Integrating chemical and genetic silencing strategies to identify host kinase-phosphatase inhibitor networks that control bacterial infection

Every year three million people die as a result of bacterial infections, and this number may further increase due to resistance to current antibiotics. These antibiotics target almost all essential bacterial processes, leaving only a few new targets for manipulation. The host proteome has many more potential targets for manipulation in order to control bacterial infection, as exemplified by the observation that inhibiting the host kinase Akt supports the elimination of different intracellular bacteria including Salmonella and M. tuberculosis. If host kinases are involved in the control of bacterial infections, phosphatases could be as well. Here we present an integrated small interference RNA and small molecule screen to identify host phosphatase-inhibitor combinations that control bacterial infection. We define host phosphatases inhibiting intracellular growth of Salmonella and identify corresponding inhibitors for the dual specificity phosphatases DUSP11 and 27. Pathway analysis places many kinases and phosphatases controlling bacterial infection in an integrated pathway centered around Akt. This network controls host cell metabolism, survival, and growth and bacterial survival and reflect a natural host cell response to bacterial infection. Inhibiting two enzyme classes with opposite activities–kinases and phosphatases–may be a new strategy to overcome infections by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Constitutive lymphocyte transmigration across the basal lamina of high endothelial venules is regulated by the autotaxin/lysophosphatidic acid axis

Lymphocyte extravasation from the high endothelial venules (HEVs) of lymph nodes is crucial for the maintenance of immune homeostasis, but its molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. In this article, we report that lymphocyte transmigration across the basal lamina of the HEVs is regulated, at least in part, by autotaxin (ATX) and its end-product, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). ATX is an HEV-associated ectoenzyme that produces LPA from lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), which is abundant in the systemic circulation. In agreement with selective expression of ATX in HEVs, LPA was constitutively and specifically detected on HEVs. In vivo, inhibition of ATX impaired the lymphocyte extravasation from HEVs, inducing lymphocyte accumulation within the endothelial cells (ECs) and sub-EC compartment; this impairment was abrogated by LPA. In vitro, both LPA and LPC induced a marked increase in the motility of HEV ECs; LPC's effect was abrogated by ATX inhibition, whereas LPA's effect was abrogated by ATX/LPA receptor inhibition. In an in vitro transmigration assay, ATX inhibition impaired the release of lymphocytes that had migrated underneath HEV ECs, and these defects were abrogated by LPA. This effect of LPA was dependent on myosin II activity in the HEV ECs. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that HEV-associated ATX generates LPA locally; LPA, in turn, acts on HEV ECs to increase their motility, promoting dynamic lymphocyte-HEV interactions and subsequent lymphocyte transmigration across the basal lamina of HEVs at steady state.

Autotaxin/Lpar3 signaling regulates Kupffer's vesicle formation and left-right asymmetry in zebrafish

Left-right (L-R) patterning is essential for proper organ morphogenesis and function. Calcium fluxes in dorsal forerunner cells (DFCs) are known to regulate the formation of Kupffer's vesicle (KV), a central organ for establishing L-R asymmetry in zebrafish. Here, we identify the lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) as a regulator of L-R asymmetry in zebrafish embryos. LPA is produced by Autotaxin (Atx), a secreted lysophospholipase D, and triggers various cellular responses through activation of specific G protein-coupled receptors (Lpar1-6). Knockdown of Atx or LPA receptor 3 (Lpar3) by morpholino oligonucleotides perturbed asymmetric gene expression in lateral plate mesoderm and disrupted organ L-R asymmetries, whereas overexpression of lpar3 partially rescued those defects in both atx and lpar3 morphants. Similar defects were observed in embryos treated with the Atx inhibitor HA130 and the Lpar1-3 inhibitor Ki16425. Knockdown of either Atx or Lpar3 impaired calcium fluxes in DFCs during mid-epiboly stage and compromised DFC cohesive migration, KV formation and ciliogenesis. Application of LPA to DFCs rescued the calcium signal and laterality defects in atx morphants. This LPA-dependent L-R asymmetry is mediated via Wnt signaling, as shown by the accumulation of β-catenin in nuclei at the dorsal side of both atx and lpar3 morphants. Our results suggest a major role for the Atx/Lpar3 signaling axis in regulating KV formation, ciliogenesis and L-R asymmetry via a Wnt-dependent pathway.

Structure-based design of novel boronic acid-based inhibitors of autotaxin

Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted phosphodiesterase that hydrolyzes the abundant phospholipid lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) to produce lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). The ATX-LPA signaling axis has been implicated in inflammation, fibrosis, and tumor progression, rendering ATX an attractive drug target. We recently described a boronic acid-based inhibitor of ATX, named HA155 (1). Here, we report the design of new inhibitors based on the crystal structure of ATX in complex with inhibitor 1. Furthermore, we describe the syntheses and activities of these new inhibitors, whose potencies can be explained by structural data. To understand the difference in activity between two different isomers with nanomolar potencies, we performed molecular docking experiments. Intriguingly, molecular docking suggested a remarkable binding pose for one of the isomers, which differs from the original binding pose of inhibitor 1 for ATX, opening further options for inhibitor design.

Development of an activity-based probe for autotaxin

Autotaxin (ATX), or ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 2 (ENPP2), is a secreted lysophospholipase D that hydrolyses lysophosphatidylcholine into the lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a mitogen and chemoattractant for many cell types. ATX has been implicated in tumour progression and inflammation, and might serve as a biomarker. Here we describe the development of a fluorescent activity-based probe that covalently binds to the active site of ATX. The probe consists of a lysophospholipid-based backbone linked to a trapping moiety that becomes reactive after phosphate ester hydrolysis, and a Cy5 fluorescent dye to allow visualisation of active ATX. The probe reacts specifically with the three known isoforms of ATX, it competes with small-molecule inhibitors for binding to ATX and allows ATX activity in plasma to be determined. Our activity-based reporter will be useful for monitoring ATX activity in biological fluids and for inhibitor screening.

Structural basis of substrate discrimination and integrin binding by autotaxin

Autotaxin (ATX) or ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-2 (ENPP2) is a secreted lysophospholipase D that generates the lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a mitogen and chemo-attractant for many cell types. ATX-LPA signaling has roles in various pathologies including tumour progression and inflammation. However, the molecular basis of substrate recognition and catalysis, and the mechanism of interaction with target cells, has been elusive. Here we present the crystal structure of ATX, alone and in complex with a small-molecule inhibitor. We identify a hydrophobic lipid-binding pocket and map key residues required for catalysis and selection between nucleotide and phospholipid substrates. We show that ATX interacts with cell-surface integrins via its N-terminal somatomedin-B-like domains, using an atypical mechanism. Our results define determinants of substrate discrimination by the ENPP family, suggest how ATX promotes localized LPA signaling, and enable new approaches to target ATX with small-molecule therapeutics.