Target lysis by cholesterol extraction is a rate limiting step in the resolution of phagolysosomes

The ongoing phagocytic activity of macrophages necessitates an extraordinary capacity to digest and resolve incoming material. While the initial steps leading to the formation of a terminal phagolysosome are well studied, much less is known about the later stages of this process, namely the degradation and resolution of the phagolysosomal contents. We report that the degradation of targets such as splenocytes and erythrocytes by phagolysosomes occurs in a stepwise fashion, requiring lysis of their plasmalemmal bilayer as an essential initial step. This is achieved by the direct extraction of cholesterol facilitated by Niemann-Pick protein type C2 (NPC2), which in turn hands off cholesterol to NPC1 for export from the phagolysosome. The removal of cholesterol ulimately destabilizes and permeabilizes the membrane of the phagocytic target, allowing access of hydrolases to its internal compartments. In contrast, we found that saposins, which activate the hydrolysis of sphingolipids, are required for lysosomal tubulation, yet are dispensable for the resolution of targets by macrophages. The extraction of cholesterol by NPC2 is therefore envisaged as rate-limiting in the clearance of membrane-bound targets such as apoptotic cells. Selective cholesterol removal appears to be a primary mechanism that enables professional phagocytes to distinguish the target membrane from the phagolysosomal membrane and may be conserved in the resolution of autolysosomes.

Two-pore channels regulate endomembrane tension to enable remodeling and resolution of phagolysosomes

Phagocytes promptly resolve ingested targets to replenish lysosomes and maintain their responsiveness. The resolution process requires that degradative hydrolases, solute transporters, and proteins involved in lipid traffic are delivered and made active in phagolysosomes. It also involves extensive membrane remodeling. We report that cation channels that localize to phagolysosomes were essential for resolution. Specifically, the conductance of Na+ by two-pore channels (TPCs) and the presence of a Na+ gradient between the phagolysosome lumen and the cytosol were critical for the controlled release of membrane tension that permits deformation of the limiting phagolysosome membrane. In turn, membrane deformation was a necessary step to efficiently transport the cholesterol extracted from cellular targets, permeabilizing them to hydrolases. These results place TPCs as regulators of endomembrane remodeling events that precede target degradation in cases when the target is bound by a cholesterol-containing membrane. The findings may help to explain lipid metabolism dysfunction and autophagic flux impairment reported in TPC KO mice and establish stepwise regulation to the resolution process that begins with lysis of the target.

Extracellular vesicles from Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected neutrophils induce maturation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells and activation of antigen-specific Th1 cells

Tuberculosis remains one of the leading public health problems in the world. The mechanisms that lead to the activation of the immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) have been extensively studied, with a focus on the role of cytokines as the main signals for immune cell communication. However, less is known about the role of other signals, such as extracellular vesicles (EVs), in the communication between immune cells, particularly during the activation of the adaptive immune response. In this study, we determined that EVs released by human neutrophils infected with Mtb (EV-Mtb) contained several host proteins that are ectosome markers. In addition, we demonstrated that EV-Mtb released after only 30 min of infection carried mycobacterial antigens and pathogen-associated molecular patterns, and we identified 15 mycobacterial proteins that were consistently found in high concentrations in EV-Mtb; these proteins contain epitopes for CD4 T cell activation. We found that EV-Mtb increased the expression of the co-stimulatory molecule CD80 and of the co-inhibitory molecule PD-L1 on immature monocyte-derived dendritic cells. We also found that immature and mature dendritic cells treated with EV-Mtb were able to induce IFN-γ production by autologous Mtb antigen-specific CD4 T cells, indicating that these EVs acted as antigen carriers and transferred mycobacterial proteins to the antigen-presenting cells. Our results provide evidence that EV-Mtb participate in the activation of the adaptive immune response against Mtb.

Scrib and Dlg1 polarity proteins regulate Ag presentation in human dendritic cells

We recently reported, for the first time, the expression and regulation of the PDZ polarity proteins Scrib and Dlg1 in human APCs, and also described the viral targeting of these proteins by NS1 of influenza A virus in human dendritic cells (DCs). Scrib plays an important role in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in Mϕs and uropod formation and migration in T cells, while Dlg1 is important for T cell downstream activation after Ag recognition. Nevertheless, the functions of these proteins in human DCs remain unknown. Here, we knocked-down the expression of both Scrib and Dlg1 in human DCs and then evaluated the expression of co-stimulatory molecules and cytokine production during maturation. We demonstrated that Scrib is necessary for adequate CD86 expression, while Dlg1 is important for CD83 up-regulation and IL-6 production upon maturation, suggesting that Scrib and Dlg1 participate in separate pathways in DCs. Additionally, both proteins are required for adequate IL-12 production after maturation. Furthermore, we showed that the inefficient maturation of DCs induced by Scrib or Dlg1 depletion leads to impaired T cell activation. Our results revealed the previously unknown contribution of Scrib and Dlg1 in human DCs pivotal functions, which may be able to impact innate and adaptive immune response.

Identification of conserved peptides containing B-cell epitopes of Babesia bovis AMA-1 and their potential as diagnostics candidates

The apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) is a protein of the micronemes that is present in all organisms of the phylum Apicomplexa; it has been shown that AMA-1 plays an essential role for parasite invasion to target cells. It has been reported that AMA-1 is conserved among different isolates of Babesia; however, it is unknown whether the protein contains conserved B-cell epitopes and whether these epitopes are recognized by antibodies from cattle in endemic areas. In this research, using an in silico analysis, four peptides were designed containing exposed and conserved linear B-cell epitopes from the extracellular region of Babesia bovis AMA-1. The selected peptides were chemically synthesized, and then each peptide was emulsified and used to immunize two bovines per peptide. The antibodies produced against these peptides were able to recognize intra-erythrocytic parasites in an IFAT, except peptide 4, which was insoluble. The synthetic peptides were covalently fixed to the wells of an ELISA plate and incubated with sera from B. bovis naturally infected cattle. Peptides P2AMA and P3AMA were recognized by the sera of naturally infected cattle from different regions of Mexico. Statistical analysis showed that the ELISA test for peptides P2AMA and P3AMA had a concordance of 91.2% and 61.1% compared to the IFAT, a sensitivity of 94.56% and 71.74%, and a specificity of 76.19% and 14.2%, respectively. The presence of antibodies in bovine sera from endemic areas that bind to the identified peptides indicates that AMA-1 from B. bovis has conserved B-cell epitopes involved in the immune response under natural conditions. However, to propose their use as vaccine or diagnostics candidates, a further characterization of the humoral immune response elicited in cattle by these peptides is needed.

PDZ proteins are expressed and regulated in antigen-presenting cells and are targets of influenza A virus

In this work, we identified the expression, regulation, and viral targeting of Scribble and Dlg1 in antigen-presenting cells. Scribble and Dlg1 belong to the family of PDZ (postsynaptic density (PSD95), disc large (Dlg), and zonula occludens (ZO-1)) proteins involved in cell polarity. The relevance of PDZ proteins in cellular functions is reinforced by the fact that many viruses interfere with host PDZ-dependent interactions affecting cellular mechanisms thus favoring viral replication. The functions of Scribble and Dlg have been widely studied in polarized cells such as epithelial and neuron cells. However, within the cells of the immune system, their functions have been described only in T and B lymphocytes. Here we demonstrated that Scribble and Dlg1 are differentially expressed during antigen-presenting cell differentiation and dendritic cell maturation. While both Scribble and Dlg1 seem to participate in distinct dendritic cell functions, both are targeted by the viral protein NS1 of influenza A in a PDZ-dependent manner in dendritic cells. Our findings suggest that these proteins might be involved in the mechanisms of innate immunity and/or antigen processing and presentation that can be hijacked by viral pathogens.

Antimicrobial mechanisms of fish phagocytes and their role in host defense

Phagocytosis is a primitive defense mechanism in all multicellular animals. Phagocytes such as macrophages and neutrophils play an important role in limiting the dissemination of infectious agents, and are responsible for the eventual destruction of phagocytosed pathogens. These cells have evolved elaborate killing mechanisms for destroying pathogens. In addition to their repertoire of degradative enzymes and antimicrobial peptides, macrophages and neutrophils can be activated to produce a number of highly toxic molecules. Production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates by these cells are potent cytotoxic mechanisms against bacteria and protozoan pathogens. Studies in fish suggest that the biological basis of these inducible killing mechanisms is similar to those described in mammals. More recent work suggest novel roles for regulating these killing responses in fish. In this review, we describe the biological basis of these killing mechanisms and how they are regulated in fish.

The histidine-rich protamine from ostrich and tinamou sperm. A link between reptile and bird protamines

We have characterized for the first time the proteins of two different species of palaeognathous birds, Struthio camelus australis (ostrich) and Nothoprocta perdicaria sanborni (Chilean tinamou). Similar to what had been previously reported in neognaths, the electrophoretic mobility, amino acid composition, and primary structure of the main protamine (P-II) component of these two species of birds are similar. However, in contrast to neognathous birds, the protamines from paleognaths display a higher electrophoretic mobility and a significantly different amino acid composition and protein sequence. The sperm and the main protamine component P-II from the ostrich reveal structural and compositional characteristics intermediate between neognathous birds and reptiles. The marked differences between the protamines and sperm structure of neognaths and paleognaths provide support to a phylogenetic relationship between neornithine birds in which these two groups represent two separate phylogenetic lines. Furthermore, these results shed some additional light on the controversial origin of birds. They provide further molecular support to the fossil record that suggests that reptiles and birds are closely related.

Production of a macrophage growth factor(s) by a goldfish macrophage cell line and macrophages derived from goldfish kidney leukocytes

We recently established a spontaneously proliferating macrophage cell line from the goldfish (GMCL), and in this report demonstrate the production of a macrophage-specific growth factor(s) (MGFs) by these cells. The supernatants from GMCL cultures induced proliferation and differentiation of macrophage-like cells from kidney hematopoietic tissues of goldfish. Kidney leukocytes cultured at 6.25 x 10(4)cells/ml in the presence of GMCL-derived MGFs proliferated during two weeks of cultivation, whereas those cultured without the MGFs did not. Leukocytes cultured at higher densities (2.5 x 10(5) cells/ml) proliferated in the absence of exogenous growth factor, but not to the same extent as those stimulated with GMCL-derived MGFs, suggesting that kidney leukocytes may produce endogenous MGFs. At higher cell density (1 x 10(6) cells/ml), kidney leukocytes multiplied extensively over a two-week cultivation period in the absence of exogenous GMCL-derived MGFs. The supernatants from these cultures restored the proliferative ability of leukocytes cultured at low densities, providing direct evidence of MGFs production by kidney leukocytes. The predominant cell-type in cultures grown in the presence of GMCL or kidney leukocyte-MGFs was the macrophage based on the following criteria: (1) non-specific esterase staining; (2) morphologic similarity to GMCL; (3) phagocytosis of the bacterium, A. salmonicida; (4) production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates in response to stimulation with macrophage activating factors and/or bacterial lipopolysaccharide; and (5) flow cytometric analyses. Both in vitro-derived kidney macrophage (IVDKM) and GMCL cultures contained three distinct populations of cells, (determined by flow cytometry), suggesting that these macrophage cultures are comprised of cells arrested at distinct differentiation junctures in macrophage development. Production of MGFs by macrophages and kidney leukocytes may play an important role in regulating macrophage hematopoiesis in fish.

The sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBPs) of the sponge Neofibularia nolitangere: implications for the molecular evolution of SNBPs

We have isolated and characterized for the first time, the SNBPs from an organism (Neofibularia nolitangere) of the phylum Porifera (Sponges). We have shown that these proteins consist of histones which, as expected, exhibit an amino acid composition very similar to that of other eukaryotic histones. The finding of histones in the sperm of these primitive organisms provides support to the notion that histones (SNBPs of the histone, H, type) were the proteins present at the onset of SNBP evolution. In contrast, a discrete number of alternative SNBP types (protamine-like, PL; protamine, P, types) seem to have appeared later on in the course of evolution and are found in both protostomes and deuterostomes, most likely as a result of processes of parallel evolution.