Cellular and molecular actors of myeloid cell fusion: podosomes and tunneling nanotubes call the tune

Different types of multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) of myeloid origin have been described; osteoclasts are the most extensively studied because of their importance in bone homeostasis. MGCs are formed by cell-to-cell fusion, and most types have been observed in pathological conditions, especially in infectious and non-infectious chronic inflammatory contexts. The precise role of the different MGCs and the mechanisms that govern their formation remain poorly understood, likely due to their heterogeneity. First, we will introduce the main populations of MGCs derived from the monocyte/macrophage lineage. We will then discuss the known molecular actors mediating the early stages of fusion, focusing on cell-surface receptors involved in the cell-to-cell adhesion steps that ultimately lead to multinucleation. Given that cell-to-cell fusion is a complex and well-coordinated process, we will also describe what is currently known about the evolution of F-actin-based structures involved in macrophage fusion, i.e., podosomes, zipper-like structures, and tunneling nanotubes (TNT). Finally, the localization and potential role of the key fusion mediators related to the formation of these F-actin structures will be discussed. This review intends to present the current status of knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms supporting multinucleation of myeloid cells, highlighting the gaps still existing, and contributing to the proposition of potential disease-specific MGC markers and/or therapeutic targets.

Dok-3 and Dok-1/-2 adaptors play distinctive roles in cell fusion and proliferation during osteoclastogenesis and cooperatively protect mice from osteopenia

Bone mass is determined by coordinated acts of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which control bone formation and resorption, respectively. Osteoclasts are multinucleated, macrophage/monocyte lineage cells from bone marrow. The Dok-family adaptors Dok-1, Dok-2 and Dok-3 are expressed in the macrophage/monocyte lineage and negatively regulate many signaling pathways, implying roles in osteoclastogenesis. Indeed, mice lacking Dok-1 and Dok-2, the closest homologues with redundant functions, develop osteopenia with increased osteoclast counts compared to the wild-type controls. Here, we demonstrate that Dok-3 knockout (KO) mice also develop osteopenia. However, Dok-3 KO, but not Dok-1/-2 double-KO (DKO), mice develop larger osteoclasts within the normal cell-count range, suggesting a distinctive role for Dok-3. Indeed, Dok-3 KO, but not Dok-1/-2 DKO, bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) generated larger osteoclasts with more nuclei due to augmented cell-to-cell fusion in vitro. In addition, while Dok-1/-2 DKO BMDCs generated more osteoclasts, Dok-1/-2/-3 triple-KO (TKO) BMDCs generated osteoclasts increased in both number and size. Furthermore, Dok-1/-2/-3 TKO mice showed the combined effects of Dok-3 and Dok-1/-2 deficiency: severe osteopenia with more and larger osteoclasts. Together, our findings demonstrate that Dok-3 and Dok-1/-2 play distinctive but cooperative roles in osteoclastogenesis and protect mice from osteopenia, providing physiological and pathophysiological insight into bone homeostasis.

Small interfering RNAs targeting peste des petits ruminants virus M mRNA increase virus-mediated fusogenicity and inhibit viral replication in vitro

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), caused by peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), is an acute or subacute, highly contagious and economically important disease of small ruminants. The PPRV is classified into the genus Morbillivirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. The PPRV matrix (M) protein possesses an intrinsic ability to bind to lipid membranes, and plays a crucial role in viral assembly and further budding. In this study, three different small interfering RNAs (siRNA) were designed on the basis of translated region for PPRV Nigeria 75/1M mRNA, and were subsequently synthesized for their transfection into Vero-SLAM cells, followed by infection with PPRVs. The results showed that two out of three siRNAs robustly induced cell-to-cell fusion as early as 36h post-infection with PPRVs, effectively suppressed expression of the M protein by interference for the M mRNA, and eventually inhibited viral replication in vitro. These findings led us to speculate that siRNA-mediated knockdown of the M protein would alter its interaction with viral glycoproteins, thus exacerbating intercellular fusion but hampering virus release.