Radioiodination of human alpha interferons by the chloramine T method

USP18-based negative feedback control is induced by type I and type III interferons and specifically inactivates interferon α response

Type I interferons (IFN) are cytokines that are rapidly secreted upon microbial infections and regulate all aspects of the immune response. In humans 15 type I IFN subtypes exist, of which IFN α2 and IFN β are used in the clinic for treatment of different pathologies. IFN α2 and IFN β are non redundant in their expression and in their potency to exert specific bioactivities. The more recently identified type III IFNs (3 IFN λ or IL-28/IL-29) bind an unrelated cell-type restricted receptor. Downstream of these two receptor complexes is a shared Jak/Stat pathway. Several mechanisms that contribute to the shut down of the IFN-induced signaling have been described at the molecular level. In particular, it has long been known that type I IFN induces the establishment of a desensitized state. In this work we asked how the IFN-induced desensitization integrates into the network built by the multiple type I IFN subtypes and type III IFNs. We show that priming of cells with either type I IFN or type III IFN interferes with the cell's ability to further respond to all IFN α subtypes. Importantly, primed cells are differentially desensitized in that they retain sensitivity to IFN β. We show that USP18 is necessary and sufficient to induce differential desensitization, by impairing the formation of functional binding sites for IFN α2. Our data highlight a new type of differential between IFNs α and IFN β and underline a cross-talk between type I and type III IFN. This cross-talk could shed light on the reported genetic variation in the IFN λ loci, which has been associated with persistence of hepatitis C virus and patient's response to IFN α2 therapy.

Prolonged allograft survival in cynomolgus monkeys treated with a monoclonal antibody to the human type I interferon receptor and low doses of cyclosporine

A monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed against the extracellular domain of the IFNAR1 chain of the human interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) receptor (IFN-alphaR), which inhibits activation of the Jak-Stat signal transduction pathway, administered together with a subeffective dose of cyclosporine induced prolonged survival of skin allografts in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) divergent cynomolgus monkeys. Skin biopsies from animals treated with anti-IFN-alphaR mAb and cyclosporine revealed very low levels of MHC class I and class II antigen expression and the absence of histologic signs of rejection. Monkey antibodies (IgG) to the mouse antihuman IFN-alphaR mAb were not detected in the serum of any of the animals treated with the anti-IFN-alphaR mAb either alone or together with cyclosporine. The anti-IFN-alphaR mAb abrogated activation of the Jak-Stat signal transduction pathway in IFN-treated cells. These results, which show that selective and long-lasting immunosuppression can be obtained by short-term administration of an IFN-alpha antagonist together with a subeffective dose of cyclosporine, may have important implications for the therapy of human allograft rejection.

The amino-terminal region of Tyk2 sustains the level of interferon alpha receptor 1, a component of the interferon alpha/beta receptor

Tyk2 belongs to the Janus kinase (JAK) family of receptor associated tyrosine kinases, characterized by a large N-terminal region, a kinase-like domain and a tyrosine kinase domain. It was previously shown that Tyk2 contributes to interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) signaling not only catalytically, but also as an essential intracellular component of the receptor complex, being required for high affinity binding of IFN-alpha. For this function the tyrosine kinase domain was found to be dispensable. Here, it is shown that mutant cells lacking Tyk2 have significantly reduced IFN-alpha receptor 1 (IFNAR1) protein level, whereas the mRNA level is unaltered. Expression of the N-terminal region of Tyk2 in these cells reconstituted wild-type IFNAR1 level, but did not restore the binding activity of the receptor. Studies of mutant Tyk2 forms deleted at the N terminus indicated that the integrity of the N-terminal region is required to sustain IFNAR1. These studies also showed that the N-terminal region does not directly modulate the basal autophosphorylation activity of Tyk2, but it is required for efficient in vitro IFNAR1 phosphorylation and for rendering the enzyme activatable by IFN-alpha. Overall, these results indicate that distinct Tyk2 domains provide different functions to the receptor complex: the N-terminal region sustains IFNAR1 level, whereas the kinase-like domain provides a function toward high affinity ligand binding.

A type I interferon signaling factor, ISF21, encoded on chromosome 21 is distinct from receptor components and their down-regulation and Is necessary for transcriptional activation of interferon-regulated genes

The type I interferons (IFNs) are a family of cytokines, comprising at least 17 subtypes, which exert pleiotropic actions by interaction with a multi-component cell surface receptor and at least one well characterized signal transduction pathway involving JAK/STAT (Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription) proteins. In a previous report, we showed that a signaling factor, encoded by a gene located on the distal portion of chromosome 21, distinct from the IFNAR-1 receptor, was necessary for 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase activity and antiviral responses, but not for high affinity ligand binding. In the present studies using hybrid Chinese hamster ovary cell lines containing portions of human chromosome 21, we show that the type I IFN signaling molecule, designated herein as ISF21, is distinct from the second receptor component, IFNAR-2, which is expressed in signaling and non-signaling cell lines. The location of the gene encoding ISF21 is narrowed to a region between the 10;21 and the r21 breakpoints, importantly eliminating the Mx gene located at 21q22.3 (the product of which is involved in IFN-induced antiviral responses) as a candidate for the signaling factor. To characterize the action of this factor in the type I IFN signaling pathway, we show that it acts independently of receptor down-regulation following ligand binding, both of which occur equally in the presence or absence of the factor. In addition, we demonstrate that ISF21 is necessary for transcriptional activation of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase, 6-16, and guanylate-binding protein gene promoter reporter constructs, which are mediated by several signaling pathways. ISF21 represents a novel factor as the localization to chromosome 21, and the data presented in this study exclude any of the known type I IFN signal-transducing molecules.

Post-translational up-regulation of the cell surface-associated alpha component of the human type I interferon receptor during differentiation of peripheral blood monocytes: role in the biological response to type I interferon

Human peripheral blood monocytes cultured in vitro exhibit a greater sensitivity to the antiviral effect of type I interferon (IFN) compared to freshly isolated monocytes. We evaluated the effect of macrophage differentiation on the expression of type I IFN receptors (IFN-R). Binding studies with iodinated IFN-alpha 2 and Scatchard plot analysis revealed that a single class of high-affinity receptors was present in freshly isolated monocytes. Monocyte differentiation to macrophages resulted in a three- to fourfold increase in the number of cell surface receptors with no change in their affinity. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of RNA revealed that comparable levels of mRNA for the IFN-R alpha (IFNAR1) and IFNAR2 components were expressed in freshly isolated monocytes and 7-day cultured macrophages. Likewise, the levels of IFNAR1 protein remained constant over time in culture. Immunofluorescence studies revealed that IFNAR1 was localized in intracellular compartments of freshly isolated monocytes, whereas it was predominantly detected on the cell surface in 7-day cultured macrophages. The increased expression of IFN-R on the plasma membrane of cultured macrophages may, at least in part, account for the increased antiviral effect of type I IFN in these cells. These modifications represent one of the events occurring during monocyte differentiation that may play a role in the regulation of macrophage functions.

Reduction of histone cytotoxicity by the Alzheimer beta-amyloid peptide precursor

In a search for Alzheimer beta-amyloid peptide precursor ligands, Potempska et al. (Arch. Biochem. Biophys. (1993) 304, 448) found that histones bind with high affinity and specificity to the secreted precursor. Because exogenous histones can be cytotoxic, we compared the effects of histones on the viability of cells which produce little beta-amyloid peptide precursor (U-937) to those on cells that produce twenty times as much precursor (COS-7). Addition of purified histones caused necrosis of U-937 cells (histone H4, LD50 = 1.5 microM). Extracellular A beta precursor in the submicromolar range prevented histone-induced U-937 cell necrosis. Cell-surface precursor also reduced histone toxicity: COS-7 cells were less sensitive to the toxic effects of histone H4 (LD50 = 5.4 microM). COS-7 cells in which the expression of an APP mRNA-directed ribozyme reduced the synthesis of the protein by up to 80% were more sensitive to histone H4 (LD50 = 3.2 microM) than cells that expressed the vector alone. Histone H4 binds to cell-associated A beta precursor. Cells expressing the A beta precursor-directed ribozyme bound less 125I-labeled histone H4 than those expressing the vector alone. In the limited extracellular space of tissues in vivo, both secreted and cell-surface A beta precursor protein may play significant roles in trapping chromatin or histones and removing them from the extracellular milieu.

Binding of interferon-alpha and -beta to a component of the human type I interferon receptor expressed in simian cells

The type I interferons (IFNs) are a family of homologous cytokines that compete for receptor binding. Past experiments with a cloned human IFN-alpha receptor component (designated herein as HuIFNAR-1) transfected into different cell backgrounds have given contradictory results in terms of binding and signalling after exposure of cells to different human type I IFNs. In order to investigate the binding specificity of human type I IFN subtypes to HuIFNAR-1, a cDNA encoding HuIFNAR-1 was transfected into simian COS cells. HuIFNAR-1 expression in COS cells, which was confirmed by Northern blot analysis, resulted in increased binding of 125I-labelled HuIFN-alpha 2 and -beta. These data support the participation of this receptor component in ligand binding, probably in association with other receptor components.

Mutant U5A cells are complemented by an interferon-alpha beta receptor subunit generated by alternative processing of a new member of a cytokine receptor gene cluster

The cellular receptor for the alpha/beta interferons contains at least two components that interact with interferon. The ifnar1 component is well characterized and a putative ifnar2 cDNA has recently been identified. We have cloned the gene for ifnar2 and show that it produces four different transcripts encoding three different polypeptides that are generated by exon skipping, alternative splicing and differential use of polyadenylation sites. One polypeptide is likely to be secreted and two are transmembrane proteins with identical extracellular and transmembrane domains but divergent cytoplasmic tails of 67 and 251 amino acids. A mutant cell line U5A, completely defective in IFN-alpha beta binding and response, has been isolated and characterized. Expression in U5A cells of the polypeptide with the long cytoplasmic domain reconstitutes a functional receptor that restores normal interferon binding, activation of the JAK/STAT signal transduction pathway, interferon-inducible gene expression and antiviral response. The IFNAR2 gene maps at 0.5 kb from the CRFB4 gene, establishing that together IFNAR2, CRFB4, IFNAR1 and AF1 form a cluster of class II cytokine receptor genes on human chromosome 21.

Atypical spI interferon binds on porcine cells to a major component of type I interferon receptor

The short porcine type I interferon (spI IFN), encoded by a gene physiologically expressed by the pig embryonic trophoblast during implantation, represents the first member of a novel family type I IFN. Binding and cross-linking experiments were carried out to characterize its cellular receptor. On porcine kidney cells, specific binding of 125I-spI IFN could be displaced significantly by spI IFN, rpIFN-alpha 1, and rhIFN-alpha 1, but not by rhIFN-alpha 2a or by rpIFN-gamma. On the other hand, all these type I IFNs but not rpIFN-gamma were capable of displacing bound 32P-hIFN-alpha A-P1 on these cells. Cross-linking data show that the specific 120 kD complex formed with these two radiolabeled ligands was displaceable by an excess of both spI IFN and rpIFN-alpha 1. These results provide primary evidence that spI IFN shares at least the major binding subunit of type I IFN receptor on porcine cells. On human WISH cells, 125I-spI IFN did not form any complex, nor did spI IFN affect cross-linking complexes of 32P-hIFN-alpha A-P1 on these cells, unlike rpIFN-alpha 1. The lack of antiviral and antiproliferative effects of spI IFN on human cells is primarily a result of its inability to recognize human type I IFN receptor.

High avidity IFN-neutralizing antibodies in pharmaceutically prepared human IgG

This paper demonstrates and characterizes naturally occurring antibodies to interferon (IFN) in human IgG preparations. In vitro neutralization of the antiviral effect of IFN alpha and IFN beta, but not IFN gamma, was observed in 12 of 15 normal IgG preparations. The neutralizing capacity was higher against rIFN alpha 2A and rIFN alpha 2C than against lymphoblastoid IFN alpha and IFN beta. Frühsommer meningoencephalitis hyperimmune IgG and hepatitis-B hyperimmune IgG showed potent neutralization, whereas anti-rhesus D-, anti-rabies-, and anti-tetanus IgG showed weak neutralization. Saturable binding of 125I-rIFN alpha 2A was demonstrated only in those IgG preparations found to neutralize the antiviral effect of IFN. Significant correlation between IFN binding and neutralization capacity was observed. The antibodies bound with Fab to rIFN alpha 2A with an avidity of approximately 30 pM; the majority was of the IgG1 subclass. Maximum binding capacity was 490 pg rIFN alpha 2A/mg IgG. Cross-binding of rIFN alpha 2C, lyIFN alpha N1 and IFN beta occurred with 10 and 100-200 times lower activities than that of rIFN alpha 2A. There was no cross-binding with rIFN gamma or rIL-6. IgG preparations containing anti-IFN antibodies blocked the binding of 125I-rIFN alpha 2A to A549 cells. In conclusion, pharmaceutically prepared human IgG preparations contain variable but significant levels of high-avidity IFN alpha and IFN beta neutralizing antibodies.

Characterization of a domain of a human type I interferon receptor protein involved in ligand binding

Two monoclonal antibodies that recognize different epitopes of the extracellular domain of one of the proteins that constitute the type I interferon receptor were used to delineate the interferon binding site. Antibody 64G12 both inhibits the binding of radiolabeled interferon-alpha 2 and IFN-alpha 8 to their cell surface receptors and neutralizes the antiviral and antiproliferative actions of all the type I interferons tested, including IFN-beta, IFN-omega, and human leukocyte IFN, a mixture of different interferon-alpha isotypes. Antibody 34F10 recognizes the type I interferon receptor with an affinity similar to that of the MAb 64G12 but does not inhibit either the binding or the biologic activity of any of the type I interferons tested. Both antibodies recognize a protein of 105 +/- 5 kD from either Daudi or Ly28 cells. Immunoprecipitation following surface iodination demonstrated that the neutralizing MAb recognizes a protein of 105 kD and the nonneutralizing MAb a protein of 110 kD in extracts of Daudi cells. A second less intense band was also detected by both antibodies. Cross-linking of IFN-alpha 2 to its receptor before immunoprecipitation prevented the neutralizing antibody from immunoprecipitating the receptor protein, but the nonneutralizing MAb was still able to recognize a 140 kD protein corresponding to the cross-linked interferon-receptor protein complex. Thus, an interferon binding domain appears to be localized in a region between amino acids 23 and 229 of the extracellular domain of a transmembrane protein that forms part of the type I interferon receptor complex containing the epitopes recognized by each antibody.

Distinct domains of the protein tyrosine kinase tyk2 required for binding of interferon-alpha/beta and for signal transduction

tyk2 belongs to the JAK family of nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases recently found implicated in signaling through a large number of cytokine receptors. These proteins are characterized by a large amino-terminal region and two tandemly arranged kinase domains, a kinase-like and a tyrosine kinase domain. Genetic and biochemical evidence supports the requirement for tyk2 in interferon-alpha/beta binding and signaling. To study the role of the distinct domains of tyk2, constructs lacking one or both kinase domains were stably transfected in recipient cells lacking the endogenous protein. Removal of either or both kinase domains resulted in loss of the in vitro kinase activity. The mutant form truncated of the tyrosine kinase domain was found to reconstitute binding of interferon-alpha 8 and partial signaling. While no contribution of this protein toward interferon-beta binding was evident, increased signaling could be measured. The mutant form lacking both kinase domains did not exhibit any detectable activity. Altogether, these results show that a sequential deletion of domains engenders a sequential loss of function and that the different domains of tyk2 have distinct functions, all essential for full interferon-alpha and -beta binding and signaling.

U937 cells can utilize plasminogen activator to regulate human interferon-gamma

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) converts the proenzyme plasminogen to plasmin and thereby contributes to processes like cell migration, tissue remodeling, and cytokine processing. We report here that uPA produced by the human U937 promonocytic cell line also initiated the inactivation of recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) by plasmin-mediated proteolysis. When cultured serum-free with plasminogen, U937 promonocytic cells generated measurable levels of plasmin activity and destroyed the antiviral activity of exogenously added rIFN-gamma. This effect was not seen in the absence of plasminogen, was prevented by inhibitors of uPA and plasmin, and was accompanied by changes in the electrophoretic mobility of rIFN-gamma on polyacrylamide gels, consistent with limited proteolysis of the lymphokine. Culturing U937 cells or blood monocytes for 48 h led to an elevated expression of their surface uPA and an increase in their capacity to produce plasmin and inactivate rIFN-gamma. The ability of rIFN-gamma to induce Fc receptors on U937 cells could also be prevented by providing the cells with a source of exogenous plasminogen, indicating that U937 cells could control their own activation in vitro through the action of uPA. The results of these studies support the conclusion that mononuclear phagocytes have the capacity to use uPA to regulate cytokine activity in vitro.

Specific antiviral activities of the human alpha interferons are determined at the level of receptor (IFNAR) structure

Differences in activity among the family of human IFNs alpha are much reduced if these ligands are assayed on bovine cells. In particular, the activity of IFN alpha D is much higher on bovine than on human cells. To examine these differences, the bovine counterpart of the human IFNAR has been cloned and expressed in a human cell line. The transfected cell line now recognizes the human IFN alpha D as a high-specific-activity IFN subtype, indicating that the differences in sensitivity between the bovine and human cells to the human IFN alpha lie in the structure of the IFNAR chain rather than in the other components of the functional receptor.

Serum-induced suppression of interferon (IFN) activity. Lack of evidence for the presence of specific autoantibodies to IFN-alpha in normal human sera

IgG antibodies binding to different IFN species have been described in sera of healthy and diseased individuals. Human serum immunoglobulins have also been shown to interfere with IFN bioactivity. To characterize these antibodies, human recombinant IFN-alpha 2A (rIFN-alpha) was radioiodinated, and ligand binding studies were performed in human sera as well as on the human cell line A-549 in the presence of human serum. 125I-rIFN-alpha bound to serum factors of healthy individuals. However, less than 3% of the binding was to IgG and the binding was non-saturable and therefore most likely non-specific. 125I-rIFN-alpha bound to receptors on A-549 cells, and the ligand-receptor complexes appeared to internalize. However, both cell binding and internalization of 125I-rIFN-alpha were independent of the presence of human serum. We conclude that normal human sera do not contain detectable autoantibodies to rIFN-alpha.

Murine tumor cells expressing the gene for the human interferon alpha beta receptor elicit antibodies in syngeneic mice to the active form of the receptor

The cellular receptor for the human alpha and beta interferons (IFN) was expressed, by gene transfer, in a murine hepatoma-derived cell line, BTG 9A. Injected subcutaneously into the syngeneic mouse (C57BL/6), the parental and the transfected cells grew and formed tumors which later regressed. More than half the mice bearing tumors derived from cells expressing the receptor, developed IgG antibodies capable of blocking the activity, on human cells, of human recombinant IFN-alpha B, -alpha A, -alpha D and of natural human IFN-beta, but not of recombinant IFN-gamma. Cross-reactivity of human IFN-alpha on murine and bovine cells was unaffected by these antibodies. The binding of human IFN-alpha to solubilized receptors from human lymphoid cell lines was also blocked and complexes of radiolabeled recombinant IFN-alpha A or IFN-alpha B, chemically cross-linked to their human receptor could be immunoprecipitated by the antisera. IFN alpha beta receptor protein, purified by electrophoresis in sodium dodecylsulfate, was not recognized. We conclude that the antibodies are directed against the forms of the IFN alpha beta receptor actually expressed on the membrane.

Detergent extraction of the human alpha-beta interferon receptor: a soluble form capable of binding interferon

After examining a variety of detergents we find that receptors for human alpha interferon can be solubilized, in active form, from plasma membranes of lymphoid cells using the detergent CHAPS. The complexes formed, in solution, with interferon are stable enough to be separated chromatographically.

Genetic transfer of a functional human interferon alpha receptor into mouse cells: cloning and expression of its cDNA

A cDNA coding for the human interferon alpha receptor has been cloned using a gene transfer approach. This consists of transferring human DNA to mouse cells and selecting for cells sensitive to human interferon alpha. The transfected cells expressed the human interferon alpha receptor, and a 5 kb human DNA was isolated from a secondary transfectant. This DNA defects an mRNA present in human cells and was used to clone a 2.7 kb cDNA from a library constructed from human Daudi cells. The sequence of the cDNA is presented. It codes for a glycoprotein of 557 amino acids with an N-terminal hydrophobic region and a single transmembrane-spanning segment. Mouse cells expressing the cDNA become sensitive to the antiviral activity of and express binding sites for human interferon alpha, demonstrating that the cloned cDNA encodes a functional human interferon alpha receptor.

Interferon removes its own receptors as it blocks the division of Daudi cells

The Burkitt-derived line, Daudi, whose proliferation is inhibited by human alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha), was treated with 125I-labelled recombinant human IFN-alpha A. After separation from unbound ligand, cell-bound IFN was extracted with the detergent digitonin yielding soluble and insoluble complexes of IFN and receptor, together with a certain amount of uncomplexed IFN. 1. Soluble complexes were stable enough to be separated from uncomplexed IFN by permeation chromatography. Treatment of soluble complexes with the bifunctional reagent, disuccinimidyl suberate, yielded a radioactive product separating with an Mr of 130,000 on electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulphate. Similar complexes could be recovered with sodium dodecyl sulphate from the digitonin-insoluble residue, treated with the bi-functional reagent. 2. The total (soluble and insoluble) of complexed IFN obtained after digitonin extraction was a constant fraction (0.62) of the total cell-bound radioactivity, being independent of the concentration of IFN added to the cells (less than pM to greater than nM), and of the time of incubation (1 min to 20 h). However, between 30 min and 3 h of incubation, the insoluble complex increased, at the expense of the soluble complex, and there appeared a cellular pool of degraded ligand. From 3 h to 20 h the distribution of ligand-derived radioactivity remained constant while the total amount decreased to less than 10% of its value at 30 min. This decrease in binding was matched by the appearance of an equivalent quantity of radiolabelled fragments in the culture medium. 3. The inhibition of cellular division due to IFN was shown to be coincident with the disappearance of cellular binding and with the cell-mediated degradation of receptor-complexed IFN. We propose that IFN removes its own receptor and, in doing so, blocks a linked function necessary for the stimulated growth of Daudi cells.

Electrostatic interactions in the cellular dynamics of the interferon-receptor complex

Using membrane preparations of the interferon receptor, prepared from cells of the Burkitt line, Daudi, we have examined the binding of three human recombinant alpha-interferons. 1. We discovered a binding titration of the interferons IFN-alpha A and IFN-alpha D in the pH range 6-9. Receptor binding, negligible at pH 6, rises to a maximum close to pH 9. We have shown that binding of IFN-alpha A at basic pH is to the same receptors as at neutrality and that IFN-receptor complexes extracted with digitonin are more stable at basic pH than they are at neutrality. 2. The recombinant interferon, IFN-alpha B, shows little change of binding in the pH range 6-9. At its basic optimum the binding of IFN-alpha A approaches that of IFN-alpha B, while at neutral pH the binding of IFN-alpha A is 3-4 times less. This difference at neutral pH is seen on intact cells as well as on membrane preparations. The specific activity of IFN-alpha B is close to that of IFN-alpha A, both of which are 10-20 times more active than IFN-alpha D; and the binding titration is, therefore, independent of the initial binding affinities. 3. Using hybrid IFNs constructed from the DNA sequences of alpha D and alpha B, we have isolated the sequence responsible for the binding titration to the segment comprising amino acids 61-92. Examination of these sequences reveals that Lys-84 is present in all the IFN-alpha except IFN-alpha B where it is replaced by Glu; and Tyr-90, present in most of the common IFN-alpha including alpha A and alpha D, is replaced by Asp in IFN-alpha B. Lys and Tyr would normally titrate in the pH range 6-9. We conclude that the binding titration is due to an electrostatic interaction and we propose that the interaction is between IFN-receptor complexes. The role of the interaction in the binding losses that accompany the antiproliferative effects of IFN is discussed.