Biomedical subjects

Sophie Janssens

Publications and source records attributed to Sophie Janssens.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Autoproteolysis of PIDD marks the bifurcation between pro-death caspase-2 and pro-survival NF-kappaB pathway.

Upon DNA damage, a complex called the PIDDosome is formed and either signals NF-kappaB activation and thus cell survival or alternatively triggers caspase-2 activation and apoptosis. PIDD (p53-induced protein with a death domain) is constitutively processed giving rise to a 48-kDa N-terminal fragment containing the leucine-rich repeats (LRRs, PIDD-N) and a 51-kDa C-terminal fragment containing the death domain (DD, PIDD-C). The latter undergoes further cleavage resulting in a 37-kDa fragment (PIDD-CC). Here we show that processing occurs at S446 (generating PIDD-C) and S588 (generating PIDD-CC) by an auto-processing mechanism similar to that found in the nuclear pore protein Nup98/96 and inteins. Auto-cleavage of PIDD determines the outcome of the downstream signaling events. Whereas initially formed PIDD-C mediates the activation of NF-kappaB via the recruitment of RIP1 and NEMO, subsequent formation of PIDD-CC causes caspase-2 activation and thus cell death. A non-cleavable PIDD mutant is unable to translocate from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and loses both activities. In this way, auto-proteolysis of PIDD might participate in the orchestration of the DNA damage-induced life and death signaling pathways.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Intracellular trafficking of interleukin-1 receptor I requires Tollip.

Interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1RI) is a master regulator of inflammation and innate immunity. When triggered by IL-1beta, IL-1RI aggregates with IL-1R-associated protein (IL-1RAcP) and forms a membrane proximal signalosome that potently activates downstream signaling cascades. IL-1beta also rapidly triggers endocytosis of IL-1RI. Although internalization of IL-1RI significantly impacts signaling, very little is known about trafficking of IL-1RI and therefore about precisely how endocytosis modulates the overall cellular response to IL-1beta. Upon internalization, activated receptors are often sorted through endosomes and delivered to lysosomes for degradation. This is a highly regulated process that requires ubiquitination of cargo proteins as well as protein-sorting complexes that specifically recognize ubiquitinated cargo. Here, we show that IL-1beta induces ubiquitination of IL-1RI and that via these attached ubiquitin groups, IL-1RI interacts with the ubiquitin-binding protein Tollip. By using an assay to follow trafficking of IL-1RI from the cell surface to late endosomes and lysosomes, we demonstrate that Tollip is required for sorting of IL-1RI at late endosomes. In Tollip-deficient cells and cells expressing only mutated Tollip (incapable of binding IL-1RI and ubiquitin), IL-1RI accumulates on late endosomes and is not efficiently degraded. Furthermore, we show that IL-1RI interacts with Tom1, an ubiquitin-, clathrin-, and Tollip-binding protein, and that Tom1 knockdown also results in the accumulation of IL-1RI at late endosomes. Our findings suggest that Tollip functions as an endosomal adaptor linking IL-1RI, via Tom1, to the endosomal degradation machinery.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Ubiquitin: tool and target for intracellular NF-kappaB inhibitors.

The transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) has a pivotal role in initiating inflammation and raising an effective immune response. Because NF-kappaB activation depends on ubiquitination, cells have developed ubiquitin (Ub)-mediated strategies for inhibiting NF-kappaB activation and preventing excessive inflammation. Recent findings concerning tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor and toll-like receptor (TLR)-interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor signalling pathways show that Ub can be a tool as well as a target for NF-kappaB inhibitory proteins, either by labelling specific signalling proteins for proteasome-dependent degradation or by serving as a target for specific de-ubiquitinating enzymes that prevent the formation of pertinent signalling complexes. Interfering with ubiquitination therefore seems to be a versatile means for regulating NF-kappaB activity, indicating that studies of Ub-mediated signalling might hold the key for developing new therapeutic strategies for inflammatory disease.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Pellino proteins are more than scaffold proteins in TLR/IL-1R signalling: a role as novel RING E3-ubiquitin-ligases.

Members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) and IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) family initiate signalling pathways that shape innate immunity. Pellino proteins have recently been implicated as evolutionary conserved scaffold proteins in TLR/IL-1R signalling leading to nuclear factor-kappaB and mitogen activated protein kinase-dependent gene expression. We found that Pellino proteins contain a new RING-like motif. Because RING motifs are a feature of a subclass of E3-ubiquitin-ligases that target specific proteins for ubiquitination, we suggest that Pellino proteins are involved in TLR/IL-1R signalling not only as scaffold proteins but also as RING E3-ubiquitin-ligases. In support of this hypothesis we show that Pellino proteins induce IRAK-1 polyubiquitination in a RING-dependent manner. We further propose a model in which Pellino-mediated IRAK-1 polyubiquitination regulates TLR/IL-1R signalling.

Cell Line↗

PubMed2005

PIDD mediates NF-kappaB activation in response to DNA damage.

Activation of NF-kappaB following genotoxic stress allows time for DNA-damage repair and ensures cell survival accounting for acquired chemoresistance, an impediment to effective cancer therapy. Despite this clinical relevance, little is known about pathways that enable genotoxic-stress-induced NF-kappaB induction. Previously, we reported a role for the p53-inducible death-domain-containing protein, PIDD, in caspase-2 activation and apoptosis in response to DNA damage. We now demonstrate that PIDD plays a critical role in DNA-damage-induced NF-kappaB activation. Upon genotoxic stress, a complex between PIDD, the kinase RIP1, and a component of the NF-kappaB-activating kinase complex, NEMO, is formed. PIDD expression enhances genotoxic-stress-induced NF-kappaB activation through augmented sumoylation and ubiquitination of NEMO. Depletion of PIDD and RIP1, but not caspase-2, abrogates DNA-damage-induced NEMO modification and NF-kappaB activation. We propose that PIDD acts as a molecular switch, controlling the balance between life and death upon DNA damage.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2005

Transforming growth factor-beta1 to the bone.

TGF-beta1 is a ubiquitous growth factor that is implicated in the control of proliferation, migration, differentiation, and survival of many different cell types. It influences such diverse processes as embryogenesis, angiogenesis, inflammation, and wound healing. In skeletal tissue, TGF-beta1 plays a major role in development and maintenance, affecting both cartilage and bone metabolism, the latter being the subject of this review. Because it affects both cells of the osteoblast and osteoclast lineage, TGF-beta1 is one of the most important factors in the bone environment, helping to retain the balance between the dynamic processes of bone resorption and bone formation. Many seemingly contradictory reports have been published on the exact functioning of TGF-beta1 in the bone milieu. This review provides an overall picture of the bone-specific actions of TGF-beta1 and reconciles experimental discrepancies that have been reported for this multifunctional cytokine.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

MyD88S, a splice variant of MyD88, differentially modulates NF-kappaB- and AP-1-dependent gene expression.

MyD88 is an adapter protein that is involved in Toll-like receptor (TLR)- and interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R)-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). By directly binding IL-1R-associated kinase (IRAK)-1 and IRAK-4, MyD88 serves as a bridging protein, enabling IRAK-4-induced IRAK-1 phosphorylation. We previously identified a lipopolysaccharide-inducible splice variant of MyD88, MyD88(S), which specifically prevents the recruitment of IRAK-4 into the IL-1R complex and thus inhibits IRAK-4-mediated IRAK-1 phosphorylation. MyD88(S) is not able to activate NF-kappaB, and in contrast functions as a dominant negative inhibitor of TLR/IL-1R-induced NF-kappaB activation. Unexpectedly, we here demonstrate that MyD88(S) still allows JNK phosphorylation and activator protein (AP)-1-dependent reporter gene induction upon overexpression in HEK293T cells. These observations indicate that NF-kappaB and JNK activation pathways can already diverge at the level of MyD88. Moreover, the regulated expression of a MyD88 splice variant which specifically interferes with NF-kappaB- but not AP-1-dependent gene expression implies an important role for alternative splicing in the fine-tuning of TLR/IL-1R responses.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2003

Inhibition of interleukin 1 receptor/Toll-like receptor signaling through the alternatively spliced, short form of MyD88 is due to its failure to recruit IRAK-4.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and members of the proinflammatory interleukin 1 receptor (IL-1R) family are dependent on the presence of MyD88 for efficient signal transduction. The bipartite nature of MyD88 (N-terminal death domain [DD] and COOH-terminal Toll/IL-1 receptor [TIR] domain) allows it to link the TIR domain of IL-1R/TLR with the DD of the Ser/Thr kinase termed IL-1R-associated kinase (IRAK)-1. This triggers IRAK-1 phosphorylation and in turn the activation of multiple signaling cascades such as activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB. In contrast, expression of MyD88 short (MyD88s), an alternatively spliced form of MyD88 that lacks only the short intermediate domain separating the DD and TIR domains, leads to a shutdown of IL-1/lipopolysaccharide-induced NF-kappaB activation. Here, we provide the molecular explanation for this difference. MyD88 but not MyD88s strongly interacts with IRAK-4, a newly identified kinase essential for IL-1R/TLR signaling. In the presence of MyD88s, IRAK-1 is not phosphorylated and neither activates NF-kappaB nor is ubiquitinated. Thus, MyD88s acts as a negative regulator of IL-1R/TLR/MyD88-triggered signals, leading to a transcriptionally controlled negative regulation of innate immune responses.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2003

Functional diversity and regulation of different interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) family members.

Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) was first described as a signal transducer for the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) and was later implicated in signal transduction of other members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR)/IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) family. In the meantime, four different IRAK-like molecules have been identified: two active kinases, IRAK-1 and IRAK-4, and two inactive kinases, IRAK-2 and IRAK-M. All IRAKs mediate activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Although earlier observations suggested that IRAKs have redundant functions, this hypothesis is now challenged by knockout studies. Furthermore, recent data imply a role for IRAK-1 in tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily-induced signaling pathways as well. The scope of this review is to highlight the specific role of different IRAKs and to discuss several mechanisms that contribute to their activation and regulation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Regulation of interleukin-1- and lipopolysaccharide-induced NF-kappaB activation by alternative splicing of MyD88.

MyD88 is an adaptor protein that is involved in interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R)- and Toll-like receptor (TLR)-induced activation of NF-kappaB. It is composed of a C-terminal Toll/IL-1R homology (TIR) domain and an N-terminal death domain (DD), which mediate the interaction of MyD88 with the IL-1R/TLR and the IL-1R-associated kinase (IRAK), respectively. The interaction of MyD88 with IRAK triggers IRAK phosphorylation, which is essential for its activation and downstream signaling ability. Both domains of MyD88 are separated by a small intermediate domain (ID) of unknown function. Here, we report the identification of a splice variant of MyD88, termed MyD88(S), which encodes for a protein lacking the ID. MyD88(S) is mainly expressed in the spleen and can be induced in monocytes upon LPS treatment. Although MyD88(S) still binds the IL-1R and IRAK, it is defective in its ability to induce IRAK phosphorylation and NF-kappaB activation. In contrast, MyD88(S) behaves as a dominant-negative inhibitor of IL-1- and LPS-, but not TNF-induced, NF-kappaB activation. These results implicate the ID of MyD88 in the phosphorylation of IRAK. Moreover, the regulated expression and antagonistic activity of MyD88(S) suggest an important role for alternative splicing of MyD88 in the regulation of the cellular response to IL-1 and LPS.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2002

A universal role for MyD88 in TLR/IL-1R-mediated signaling.

The MyD88 adapter protein links members of the toll-like receptor (TLR) and interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) superfamily to the downstream activation of nuclear factor-kappaB and mitogen-activated protein kinases. Although originally identified as a myeloid-differentiation marker, MyD88 is now known to play an essential role in the innate immune response of insects and mammals. The generation of MyD88-deficient mice, as well as the identification of MyD88-related proteins and regulators of MyD88 signaling, has revealed new and important insights into the function of MyD88.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗