Biomedical subjects

Tiina J Hilden

Publications and source records attributed to Tiina J Hilden.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

alpha-Chain phosphorylation of the human leukocyte CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1) integrin is pivotal for integrin activation to bind ICAMs and leukocyte extravasation.

The promiscuous CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1) integrin has important roles in regulating many immunologic functions such as leukocyte adhesion and emigration from the bloodstream via interactions with the endothelial ligands ICAM-1 and ICAM-2, iC3b-mediated phagocytosis, and apoptosis. However, the mechanisms for Mac-1 inside-out activation have remained poorly understood. Phosphorylation of integrin cytoplasmic domains is emerging as an important mechanism of regulating integrin functions. Here, we have studied phosphorylation of human CD11b, which takes place on the cytoplasmic Ser1126 in neutrophils. We show that mutation of the serine phosphorylation site leads to inability of Mac-1 to become activated to bind the cellular ligands ICAM-1 and ICAM-2. However, CD11b-mutant cells are fully capable of binding other studied CD11b ligands (ie, iC3b and denatured BSA). Activation epitopes expressed in the extracellular domain of the integrin and affinity for soluble ICAM ligands were decreased for the mutated integrin. Additionally, the mutation resulted in inhibition of chemokine-induced migration in a transendothelial assay in vitro and significantly reduced the accumulation of intravenously administered cells in the spleen and lungs of Balb/c mice. These results characterize a novel selective mechanism of Mac-1-integrin activation, which mediates leukocyte emigration from the bloodstream to the tissues.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Interfering with leukocyte integrin activation--a novel concept in the development of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Inflammation is a crucial response against invading pathogens, in which immune cells, including neutrophils and T cells, are recruited into tissue from the bloodstream to help clear infection. However, a prevailing inflammatory response where the immune cells attack healthy tissue is associated with many diseases, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis and multiple sclerosis. Integrins are key players in the recruitment of immune cells from the bloodstream into tissues, and are thus therapeutic targets for intervention with inflammatory responses. Thus far, mainly extracellularly acting therapeutics (monoclonal antibodies) have been developed against integrins, targeting ligand binding sites in these heterodimeric adhesion receptors. However, since these therapeutics nonselectively block all integrin functions, some side effects are expected and have been observed. Therefore, novel concepts need to be developed in the therapeutic targeting of integrins. Recently, major advances have been made in the understanding of integrin biology. Integrin structures have been solved by X-ray crystallography, revealing unexpected data about the activation mechanism of integrins in cells. Additionally, several intracellular factors in the integrin activation process have been identified, providing potential specific targets for therapeutic intervention. Here, we present key events and players in leukocyte integrin activation, and discuss potential new drug targets in the prevention of inflammatory disease.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Specific integrin alpha and beta chain phosphorylations regulate LFA-1 activation through affinity-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

Integrins are adhesion receptors that are crucial to the functions of multicellular organisms. Integrin-mediated adhesion is a complex process that involves both affinity regulation and cytoskeletal coupling, but the molecular mechanisms behind this process have remained incompletely understood. In this study, we report that the phosphorylation of each cytoplasmic domain of the leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 integrin mediates different modes of integrin activation. alpha Chain phosphorylation on Ser1140 is needed for conformational changes in the integrin after chemokine- or integrin ligand-induced activation or after activation induced by active Rap1 (Rap1V12). In contrast, the beta chain Thr758 phosphorylation mediates selective binding to 14-3-3 proteins in response to inside-out activation through the T cell receptor, resulting in cytoskeletal rearrangements. Thus, site-specific phosphorylation of the integrin cytoplasmic domains is important for the dynamic regulation of these complex receptors in cells.

14-3-3 Proteins↗

PubMed2004

P marks the spot: site-specific integrin phosphorylation regulates molecular interactions.

Integrins are heterodimeric adhesion receptors at the cell membrane that function as two-way signaling devices. The short intracellular tails of integrins are devoid of catalytic activity, but are nevertheless important for adhesion and signaling, presumably, through interactions with cytoplasmic molecules. Recently, the structure of the intracellular tails has been investigated using NMR, giving important new insight into how integrins might be regulated, but many questions remain unanswered. Signaling by many cell-surface receptors involves protein phosphorylation; over the past few years, phosphorylation of the integrin tails at specific sites has started to emerge as a dynamic mechanism that regulates molecular interactions between integrins and cytoplasmic molecules. This phosphorylation might give rise to signaling specificity and fine-tuning of the integrin-mediated responses.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Threonine phosphorylation sites in the beta 2 and beta 7 leukocyte integrin polypeptides.

The cytoplasmic domains of integrins play a key role in a variety of integrin-mediated events including adhesion, migration, and signaling. The molecular mechanisms that enhance integrin function are still incompletely understood. Because protein kinases are known to be involved in the signaling and the activation of integrins, the role of phosphorylation has been studied by several groups. The beta(2) leukocyte integrin subunit has previously been shown to become phosphorylated in leukocytes on cytoplasmic serine and functionally important threonine residues. We have now mapped the phosphorylated threonine residues in activated T cells. After phorbol ester stimulation, all three threonine residues (758-760) of the threonine triplet became phosphorylated but only two at a time. CD3 stimulation leads to a strong threonine phosphorylation of the beta(2) integrin, but differed from phorbol ester activation in that phosphorylation occurred only on threonine 758. The other leukocyte-specific integrin, beta(7), has also been shown to need the cytoplasmic domain and leukocyte-specific signal transduction elements for integrin activation. Cell activation with phorbol ester, and interestingly, through the TCR-CD3 complex, caused beta(7) integrin binding to VCAM-1. Additionally, cell activation led to increased phosphorylation of the beta(7) subunit, and phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that threonine residues became phosphorylated after cell activation. Sequence analysis by manual radiosequencing by Edman degradation established that threonine phosphorylation occurred in the same threonine triplet as in beta(2) phosphorylation.

Alanine↗

PubMed2002

Lck tyrosine kinase is important for activation of the CD11a/CD18-integrins in human T lymphocytes.

CD11a/CD18 (beta2)-integrins are expressed on leukocytes and are involved in cell adhesion and signaling. Despite extensive studies the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in integrin regulation in T cells remain not completely understood. We have now studied the involvement of the tyrosine kinase Lck in the regulation of CD11a/CD18 function in Jurkat T cells. Using the Src-family kinase inhibitor PP2, we found that CD3 ligation-induced adhesion to ICAM-1 was inhibited by PP2 at the same concentration required for complete inhibition of the MAP kinase pathway, implicating a role for Lck in integrin activation. We therefore used the Lck-deficient Jurkat cell line JCaM1.6 to further examine the involvement of Lck in integrin regulation. Interestingly, JCaM1.6 cells showed dramatically reduced levels of both CD3- and phorbol ester-induced adhesion to coated ICAM-1 as compared to normal Jurkat cells. By using flow cytometry and cell surface labeling, it was found that the surface expression of the CD11a/CD18-integrins was significantly lower in Lck-deficient T cells as compared to normal Jurkat cells. CD18 was expressed as a mature and an immaturely glycosylated form in Jurkat T cell lines, and predominantly the immature form, not associated with CD11a, was found in Lck-deficient cells. Retransfection of human Lck in JCaM1.6 cells restored adhesion. Thus, Lck is involved in regulating CD11a/CD18-integrins in T cells.

CD18 Antigens↗