The zipper mechanism in phagocytosis: energetic requirements and variability in phagocytic cup shape

Size Dependent Cellular Uptake of Rod-like Bionanoparticles with Different Aspect Ratios

Understanding the cellular internalization mechanism of nanoparticles is essential to study their biological fate. Especially, due to the anisotropic properties, rod-like nanoparticles have attracted growing interest for the enhanced internalization efficiency with respect to spherical nanoparticles. Here, to elucidate the effect of aspect ratio of rod-like nanoparticles on cellular uptake, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), a typical rod-like bionanoparticle, is developed as a model. Nanorods with different aspect ratios can be obtained by ultrasound treatment and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. By incubating with epithelial and endothelial cells, we found that the rod-like bionanoparticles with various aspect ratios had different internalization pathways in different cell lines: microtubules transport in HeLa and clathrin-mediated uptake in HUVEC for TMV₄ and TMV₈; caveolae-mediated pathway and microtubules transport in HeLa and HUVEC for TMV₁₇. Differently from most nanoparticles, for all the three TMV nano-rods with different aspect ratios, macropinocytosis takes no effect on the internalization in both cell types. This work provides a fundamental understanding of the influence of aspect ratio on cellular uptake decoupled from charge and material composition.

Cardiomyocytes induce macrophage receptor shedding to suppress phagocytosis

BACKGROUND

Mobilization of the innate immune response to clear and metabolize necrotic and apoptotic cardiomyocytes is a prerequisite to heart repair after cardiac injury. Suboptimal kinetics of dying myocyte clearance leads to secondary necrosis, and in the case of the heart, increased potential for collateral loss of neighboring non-regenerative myocytes. Despite the importance of myocyte phagocytic clearance during heart repair, surprisingly little is known about its underlying cell and molecular biology.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if phagocytic receptor MERTK is expressed in human hearts and to elucidate key sequential steps and phagocytosis efficiency of dying adult cardiomyocytes, by macrophages.

RESULTS

In infarcted human hearts, expression profiles of the phagocytic receptor MER-tyrosine kinase (MERTK) mimicked that found in experimental ischemic mouse hearts. Electron micrographs of myocardium identified MERTK signal along macrophage phagocytic cups and Mertk-/- macrophages contained reduced digested myocyte debris after myocardial infarction. Ex vivo co-culture of primary macrophages and adult cardiomyocyte apoptotic bodies revealed reduced engulfment relative to resident cardiac fibroblasts. Inefficient clearance was not due to the larger size of myocyte apoptotic bodies, nor were other key steps preceding the formation of phagocytic synapses significantly affected; this included macrophage chemotaxis and direct binding of phagocytes to myocytes. Instead, suppressed phagocytosis was directly associated with myocyte-induced inactivation of MERTK, which was partially rescued by genetic deletion of a MERTK proteolytic susceptibility site.

CONCLUSION

Utilizing an ex vivo co-cultivation approach to model key cellular and molecular events found in vivo during infarction, cardiomyocyte phagocytosis was found to be inefficient, in part due to myocyte-induced shedding of macrophage MERTK. These findings warrant future studies to identify other cofactors of macrophage-cardiomyocyte cross-talk that contribute to cardiac pathophysiology.

Membrane-wrapping contributions to malaria parasite invasion of the human erythrocyte

The blood stage malaria parasite, the merozoite, has a small window of opportunity during which it must successfully target and invade a human erythrocyte. The process of invasion is nonetheless remarkably rapid. To date, mechanistic models of invasion have focused predominantly on the parasite actomyosin motor contribution to the energetics of entry. Here, we have conducted a numerical analysis using dimensions for an archetypal merozoite to predict the respective contributions of the host-parasite interactions to invasion, in particular the role of membrane wrapping. Our theoretical modeling demonstrates that erythrocyte membrane wrapping alone, as a function of merozoite adhesive and shape properties, is sufficient to entirely account for the first key step of the invasion process, that of merozoite reorientation to its apex and tight adhesive linkage between the two cells. Next, parasite-induced reorganization of the erythrocyte cytoskeleton and release of parasite-derived membrane can also account for a considerable energetic portion of actual invasion itself, through membrane wrapping. Thus, contrary to the prevailing dogma, wrapping by the erythrocyte combined with parasite-derived membrane release can markedly reduce the expected contributions of the merozoite actomyosin motor to invasion. We therefore propose that invasion is a balance between parasite and host cell contributions, evolved toward maximal efficient use of biophysical forces between the two cells.

A power-law dependence of bacterial invasion on mammalian host receptors

Pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria and Yersinia gain initial entry by binding to host target cells and stimulating their internalization. Bacterial uptake entails successive, increasingly strong associations between receptors on the surface of bacteria and hosts. Even with genetically identical cells grown in the same environment, there are vast differences in the number of bacteria entering any given cell. To gain insight into this variability, we examined uptake dynamics of Escherichia coli engineered to express the invasin surface receptor from Yersinia, which enables uptake via mammalian host β₁-integrins. Surprisingly, we found that the uptake probability of a single bacterium follows a simple power-law dependence on the concentration of integrins. Furthermore, the value of a power-law parameter depends on the particular host-bacterium pair but not on bacterial concentration. This power-law captures the complex, variable processes underlying bacterial invasion while also enabling differentiation of cell lines.

Uptake of bacteria by mammalian cells is highly variable within a population of host cells and between host cell types. A detailed but unwieldy mechanistic model describing individual host-pathogen receptor binding events is captured by a simple power-law dependence on the concentration of the host receptors. The power-law parameters capture characteristics of the host-bacterium pair interaction and can differentiate host cell lines. This study has important implications for understanding the accuracy and precision of therapeutics employing receptor-mediated transport of materials to mammalian hosts.

Biophysical, biopharmaceutical and toxicological significance of biomedical nanoparticles

Understanding of interplay between nanoparticles physicochemical and biophysical properties, and their impact on pharmacokinetic biodistribution and toxicological properties help designing of appropriate nanoparticle products for biomedical applications.

Bistable forespore engulfment in Bacillus subtilis by a zipper mechanism in absence of the cell wall

To survive starvation, the bacterium Bacillus subtilis forms durable spores. The initial step of sporulation is asymmetric cell division, leading to a large mother-cell and a small forespore compartment. After division is completed and the dividing septum is thinned, the mother cell engulfs the forespore in a slow process based on cell-wall degradation and synthesis. However, recently a new cell-wall independent mechanism was shown to significantly contribute, which can even lead to fast engulfment in 60 of the cases when the cell wall is completely removed. In this backup mechanism, strong ligand-receptor binding between mother-cell protein SpoIIIAH and forespore-protein SpoIIQ leads to zipper-like engulfment, but quantitative understanding is missing. In our work, we combined fluorescence image analysis and stochastic Langevin simulations of the fluctuating membrane to investigate the origin of fast bistable engulfment in absence of the cell wall. Our cell morphologies compare favorably with experimental time-lapse microscopy, with engulfment sensitive to the number of SpoIIQ-SpoIIIAH bonds in a threshold-like manner. By systematic exploration of model parameters, we predict regions of osmotic pressure and membrane-surface tension that produce successful engulfment. Indeed, decreasing the medium osmolarity in experiments prevents engulfment in line with our predictions. Forespore engulfment may thus not only be an ideal model system to study decision-making in single cells, but its biophysical principles are likely applicable to engulfment in other cell types, e.g. during phagocytosis in eukaryotes.

When the bacterium B. subtilis runs out of food, it undergoes a fundamental development process by which it forms durable spores. Sporulation is initiated by asymmetric cell division after which the larger mother cell engulfs the smaller forespore, followed by spore maturation and release. This survival strategy is so robust that engulfment even proceeds when cells are deprived of their protective cell wall. Under these severe perturbations, 60 of the mother cells still engulf their forespores in only 10 of the normal engulfment time, while the remaining 40 of mother cells withdraw from engulfment. This all-or-none outcome of engulfment suggests decision-making, which was recently also identified in other types of engulfment, e.g. during phagocytosis when immune cells engulf and destroy pathogens. Here, we developed a biophysical model to explain fast bistable forespore engulfment in absence of the cell wall and energy sources. Our discovered principles may prove very general, thus predicting key ingredients of successful engulfment across all kingdoms of life.

The mechanism of phagocytosis: two stages of engulfment

Despite being of vital importance to the immune system, the mechanism by which cells engulf relatively large solid particles during phagocytosis is still poorly understood. From movies of neutrophil phagocytosis of polystyrene beads, we measure the fractional engulfment as a function of time and demonstrate that phagocytosis occurs in two distinct stages. During the first stage, engulfment is relatively slow and progressively slows down as phagocytosis proceeds. However, at approximately half-engulfment, the rate of engulfment increases dramatically, with complete engulfment attained soon afterwards. By studying simple mathematical models of phagocytosis, we suggest that the first stage is due to a passive mechanism, determined by receptor diffusion and capture, whereas the second stage is more actively controlled, perhaps with receptors being driven toward the site of engulfment. We then consider a more advanced model that includes signaling and captures both stages of engulfment. This model predicts that there is an optimum ligand density for quick engulfment. Further, we show how this model explains why nonspherical particles engulf quickest when presented tip-first. Our findings suggest that active regulation may be a later evolutionary innovation, allowing fast and robust engulfment even for large particles.

Origin and evolution of the self-organizing cytoskeleton in the network of eukaryotic organelles

The eukaryotic cytoskeleton evolved from prokaryotic cytomotive filaments. Prokaryotic filament systems show bewildering structural and dynamic complexity and, in many aspects, prefigure the self-organizing properties of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Here, the dynamic properties of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cytoskeleton are compared, and how these relate to function and evolution of organellar networks is discussed. The evolution of new aspects of filament dynamics in eukaryotes, including severing and branching, and the advent of molecular motors converted the eukaryotic cytoskeleton into a self-organizing "active gel," the dynamics of which can only be described with computational models. Advances in modeling and comparative genomics hold promise of a better understanding of the evolution of the self-organizing cytoskeleton in early eukaryotes, and its role in the evolution of novel eukaryotic functions, such as amoeboid motility, mitosis, and ciliary swimming.

Shaping cancer nanomedicine: the effect of particle shape on the in vivo journey of nanoparticles

Recent advances in nanoparticle technology have enabled the fabrication of nanoparticle classes with unique sizes, shapes and materials, which in turn has facilitated major advancements in the field of nanomedicine. More specifically, in the last decade, nanoscientists have recognized that nanomedicine exhibits a highly engineerable nature that makes it a mainstream scientific discipline that is governed by its own distinctive principles in terms of interactions with cells and intravascular, transvascular and interstitial transport. This review focuses on the recent developments and understanding of the relationship between the shape of a nanoparticle and its navigation through different biological processes. It also seeks to illustrate that the shape of a nanoparticle can govern its in vivo journey and destination, dictating its biodistribution, intravascular and transvascular transport, and, ultimately, targeting of difficult to reach cancer sites.

Induced phagocytic particle uptake into a giant unilamellar vesicle

Phagocytosis, the uptake and ingestion of solid particles into living cells, is a central mechanism of our immune system. Due to the complexity of the uptake mechanism, the different forces involved in this process are only partly understood. Therefore the usage of a giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV) as the simplest biomimetic model for a cell allows one to investigate the influence of the lipid membrane on the energetics of the uptake process. Here, a photonic force microscope (PFM) is used to approach an optically trapped 1 μm latex bead to an immobilized GUV to finally insert the particle into the GUV. By analysing the mean displacement and the position fluctuations of the trapped particle during the uptake process in 3D with nanometre precision, we are able to record force and energy profiles, as well as changes in the viscous drag and the stiffness. After observing a global followed by a local deformation of the GUV, we measured uptake energies of 2000 kT to 5500 kT and uptake forces of 4 pN to 16 pN for Egg-PC GUVs with sizes of 18-26 μm and varying membrane tension. The measured energy profiles, which are compared to a Helfrich energy model for local and global deformation, show good coincidence with the theoretical results. Our proof-of-principle study opens the door to a large number of similar experiments with GUVs containing more biochemical components and complexity. This bottom-up strategy should allow for a better understanding of the physics of phagocytosis.

The Haemophilus ducreyi LspA1 protein inhibits phagocytosis by using a new mechanism involving activation of C-terminal Src kinase

Haemophilus ducreyi causes chancroid, a sexually transmitted infection. A primary means by which this pathogen causes disease involves eluding phagocytosis; however, the molecular basis for this escape mechanism has been poorly understood. Here, we report that the LspA virulence factors of H. ducreyi inhibit phagocytosis by stimulating the catalytic activity of C-terminal Src kinase (Csk), which itself inhibits Src family protein tyrosine kinases (SFKs) that promote phagocytosis. Inhibitory activity could be localized to a 37-kDa domain (designated YL2) of the 456-kDa LspA1 protein. The YL2 domain impaired ingestion of IgG-opsonized targets and decreased levels of active SFKs when expressed in mammalian cells. YL2 contains tyrosine residues in two EPIYG motifs that are phosphorylated in mammalian cells. These tyrosine residues were essential for YL2-based inhibition of phagocytosis. Csk was identified as the predominant mammalian protein interacting with YL2, and a dominant-negative Csk rescued phagocytosis in the presence of YL2. Purified Csk phosphorylated the tyrosines in the YL2 EPIYG motifs. Phosphorylated YL2 increased Csk catalytic activity, resulting in positive feedback, such that YL2 can be phosphorylated by the same kinase that it activates. Finally, we found that the Helicobacter pylori CagA protein also inhibited phagocytosis in a Csk-dependent manner, raising the possibility that this may be a general mechanism among diverse bacteria. Harnessing Csk to subvert the Fcγ receptor (FcγR)-mediated phagocytic pathway represents a new bacterial mechanism for circumventing a crucial component of the innate immune response and may potentially affect other SFK-involved cellular pathways.

Phagocytosis is a critical component of the immune system that enables pathogens to be contained and cleared. A number of bacterial pathogens have developed specific strategies to either physically evade phagocytosis or block the intracellular signaling required for phagocytic activity. Haemophilus ducreyi, a sexually transmitted pathogen, secretes a 4,153-amino-acid (aa) protein (LspA1) that effectively inhibits FcγR-mediated phagocytic activity. In this study, we show that a 294-aa domain within this bacterial protein binds to C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) and stimulates its catalytic activity, resulting in a significant attenuation of Src kinase activity and consequent inhibition of phagocytosis. The ability to inhibit phagocytosis via Csk is not unique to H. ducreyi, because we found that the Helicobacter pylori CagA protein also inhibits phagocytosis in a Csk-dependent manner. Harnessing Csk to subvert the FcγR-mediated phagocytic pathway represents a new bacterial effector mechanism for circumventing the innate immune response.

Phagocytosis dynamics depends on target shape

A complete understanding of phagocytosis requires insight into both its biochemical and physical aspects. One of the ways to explore the physical mechanism of phagocytosis is to probe whether and how the target properties (e.g., size, shape, surface states, stiffness, etc.) affect their uptake. Here we report an imaging-based method to explore phagocytosis kinetics, which is compatible with real-time imaging and can be used to validate existing reports using fixed and stained cells. We measure single-event engulfment time from a large number of phagocytosis events to compare how size and shape of targets determine their engulfment. The data shows an increase in the average engulfment time for increased target size, for spherical particles. The uptake time data on nonspherical particles confirms that target shape plays a more dominant role than target size for phagocytosis: Ellipsoids with an eccentricity of 0.954 and much smaller surface areas than spheres were taken up five times more slowly than spherical targets.

Filamentous morphology of bacteria delays the timing of phagosome morphogenesis in macrophages

Uptake of bacterial filaments by macrophages is characterized by a prolonged phagocytic cup stage and diminished microbicidal activity during phagosome maturation.

Although filamentous morphology in bacteria has been associated with resistance to phagocytosis, our understanding of the cellular mechanisms behind this process is limited. To investigate this, we followed the phagocytosis of both viable and dead Legionella pneumophila filaments. The engulfment of these targets occurred gradually and along the longitudinal axis of the filament, therefore defining a long-lasting phagocytic cup stage that determined the outcome of phagocytosis. We found that these phagocytic cups fused with endosomes and lysosomes, events linked to the maturation of phagosomes according to the canonical pathway, and not with the remodeling of phagocytic cups. Nevertheless, despite acquiring phagolysosomal features these phagocytic cups failed to develop hydrolytic capacity before their sealing. This phenomenon hampered the microbicidal activity of the macrophage and enhanced the capacity of viable filamentous L. pneumophila to escape phagosomal killing in a length-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that key aspects in phagocytic cup remodeling and phagosomal maturation could be influenced by target morphology.

The noodle defense

Macrophages ingest and kill microbes by phagocytosis and delivery to lysosomes. In this issue, Prashar et al. (2013, J. Cell Biol.http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201304095) demonstrate that the elongated morphology of filamentous bacteria does not prevent ingestion by macrophages or the fusion of lysosomes, but creates a chimeric, unclosed phagolysosomal compartment whose leakiness blunts the toxicity of lysosomal enzymes, thereby increasing bacterial survival.

Influence of surface chemistry on cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of nanocapsules in breast cancer and phagocytic cells

The present work tests the hypothesis that stabilizers have a critical role on nanocarrier stealthiness and anticancer drug efficacy. Two different types of docetaxel (Doc)-loaded nanocapsules (NCs) stabilized with polysorbate 80 (NC(T80)) and polyvinyl alcohol (NC(PVA)) were synthesized using the emulsion solvent diffusion method. These NCs were characterized for particle mean diameter (PMD), drug content, morphology, surface composition, and degree of crystallinity. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the NCs were investigated in MDA-MB 231 cells, THP-1 monocytes, and THP-1-derived macrophages. The optimized spherical NC(T80) had 123.02 ± 14.6 nm, 0.27 ± 0.1, and 101 ± 37.0% for PMD, polydispersity index, and drug encapsulation efficiency, respectively. Doc release kinetics from NC(T80) and NC(PVA) mostly provided better fit to zero-order and Higuchi models, respectively. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results revealed the presence of amorphous stabilizers on the surface of the NCs. At high drug concentration, the cytotoxicity of NC(T80) was substantially improved (1.3-1.6-fold) compared with that of NC(PVA) in MDA-MB 231 cells. The uptake of both NCs was inhibited by latrunculin A and dynasore, indicating an actin- and dynamin-dependent endocytosis in MDA-MB 231 cells. This occurred via a multifaceted mechanism involving clathrin, caveolin, cytoskeleton, and macropinocytosis. Interestingly, the uptake of NC(PVA) was 2.7-fold greater than that of NC(T80) and occurred through phagocytosis in monocytes and macrophages. This study demonstrates the potential impact of the surface chemistry on the cytotoxicity and phagocytic clearance of nanocarriers for a subsequent improvement of the efficacy of Doc intended for breast cancer chemotherapy.

Three functions of cadherins in cell adhesion

Cadherins are transmembrane proteins that mediate cell-cell adhesion in animals. By regulating contact formation and stability, cadherins play a crucial role in tissue morphogenesis and homeostasis. Here, we review the three major functions of cadherins in cell-cell contact formation and stability. Two of those functions lead to a decrease in interfacial tension at the forming cell-cell contact, thereby promoting contact expansion--first, by providing adhesion tension that lowers interfacial tension at the cell-cell contact, and second, by signaling to the actomyosin cytoskeleton in order to reduce cortex tension and thus interfacial tension at the contact. The third function of cadherins in cell-cell contact formation is to stabilize the contact by resisting mechanical forces that pull on the contact.

Properties and prospects of adjuvants in influenza vaccination - messy precipitates or blessed opportunities?

Influenza is a major challenge to healthcare systems world-wide. While prophylactic vaccination is largely efficient, long-lasting immunity has not been achieved in immunized populations, at least in part due to the challenges arising from the antigen variation between strains of influenza A virus as a consequence of genetic drift and shift. From progress in our understanding of the immune system, the mode-of-action of vaccines can be divided into the stimulation of the adaptive system through inclusion of appropriate vaccine antigens and of the innate immune system by the addition of adjuvant to the vaccine formulation. A shared property of many vaccine adjuvants is found in their nature of water-insoluble precipitates, for instance the particulate material made from aluminum salts. Previously, it was thought that embedding of vaccine antigens in these materials provided a "depot" of antigens enabling a long exposure of the immune system to the antigen. However, more recent work points to a role of particulate adjuvants in stimulating cellular parts of the innate immune system. Here, we briefly outline the infectious medicine and immune biology of influenza virus infection and procedures to provide sufficient and stably available amounts of vaccine antigen. This is followed by presentation of the many roles of adjuvants, which involve humoral factors of innate immunity, notably complement. In a perspective of the ultrastructural properties of these humoral factors, it becomes possible to rationalize why these insoluble precipitates or emulsions are such a provocation of the immune system. We propose that the biophysics of particulate material may hold opportunities that could aid the development of more efficient influenza vaccines.

Properties and prospects of adjuvants in influenza vaccination - messy precipitates or blessed opportunities?

Influenza is a major challenge to healthcare systems world-wide. While prophylactic vaccination is largely efficient, long-lasting immunity has not been achieved in immunized populations, at least in part due to the challenges arising from the antigen variation between strains of influenza A virus as a consequence of genetic drift and shift. From progress in our understanding of the immune system, the mode-of-action of vaccines can be divided into the stimulation of the adaptive system through inclusion of appropriate vaccine antigens and of the innate immune system by the addition of adjuvant to the vaccine formulation. A shared property of many vaccine adjuvants is found in their nature of water-insoluble precipitates, for instance the particulate material made from aluminum salts. Previously, it was thought that embedding of vaccine antigens in these materials provided a "depot" of antigens enabling a long exposure of the immune system to the antigen. However, more recent work points to a role of particulate adjuvants in stimulating cellular parts of the innate immune system. Here, we briefly outline the infectious medicine and immune biology of influenza virus infection and procedures to provide sufficient and stably available amounts of vaccine antigen. This is followed by presentation of the many roles of adjuvants, which involve humoral factors of innate immunity, notably complement. In a perspective of the ultrastructural properties of these humoral factors, it becomes possible to rationalize why these insoluble precipitates or emulsions are such a provocation of the immune system. We propose that the biophysics of particulate material may hold opportunities that could aid the development of more efficient influenza vaccines.

Effects of microparticle size and Fc density on macrophage phagocytosis

Controlled induction of phagocytosis in macrophages offers the ability to therapeutically regulate the immune system as well as improve delivery of chemicals or biologicals for immune processing. Maximizing particle uptake by macrophages through Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis could lead to new delivery mechanisms in drug or vaccine development. Fc ligand density and particle size were examined independently and in combination in order to optimize and tune the phagocytosis of opsonized microparticles. We show the internalization efficiency of small polystyrene particles (0.5 µm to 2 µm) is significantly affected by changes in Fc ligand density, while particles greater than 2 µm show little correlation between internalization and Fc density. We found that while macrophages can efficiently phagocytose a large number of smaller particles, the total volume of phagocytosed particles is maximized through the non-specific uptake of larger microparticles. Therefore, larger microparticles may be more efficient at delivering a greater therapeutic payload to macrophages, but smaller opsonized microparticles can deliver bio-active substances to a greater percentage of the macrophage population. This study is the first to treat as independent variables the physical and biological properties of Fc density and microparticle size that initiate macrophage phagocytosis. Defining the physical and biological parameters that affect phagocytosis efficiency will lead to improved methods of microparticle delivery to macrophages.

A method for time-resolved measurements of the mechanics of phagocytic cups

The internalization of matter by phagocytosis is of key importance in the defence against bacterial pathogens and in the control of cancerous tumour growth. Despite the fact that phagocytosis is an inherently mechanical process, little is known about the forces and energies that a cell requires for internalization. Here, we use functionalized magnetic particles as phagocytic targets and track their motion while actuating them in an oscillating magnetic field, in order to measure the translational and rotational stiffnesses of the phagocytic cup as a function of time. The measured evolution of stiffness reveals a characteristic pattern with a pronounced peak preceding the finalization of uptake. The measured stiffness values and their time dependence can be interpreted with a model that describes the phagocytic cup as a prestressed membrane connected to an elastically deformable actin cortex. In the context of this model, the stiffness peak is a direct manifestation of a previously described mechanical bottleneck, and a comparison of model and data suggests that the membrane advances around the particle at a speed of about 20 nm s(-1). This approach is a novel way of measuring the progression of emerging phagocytic cups and their mechanical properties in situ and in real time.

The Calmodulin-like calcium binding protein EhCaBP3 of Entamoeba histolytica regulates phagocytosis and is involved in actin dynamics

Phagocytosis is required for proliferation and pathogenesis of Entamoeba histolytica and erythrophagocytosis is considered to be a marker of invasive amoebiasis. Ca²⁺ has been found to play a central role in the process of phagocytosis. However, the molecular mechanisms and the signalling mediated by Ca²⁺ still remain largely unknown. Here we show that Calmodulin-like calcium binding protein EhCaBP3 of E. histolytica is directly involved in disease pathomechanism by its capacity to participate in cytoskeleton dynamics and scission machinery during erythrophagocytosis. Using imaging techniques EhCaBP3 was found in phagocytic cups and newly formed phagosomes along with actin and myosin IB. In vitro studies confirmed that EhCaBP3 directly binds actin, and affected both its polymerization and bundling activity. Moreover, it also binds myosin 1B in the presence of Ca²⁺. In cells where EhCaBP3 expression was down regulated by antisense RNA, the level of RBC uptake was reduced, myosin IB was found to be absent at the site of pseudopod cup closure and the time taken for phagocytosis increased, suggesting that EhCaBP3 along with myosin 1B mediate the closure of phagocytic cups. Experiments with EhCaBP3 mutant defective in Ca²⁺ -binding showed that Ca²⁺ binding is required for phagosome formation. Liposome binding assay revealed that EhCaBP3 recruitment and enrichment to membrane is independent of any cellular protein as it binds directly to phosphatidylserine. Taken together, our results suggest a novel pathway mediating phagocytosis in E. histolytica, and an unusual mechanism of modulation of cytoskeleton dynamics by two calcium binding proteins, EhCaBP1 and EhCaBP3 with mostly non-overlapping functions.

Entamoeba histolytica is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Phagocytosis plays an important role in both survival and virulence and has been used as a virulence marker. Inhibition of phagocytosis leads to a defect in cellular proliferation. Therefore, the molecules that participate in phagocytosis are good targets for developing new drugs. However, the molecular mechanism of the process is still largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Calmodulin-like calcium binding protein EhCaBP3 is involved in erythrophagocytosis. We show this by a number of different approaches including immunostaining of actin, myosin1B, EhCaBP1 and EhCaBP3 during uptake of RBC; over expression and down regulation of EhCaBP3, and over expression of calcium defective mutant of EhCaBP3. Our analysis suggests that EhCaBP3 can regulate actin dynamics. Along with actin and myosin 1B it can participate in both initiation and formation of phagosomes. The Ca²⁺-bound form of this protein is required only for progression from cups into early phagosomes but not for initiation. Our results demonstrate the complex role of Ca²⁺ binding proteins, EhCaBP1 and EhCaBP3 in regulation of phagocytosis in the protist parasite E. histolytica and the novel mechanisms of manipulating actin dynamics at multiple levels.

The motor protein myosin 1G functions in FcγR-mediated phagocytosis

Phagocytosis is the force-dependent complex cellular process by which immune cells engulf particles. Although there has been considerable progress in understanding ligand-receptor-induced actin polymerisation in pushing the membrane around the particle, significantly less is known about how localised contractile activities regulate cup closure in coordination with the actin cytoskeleton. Herein, we show that the unconventional class-I myosin, myosin 1G (Myo1G) is localised at phagocytic cups following Fcγ-receptor (FcγR) ligation in macrophages. This progressive recruitment is dependent on the activity of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and is particularly important for engulfment of large particles. Furthermore, point mutations in the conserved pleckstrin homology-like domain of Myo1G abolishes the localisation of the motor protein at phagocytic cups and inhibits engulfment downstream of FcγR. Binding of Myo1G to both F-actin and phospholipids might enable cells to transport phospholipids towards the leading edge of cups and to facilitate localised contraction for cup closure.

Magnetoresistive-based real-time cell phagocytosis monitoring

The uptake of large particles by cells (phagocytosis) is an important factor in cell biology and also plays a major role in biomedical applications. So far, most methods for determining the phagocytic properties rely on cell-culture incubation and end-point detection schemes. Here, we present a lab-on-a-chip system for real-time monitoring of magnetic particle uptake by human fibroblast (NHDF) cells. It is based on recording the time evolution of the average position and distribution of magnetic particles during phagocytosis by giant-magnetoresistive (GMR) type sensors. We employ particles with a mean diameter of 1.2 μm and characterize their phagocytosis-relevant properties. Our experiments at physiological conditions reveal a cellular uptake rate of 45 particles per hour and show that phagocytosis reaches saturation after an average uptake time of 27.7h. Moreover, reference phagocytosis experiments at 4°C are carried out to mimic environmental or disease related inhibition of the phagocytic behavior, and our measurements clearly show that we are able to distinguish between cell-membrane adherent and phagocytosed magnetic particles. Besides the demonstrated real-time monitoring of phagocytosis mechanisms, additional nano-biointerface studies can be realized, including on-chip cell adhesion/spreading as well as cell migration, attachment and detachment dynamics. This versatility shows the potential of our approach for providing a multifunctional platform for on-chip cell analysis.

Probing the cell membrane by magnetic particle actuation and Euler angle tracking

The mechanical properties of the cell membrane and the subjacent actin cortex are determinants of a variety of processes in immunity and cell division. The lipid bilayer itself and its connection to the actin cortex are anisotropic. An accurate description of the mechanical structure of the cell membrane and the involved dynamics therefore necessitates a measurement technique that can capture the inherent anisotropy of the system. Here, we combine magnetic particle actuation with rotational and translational particle tracking to simultaneously measure the mechanical stiffness of monocytic cells in three rotational and two translational directions. When using particles that bind via integrins to the cell membrane and the subjacent cortex, we measured an isotropic stiffness and a characteristic power-law dependence of the shear modulus on the applied frequency. When using particles functionalized with immunoglobulin G, we measured an anisotropic stiffness with a 10-fold-reduced value in one dimension. We suggest that the observed reduced stiffness in the plane of the cell membrane is caused by a local detachment of the lipid bilayer from the subjacent cytoskeletal cortex. We expect that our technique will enable new insights into the mechanical properties of the cell membrane that will help us to better understand membrane processes such as phagocytosis and blebbing.

Defective macrophage function in aquaporin-3 deficiency

Macrophages play an essential role in innate immunity. We found that mouse resident peritoneal macrophages (mRPMs) express the aquaglyceroporin aquaporin-3 (AQP3) in a plasma membrane pattern. AQP3-deficient (AQP3(-/-)) mice showed significantly greater mortality than wild-type (AQP3(+/+)) mice in a model of bacterial peritonitis. To establish the cellular mechanism of the peritonitis phenotype, measurements were made of mRPM phagocytosis, migration, and water/glycerol permeability. We found significantly impaired engulfment of Escherichia coli and chicken erythrocytes in AQP3(-/-) vs. AQP3(+/+) mRPMs, as well as impaired migration of AQP3(-/-) mRPMs in response to a chemotactic stimulus. In AQP3(+/+) mRPMs, AQP3 was polarized to pseudopodia at the leading edge during migration and around the phagocytic cup during engulfment. Water and glycerol permeabilities in mRPMs from AQP3(-/-) mice were reduced compared to mRPMs from AQP3(+/+) mice. Cellular glycerol and ATP content were remarkably lower in AQP3(-/-) vs. AQP3(+/+) mRPMs, and glycerol supplementation partially rescued the reduced ATP content and impaired function of AQP3(-/-) mRPMs. These data implicate AQP3 as a novel determinant in macrophage immune function by a cellular mechanism involving facilitated water and glycerol transport, and consequent phagocytic and migration activity. This is the first study demonstrating involvement of an aquaporin in innate immunity. Our results suggest AQP3 as a novel therapeutic target in modulating the immune response in various infectious and inflammatory conditions.