-derived neutrophils from RhoG knockout (RhoG(-/-)) mice exhibited a marked impairment of oxidant generation in response to C5a or fMLP, but normal responses to PMA or opsonized zymosan and normal bacterial killing. Activation of Rac1 and Rac2 by fMLP was diminished in RhoG(-/-) neutrophils only at very early (5 s) time points (by 25 and 32%, respectively), whereas chemotaxis in response to soluble agonists was unaffected by lack of RhoG. Additionally, fMLP-stimulated phosphorylation of protein kinase B and p38MAPK, activation of phospholipase D, and calcium fluxes were equivalent in wild-type and RhoG(-/-) neutrophils. Our results define RhoG as a critical component of G protein-coupled receptor-stimulated signaling cascades in murine neutrophils, acting either via a subset of total cellular Rac relevant to oxidase activation and/or by a novel and as yet undefined interaction with the neutrophil NADPH oxidase.

Animals↗

P-Rex1 regulates neutrophil function.

Rac GTPases regulate cytoskeletal structure, gene expression, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Rac2-deficient neutrophils cannot chemotax, produce ROS, or degranulate upon G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) activation. Deficiency in PI3Kgamma, an upstream regulator of Rac, causes a similar phenotype. P-Rex1, a guanine-nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rac, is believed to link GPCRs and PI3Kgamma to Rac-dependent neutrophil responses. We have investigated the functional importance of P-Rex1 by generating a P-Rex1(-/-) mouse. P-Rex1(-/-) mice are viable and healthy, with apparently normal leukocyte development, but with mild neutrophilia. In neutrophils from P-Rex1(-/-) mice, GPCR-dependent Rac2 activation is impaired, whereas Rac1 activation is less compromised. GPCR-dependent ROS formation is absent in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed P-Rex1(-/-) neutrophils, but less affected in unprimed or TNFalpha-primed cells. Recruitment of P-Rex1(-/-) neutrophils to inflammatory sites is impaired. Surprisingly, chemotaxis of isolated neutrophils is only slightly reduced, with a mild defect in cell speed, but normal polarization and directionality. Secretion of azurophil granules is unaffected. In conclusion, P-Rex1 is an important regulator of neutrophil function by mediating a subset of Rac-dependent neutrophil responses. However, P-Rex1 is not an essential regulator of neutrophil chemotaxis and degranulation.

Actins↗

Sequential activation of class IB and class IA PI3K is important for the primed respiratory burst of human but not murine neutrophils.

It is well established that preexposure of human neutrophils to proinflammatory cytokines markedly augments the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to subsequent stimuli. This priming event is thought to be critical for localizing ROS to the vicinity of the inflammation, maximizing their role in the resolution of the inflammation, and minimizing the damage to surrounding tissue. We have used a new generation of isoform-selective phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors to show that ROS production under these circumstances is regulated by temporal control of class I PI3K activity. Stimulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-primed human neutrophils with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) results in biphasic activation of PI3K; the first phase is largely dependent on PI3Kgamma, and the second phase is largely dependent on PI3Kdelta. The second phase of PI3K activation requires the first phase; it is this second phase that is augmented by TNF-alpha priming and that regulates parallel activation of ROS production. Surprisingly, although TNF-alpha-primed mouse bone marrow-derived neutrophils exhibit superficially similar patterns of PI3K activation and ROS production in response to fMLP, these responses are substantially lower and largely dependent on PI3Kgamma alone. These results start to define which PI3K isoforms are responsible for modulating neutrophil responsiveness to infection and inflammation.

Animals↗

Hypoxia-induced neutrophil survival is mediated by HIF-1alpha-dependent NF-kappaB activity.

Neutrophils are key effector cells of the innate immune response and are required to migrate and function within adverse microenvironmental conditions. These inflammatory sites are characterized by low levels of oxygen and glucose and high levels of reductive metabolites. A major regulator of neutrophil functional longevity is the ability of these cells to undergo apoptosis. We examined the mechanism by which hypoxia causes an inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis in human and murine neutrophils. We show that neutrophils possess the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha and factor inhibiting HIF (FIH) hydroxylase oxygen-sensing pathway and using HIF-1alpha-deficient myeloid cells demonstrate that HIF-1alpha is directly involved in regulating neutrophil survival in hypoxia. Gene array, TaqMan PCR, Western blotting, and oligonucleotide binding assays identify NF-kappaB as a novel hypoxia-regulated and HIF-dependent target, with inhibition of NF-kappaB by gliotoxin or parthenolide resulting in the abrogation of hypoxic survival. In addition, we identify macrophage inflammatory protein-1beta as a novel hypoxia-induced neutrophil survival factor.

Animals↗

Effect of priming on activation and localization of phospholipase D-1 in human neutrophils.

Phospholipase D (PLD) plays a major role in the activation of the neutrophil respiratory burst. However, the repertoire of PLD isoforms present in these primary cells, the precise mechanism of activation, and the impact of cell priming on PLD activity and localization remain poorly defined. RT-PCR analysis showed that both PLD1 and PLD2 isoforms are expressed in human neutrophils, with PLD1 expressed at a higher level. Endogenous PLD1 was detected by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting, and was predominantly membrane-associated under control and primed/stimulated conditions. Immunofluorescence showed that PLD had a punctate distribution throughout the cell, which was not altered after stimulation by soluble agonists. In contrast, PLD localized to the phagolysosome membrane after ingestion of nonopsonized zymosan particles. We also demonstrate that tumour necrosis factor alpha greatly potentiates agonist-stimulated PLD activation, myeloperoxidase release, and superoxide anion generation, and that PLD activation occurs via a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-sensitive and brefeldin-sensitive ADP-ribosylation factor GTPase-regulated mechanism. Moreover, propranolol, which causes an increase in PLD-derived phosphatidic acid accumulation, caused a selective increase in agonist-stimulated myeloperoxidase release. Our results indicate that priming is a critical regulator of PLD activation, that the PLD-generated lipid products exert divergent effects on neutrophil functional responses, that PLD1 is the major PLD isoform present in human neutrophils, and that PLD1 actively translocates to the phagosomal wall after particle ingestion.

ADP-Ribosylation Factors↗

Regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate accumulation by neutrophil priming agents.

Neutrophil priming by agents such as TNF-alpha and GM-CSF causes a dramatic increase in the response of these cells to secretagogue agonists and affects the capacity of neutrophils to induce tissue injury. In view of the central role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) in regulating NADPH oxidase activity we examined the influence of priming agents on agonist-stimulated phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3) accumulation in human neutrophils. Pretreatment of neutrophils with TNF-alpha or GM-CSF, while not influencing fMLP-stimulated PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 accumulation at 5 s, caused a major increase in PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 at later times (10-60 s), which paralleled the augmented superoxide anion (O2-) response. The intimate relationship between PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 accumulation and O2- release was confirmed using platelet-activating factor, which caused full but transient priming of both responses. Likewise, LY294002, a PI3-kinase inhibitor, and genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, caused parallel inhibition of O2- generation and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 accumulation; in contrast, radicicol, which inhibits receptor-mediated activation of p85 PI3-kinase, had no effect on either response. Despite major increases in PI3-kinase activity observed in p85 and anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates in growth factor-stimulated smooth muscle cells, no such increase was observed in primed/stimulated neutrophils. In contrast, both fMLP and TNF-alpha alone caused a 3-fold increase in PI3-kinase activity in p110gamma PI3-kinase immunoprecipitates. p21(ras) activation (an upstream regulator of PI3-kinase) was unaffected by priming. These data demonstrate that timing and magnitude of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 accumulation in neutrophils correlate closely with O2- generation, that PI3-kinase-gamma is responsible for the enhanced PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 production seen in primed cells, and that factors other than activation of p21(ras) underlie this response.

Animals↗