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Žerovnik E. Human stefin B: from its structure, folding, and aggregation to its function in health and disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1009976. [PMID: 36340691 PMCID: PMC9634419 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1009976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene for human stefin B (cystatin B) cause progressive myoclonic epilepsy type 1 (EPM1), a neurodegenerative disorder. The most common change is dodecamer repeats in the promoter region of the gene, though missense and frameshift mutations also appear. Human stefin B primarily acts as a cysteine cathepsin inhibitor, and it also exhibits alternative functions. It plays a protective role against oxidative stress, likely via reducing mitochondrial damage and thus generating fewer mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). Accordingly, lack of stefin B results in increased inflammation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, producing more ROS. The protein is cytosolic but also has an important role in the nucleus, where it prevents cleavage of the N terminal part of histone 3 by inhibiting cathepsins L and B and thus regulates transcription and cell cycle. Furthermore, it has been shown that stefin B is oligomeric in cells and that it has a specific role in the physiology of the synapse and in vesicular transport. On the basis of my research team's data on the structure, folding, and aggregation of stefin B, we have proposed that it might regulate proteostasis, possessing a chaperone-like function. In this review, I synthesize these observations and derive some conclusions on possible sources of EPM1 pathology. The interaction partners of stefin B and other gene mutations leading to EPM1-like pathology are discussed and common pathways are pinpointed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Žerovnik
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Kobpornchai P, Tiffney EA, Adisakwattana P, Flynn RJ. Trichinella spiralis cystatin, TsCstN, modulates STAT4/IL-12 to specifically suppress IFN-γ production. Cell Immunol 2021; 362:104303. [PMID: 33611078 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2021.104303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
We have previously identified a cystatin, TsCstN, derived from the L1 stage of Trichinella spiralis and have shown that this protein is internalised in macrophages. Here we sought to address if this macrophage-TsCstN interaction could alter downstream T-cell priming. Using LPS-primed macrophages to stimulate T-cells in a co-culture system with or without TsCstN we assessed the resultant T-cell outcomes. IFN-γ, both protein and mRNA, but not IL-17A was negatively regulated by inclusion of TsCstN during macrophage priming. We identified a cell-cell contact independent change in the levels of IL-12 that led to altered phosphorylated STAT4 levels and translocation. TsCstN also negatively regulated the autonomous response in the myotubule cell line, C2C12. This work identifies a potential pathyway for L1 larvae to evade protective Th1 based immune responses and establish muscle-stage T. spiralis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Porntida Kobpornchai
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiome, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK; Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ellen-Alana Tiffney
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiome, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK
| | - Poom Adisakwattana
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | - Robin J Flynn
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiome, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.
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Comparative Analysis Identifies Similarities between the Human and Murine Microglial Sensomes. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22031495. [PMID: 33540859 PMCID: PMC7867338 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the essential functions of microglia is to continuously sense changes in their environment and adapt to those changes. For this purpose, they use a set of genes termed the sensome. This sensome is comprised of the most abundantly expressed receptors on the surface of microglia. In this study, we updated previously identified mouse microglial sensome by incorporating an additional published RNAseq dataset into the data-analysis pipeline. We also identified members of the human microglial sensome using two independent human microglia RNAseq data sources. Using both the mouse and human microglia sensomes, we identified a key set of genes conserved between the mouse and human microglial sensomes as well as some differences between the species. We found a key set of 57 genes to be conserved in both mouse and human microglial sensomes. We define these genes as the “microglia core sensome”. We then analyzed expression of genes in this core sensome in five different datasets from two neurodegenerative disease models at various stages of the diseases and found that, overall, changes in the level of expression of microglial sensome genes are specific to the disease or condition studied. Our results highlight the relevance of data generated in mice for understanding the biology of human microglia, but also stress the importance of species-specific gene sets for the investigation of diseases involving microglia. Defining this microglial specific core sensome may help identify pathological changes in microglia in humans and mouse models of human disease.
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Sierra-Torre V, Plaza-Zabala A, Bonifazi P, Abiega O, Díaz-Aparicio I, Tegelberg S, Lehesjoki AE, Valero J, Sierra A. Microglial phagocytosis dysfunction in the dentate gyrus is related to local neuronal activity in a genetic model of epilepsy. Epilepsia 2020; 61:2593-2608. [PMID: 32940364 PMCID: PMC7756777 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Microglial phagocytosis of apoptotic cells is an essential component of the brain regenerative response during neurodegeneration. Whereas it is very efficient in physiological conditions, it is impaired in mouse and human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, and now we extend our studies to a model of progressive myoclonus epilepsy type 1 in mice lacking cystatin B (CSTB). METHODS We used confocal imaging and stereology-based quantification of apoptosis and phagocytosis of the hippocampus of Cstb knockout (KO) mice, an in vitro model of phagocytosis and siRNAs to acutely reduce Cstb expression, and a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model to analyze the physical relationship between apoptosis, phagocytosis, and active hippocampal neurons. RESULTS Microglial phagocytosis was impaired in the hippocampus of Cstb KO mice at 1 month of age, when seizures arise and hippocampal atrophy begins. This impairment was not related to the lack of Cstb in microglia alone, as shown by in vitro experiments with microglial Cstb depletion. The phagocytosis impairment was also unrelated to seizures, as it was also present in Cstb KO mice at postnatal day 14, before seizures begin. Importantly, phagocytosis impairment was restricted to the granule cell layer and spared the subgranular zone, where there are no active neurons. Furthermore, apoptotic cells (both phagocytosed and not phagocytosed) in Cstb-deficient mice were at close proximity to active cFos+ neurons, and a virtual 3D model demonstrated that the physical relationship between apoptotic cells and cFos+ neurons was specific for Cstb KO mice. SIGNIFICANCE These results suggest a complex crosstalk between apoptosis, phagocytosis, and neuronal activity, hinting that local neuronal activity could be related to phagocytosis dysfunction in Cstb KO mice. Overall, these data suggest that phagocytosis impairment is an early feature of hippocampal damage in epilepsy and opens novel therapeutic approaches for epileptic patients based on targeting microglial phagocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Sierra-Torre
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park University of the Basque Country EHU/UPV, Leioa, Spain.,Department of Neuroscience, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Ainhoa Plaza-Zabala
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park University of the Basque Country EHU/UPV, Leioa, Spain
| | - Paolo Bonifazi
- Ikerbasque Foundation, Bilbao, Spain.,Biocruces Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Oihane Abiega
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park University of the Basque Country EHU/UPV, Leioa, Spain.,Department of Neuroscience, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Irune Díaz-Aparicio
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park University of the Basque Country EHU/UPV, Leioa, Spain.,Department of Neuroscience, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Saara Tegelberg
- Folkhälsan Research Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Jorge Valero
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park University of the Basque Country EHU/UPV, Leioa, Spain.,Department of Neuroscience, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Ikerbasque Foundation, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Amanda Sierra
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park University of the Basque Country EHU/UPV, Leioa, Spain.,Department of Neuroscience, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Ikerbasque Foundation, Bilbao, Spain
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Neuroinflammation and progressive myoclonus epilepsies: from basic science to therapeutic opportunities. Expert Rev Mol Med 2020; 22:e4. [PMID: 32938505 PMCID: PMC7520540 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2020.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Progressive myoclonus epilepsies (PMEs) are a group of genetic neurological disorders characterised by the occurrence of epileptic seizures, myoclonus and progressive neurological deterioration including cerebellar involvement and dementia. The primary cause of PMEs is variable and alterations in the corresponding mutated genes determine the progression and severity of the disease. In most cases, they lead to the death of the patient after a period of prolonged disability. PMEs also share poor information on the pathophysiological bases and the lack of a specific treatment. Recent reports suggest that neuroinflammation is a common trait under all these conditions. Here, we review similarities and differences in neuroinflammatory response in several PMEs and discuss the window of opportunity of using anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of several of these conditions.
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Khatri V, Chauhan N, Kalyanasundaram R. Parasite Cystatin: Immunomodulatory Molecule with Therapeutic Activity against Immune Mediated Disorders. Pathogens 2020; 9:E431. [PMID: 32486220 PMCID: PMC7350340 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9060431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of parasites or their products for treating chronic inflammation associated diseases (CIADs) has generated significant attention recently. Findings from basic and clinical research have provided valuable information on strengthening the notion that parasites' molecules can be developed as biotherapeutic agents. Completion of the genome, secreotome, and proteome of the parasites has provided an excellent platform for screening and identifying several host immunomodulatory molecules from the parasites and evaluate their therapeutic potential for CIADs. One of the widely studied host immunomodulatory molecules of the parasites is the cysteine protease inhibitor (cystatin), which is primarily secreted by the parasites to evade host immune responses. In this review, we have attempted to summarize the findings to date on the use of helminth parasite-derived cystatin as a therapeutic agent against CIADs. Although several studies suggest a role for alternatively activated macrophages, other regulatory cells, and immunosuppressive molecules, in this immunoregulatory activity of the parasite-derived cystatin, there is still no clear demonstration as to how cystatin induces its anti-inflammatory effect in suppressing CIADs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Khatri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (N.C.); (R.K.)
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Bossowska-Nowicka M, Mielcarska MB, Romaniewicz M, Kaczmarek MM, Gregorczyk-Zboroch KP, Struzik J, Grodzik M, Gieryńska MM, Toka FN, Szulc-Dąbrowska L. Ectromelia virus suppresses expression of cathepsins and cystatins in conventional dendritic cells to efficiently execute the replication process. BMC Microbiol 2019; 19:92. [PMID: 31077130 PMCID: PMC6509786 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1471-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cathepsins are a group of endosomal proteases present in many cells including dendritic cells (DCs). The activity of cathepsins is regulated by their endogenous inhibitors – cystatins. Cathepsins are crucial to antigen processing during viral and bacterial infections, and as such are a prerequisite to antigen presentation in the context of major histocompatibility complex class I and II molecules. Due to the involvement of DCs in both innate and adaptive immune responses, and the quest to understand the impact of poxvirus infection on host cells, we investigated the influence of ectromelia virus (ECTV) infection on cathepsin and cystatin levels in murine conventional DCs (cDCs). ECTV is a poxvirus that has evolved many mechanisms to avoid host immune response and is able to replicate productively in DCs. Results Our results showed that ECTV-infection of JAWS II DCs and primary murine GM-CSF-derived bone marrow cells down-regulated both mRNA and protein of cathepsin B, L and S, and cystatin B and C, particularly during the later stages of infection. Moreover, the activity of cathepsin B, L and S was confirmed to be diminished especially at later stages of infection in JAWS II cells. Consequently, ECTV-infected DCs had diminished ability to endocytose and process a soluble antigen. Close examination of cellular protein distribution showed that beginning from early stages of infection, the remnants of cathepsin L and cystatin B co-localized and partially co-localized with viral replication centers (viral factories), respectively. Moreover, viral yield increased in cDCs treated with siRNA against cathepsin B, L or S and subsequently infected with ECTV. Conclusions Taken together, our results indicate that infection of cDCs with ECTV suppresses cathepsins and cystatins, and alters their cellular distribution which impairs the cDC function. We propose this as an additional viral strategy to escape immune responses, enabling the virus to replicate effectively in infected cells. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-019-1471-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Bossowska-Nowicka
- Division of Immunology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Matylda B Mielcarska
- Division of Immunology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Romaniewicz
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Monika M Kaczmarek
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Karolina P Gregorczyk-Zboroch
- Division of Immunology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Justyna Struzik
- Division of Immunology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Grodzik
- Division of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology, Faculty of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata M Gieryńska
- Division of Immunology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Felix N Toka
- Division of Immunology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.,Center for Integrative Mammalian Research, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis
| | - Lidia Szulc-Dąbrowska
- Division of Immunology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.
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Okuneva O, Li Z, Körber I, Tegelberg S, Joensuu T, Tian L, Lehesjoki AE. Brain inflammation is accompanied by peripheral inflammation in Cstb -/- mice, a model for progressive myoclonus epilepsy. J Neuroinflammation 2016; 13:298. [PMID: 27894304 PMCID: PMC5127053 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-016-0764-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Progressive myoclonus epilepsy of Unverricht-Lundborg type (EPM1) is an autosomal recessively inherited childhood-onset neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by myoclonus, seizures, and ataxia. Mutations in the cystatin B gene (CSTB) underlie EPM1. The CSTB-deficient (Cstb -/- ) mouse model recapitulates key features of EPM1, including myoclonic seizures. The mice show early microglial activation that precedes seizure onset and neuronal loss and leads to neuroinflammation. We here characterized the inflammatory phenotype of Cstb -/- mice in more detail. We found higher concentrations of chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the serum of Cstb -/- mice and higher CXCL13 expression in activated microglia in Cstb -/- compared to control mouse brains. The elevated chemokine levels were not accompanied by blood-brain barrier disruption, despite increased brain vascularization. Macrophages in the spleen and brain of Cstb -/- mice were predominantly pro-inflammatory. Taken together, these data show that CXCL13 expression is a hallmark of microglial activation in Cstb -/- mice and that the brain inflammation is linked to peripheral inflammatory changes, which might contribute to the disease pathology of EPM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olesya Okuneva
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program’s Unit, Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 4, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zhilin Li
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 4, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Inken Körber
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program’s Unit, Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 4, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Saara Tegelberg
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program’s Unit, Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 4, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Joensuu
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program’s Unit, Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 4, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Li Tian
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 4, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University teaching hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Anna-Elina Lehesjoki
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program’s Unit, Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 4, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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