Functional characterization of purinergic P2Y2 and P2Y12 receptors involved in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) innate immune responses

Extracellular ATP- and adenosine-mediated purinergic signaling modulates inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression, enzyme activity and nitric oxide production in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) head kidney macrophages

Inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) is a key immune mediator for production of inflammatory mediator NO from l-arginine. Tight regulation of iNOS expression and enzyme activity is critical for proper NO productions under inflammation and infection conditions. However, the regulatory mechanism for iNOS expression and enzyme activity in fish remains largely unknown. Here, we show that extracellular ATP treatment significantly up-regulates iNOS gene expression and enzyme activity, and consequently leads to enhanced NO production in Cyprinus carpio head kidney macrophages (HKMs). We further show that the extracellular ATP-induced iNOS enzyme activity and NO production can be attenuated by pharmacological inhibition of the ATP-gated P2X4 and P2X7 receptors with their respective specific antagonists, but enhanced by overexpression of P2X4 and P2X7 receptors in grass carp ovary cells. In contrast, adenosine administration significantly reduces iNOS gene expression, enzyme activity and NO production in carp HKMs, and these inhibitory effects can be reversed by pharmacological inhibition of adenosine receptors with the antagonist XAC. Furthermore, LPS- and poly(I:C)-induced iNOS gene expression, enzyme activity, and NO production are significantly attenuated by blockade of P2X4 and P2X7 receptors with their respective specific antagonists in carp HKMs, while overexpression of P2X and P2X7 receptors results in enhanced iNOS gene expression, enzyme activity and NO production in LPS- and poly(I:C)-treated grass carp ovary cells. Taken together, we firstly report an opposite role of extracellular ATP/adenosine-mediated purinergic signaling in modulating iNOS-NO system activity in fish.

Identification and characterization of apoptosis-related gene serine/threonine kinase 17A (STK17A) from Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

Apoptosis plays important roles in regulation of the immune response and has a direct impact on disease resistance in teleost. Death associated protein kinase (DAPK)-related Serine/Threonine kinase 17A (STK17A) is a positive apoptosis regulator. However, the expression and function of STK17A in fish still remains uninvestigated. In this study, we identified and characterized a STK17A gene (termed PoSTK17A) from Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. We also investigated the pro-apoptotic role of PoSTK17A in fish. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that PoSTK17A is widely present in various Japanese flounder tissues, and dominantly expressed in liver. Immune challenge experiments showed that PoSTK17A expression was upregulated by inflammatory challenge, Edwardsiella tarda infection and DNA-damaging agent cisplatin treatment as well. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that the recombinant PoSTK17A proteins are mainly located in the nucleus of Japanese flounder FG-9307 cells, and human Hela and MCF7 cells. However, PoSTK17A was translocated from the nucleus to cytoplasm following cisplatin treatment. Overexpression of PoSTK17A significantly increased the apoptosis in human MCF7 cells through both cisplatin-dependent and independent manners. Importantly, PoSTK17A also promotes the ATP-gated P2X7 receptor-mediated apoptosis in Japanese flounder FG-9307 cells. Collectively, we characterized an inducible STK17A gene (PoSTK17A) that may play a conserved pro-apoptotic role in fish.

Extracellular ATP is a potent signaling molecule in the activation of the Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) innate immune responses

Innate immunity is the first line of defense against pathogen infections. Extracellular ATP (eATP) is one of the most studied danger-associated molecular pattern molecules that can activate host innate immune responses through binding with and activating purinergic receptors on the plasma membrane. The detailed actions of eATP on fish innate immunity, however, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated bacterial pathogen-induced ATP release in head kidney cells of the Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. We also examined the actions of eATP on pro-inflammatory cytokine and immune-related gene expression, the activity of induced NO synthase (iNOS), and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO in Japanese flounder immune cells. We demonstrate that ATP is dynamically released from Japanese flounder head kidney cells into the extracellular milieu during immune challenge by formalin-inactivated Edwardsiella tarda and Vibrio anguillarum. In addition, we show that eATP administration results in profound up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression, iNOS activity, and inflammatory mediator production, including ROS and NO, in Japanese flounder immune cells. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that eATP is a potent signaling molecule for the activation of innate immune responses in fish.

Functional characterization of purinergic receptor P2Y14 in the Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) head kidney macrophages

Extracellular nucleotides and nucleotide sugars are important danger-associated signaling molecules that play critical roles in regulation of immune responses in mammals through activation of purinergic receptors located on the cell surface. However, the immunological role of extracellular UDP-glucose-activated P2Y₁₄ receptor (P2Y₁₄R) in fish still remains unknown. In this study, we identified and characterized a P2Y₁₄R paralog in the Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). The mRNA transcripts of P2Y₁₄R are detected in all examined Japanese flounder tissues. Compared with the UDP-activated P2Y₆ receptor, however, P2Y₁₄R gene is highly expressed in Japanese flounder head kidney macrophages (HKMs). In addition, P2Y₁₄R is significantly upregulated following inflammatory stimulation with LPS and poly (I:C) in the HKMs, suggesting a role of P2Y₁₄R in response to inflammation in fish. Furthermore, activation of P2Y₁₄ receptor with its potent and selective agonist MRS 2905 resulted in a decreased expression of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta gene in the HKMs. In contrast, inhibition of P2Y₁₄ receptor activity or down-regulation of the endogenous expression of P2Y₁₄R by small interfering RNA significantly upregulates the LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta gene expression in the HKMs, demonstrating that P2Y₁₄R is involved in inflammation regulation in fish. Moreover, stimulation of the Japanese flounder HKMs with UDP-glucose evoked a rapid increase of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation in a dose- and time-dependent manner, indicating the involvement of P2Y₁₄R in activation of ERK1/2 signaling in fish immune cells. Taken together, we demonstrated that the inducible P2Y₁₄R plays an important role in regulation of fish innate immunity.

Identification and characterization of ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (CD39) involved in regulating extracellular ATP-mediated innate immune responses in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (eATP), released following inflammatory stimulation or infection, is a potent signaling molecule in activating innate immune responses in fish. However, the regulation of eATP-mediated innate immunity in fish remains unknown. Ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (CD39) is a critical molecular switch for controlling the ATP levels in the extracellular space. CD39 plays a key role in regulating eATP-activated innate immune responses through the phosphohydrolysis of pro-inflammatory eATP to inactive AMP. Here, we identified and characterized a CD39 homolog (namely, poCD39) in the Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus and analyzed its regulatory role in eATP-mediated innate immunity. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that poCD39 is ubiquitously present in all tested normal tissues with dominant expression in enriched Japanese flounder head kidney macrophages (HKMs). Immune challenge experiments demonstrated that poCD39 expression was upregulated by inflammatory stimulation and Edwardsiella tarda infection. Biochemical and immunofluorescence analysis revealed that poCD39 is a functional glycosylated membrane protein for the hydrolysis of eATP. Inhibition of poCD939 activity with the ecto-NTPDase inhibitor ARL 67156 resulted in increased IL-1beta gene expression and ROS production in Japanese flounder HKMs. In contrast, overexpression of poCD39 in Japanese flounder FG-9307 cells reduced eATP-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta gene expression. Finally, poCD39 expression was significantly induced by eATP stimulation in the HKMs, suggesting that eATP may provide a feedback mechanism for transcriptional regulation of fish CD39. Taken together, we identified and characterized a functional fish CD39 protein involved in regulating eATP-mediated innate immune responses in fish.

Characterization of UDP-Activated Purinergic Receptor P2Y₆ Involved in Japanese Flounder Paralichthys olivaceus Innate Immunity

Uridine 5’-diphosphate (UDP)-activated purinergic receptor P2Y₆ is a member of a G-protein-coupled purinergic receptor family that plays an important role in mammalian innate immunity. However, the role of the P2Y₆ receptor (P2Y₆R) in fish immunity has not been investigated. In this report, we characterized a P2Y₆R gene from Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) and examined its role in fish innate immunity. Sequence analysis reveals that the Japanese flounder P2Y₆R protein is conserved and possesses four potential glycosylation sites. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis shows that P2Y₆R is broadly distributed in all examined Japanese flounder tissues with dominant expression in the liver. In addition, P2Y₆R gene expression was up-regulated in head kidney macrophages (HKMs) upon lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and poly(I:C) stimulations but down-regulated by LPS challenge in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs). Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of the endogenous P2Y₆ receptor activity by the potently selective P2Y₆R antagonist, MRS 2578, greatly up-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α gene expression in PBL cells treated with UDP. Moreover, LPS- and poly(I:C)-induced gene expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in Japanese flounder PBL cells was attenuated significantly by inhibition of P2Y₆R activity with antagonist MRS 2578. Collectively, we, for the first time, showed the involvement of functional purinergic P2Y₆R in fish innate immunity.