Targeting the PD-L1 cytoplasmic domain and its regulatory pathways to enhance cancer immunotherapy

As a significant member of the immune checkpoint, programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) plays a critical role in cancer immune escape and has become an important target for cancer immunotherapy. Clinically approved drugs mainly target the extracellular domain of PD-L1. Recently, the small cytoplasmic domain of PD-L1 has been reported to regulate PD-L1 stability and function through multiple pathways. Therefore, the intracellular domain of PD-L1 and its regulatory pathways could be promising targets for cancer therapy, expanding available strategies for combined immunotherapy. Here, we summarize the emerging roles of the PD-L1 cytoplasmic domain and its regulatory pathways. The conserved motifs, homodimerization, and posttranslational modifications of the PD-L1 cytoplasmic domain have been reported to regulate the membrane anchoring, degradation, nuclear translocation, and glycosylation of PD-L1, etc. This summary provides a comprehensive understanding of the functions of the PD-L1 cytoplasmic domain and evaluates the broad prospects for targeted therapy.

HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein Amino Acids Signatures Associated with Clade B Transmitted/Founder and Recent Viruses

Background: HIV-1 transmitted/founder viruses (TF) are selected during the acute phase of infection from a multitude of virions present during transmission. They possess the capacity to establish infection and viral dissemination in a new host. Deciphering the discrete genetic determinant of infectivity in their envelope may provide clues for vaccine design. Methods: One hundred twenty-six clade B HIV-1 consensus envelope sequences from untreated acute and early infected individuals were compared to 105 sequences obtained from chronically infected individuals using next generation sequencing and molecular analyses. Results: We identified an envelope amino acid signature associated with TF viruses. They are more likely to have an isoleucine (I) in position 841 instead of an arginine (R). This mutation of R to I (R841I) in the gp41 cytoplasmic tail (gp41CT), specifically in lentivirus lytic peptides segment 1 (LLP-1), is significantly enriched compared to chronic viruses (OR = 0.2, 95% CI (0.09, 0.44), p = 0.00001). Conversely, a mutation of lysine (K) to isoleucine (I) located in position six (K6I) of the envelope signal peptide was selected by chronic viruses and compared to TF (OR = 3.26, 95% CI (1.76–6.02), p = 0.0001). Conclusions: The highly conserved gp41 CT_ LLP-1 domain plays a major role in virus replication in mediating intracellular traffic and Env incorporation into virions in interacting with encoded matrix protein. The presence of an isoleucine in gp41 in the TF viruses’ envelope may sustain its role in the successful establishment of infection during the acute stage.

Transmembrane regions of bovine herpesvirus 1-encoded UL49.5 and glycoprotein M regulate complex maturation and ER-Golgi trafficking

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1)-encoded UL49.5 (a homologue of herpesvirus glycoprotein N) can combine different functions, regulated by complex formation with viral glycoprotein M (gM). We aimed to identify the mechanisms governing the immunomodulatory activity of BoHV-1 UL49.5. In this study, we addressed the impact of gM/UL49.5-specific regions on heterodimer formation, folding and trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the trans-Golgi network (TGN) - events previously found to be responsible for abrogation of the UL49.5-mediated inhibition of the transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP). We first established, using viral mutants, that no other viral protein could efficiently compensate for the chaperone function of UL49.5 within the complex. The cytoplasmic tail of gM, containing putative trafficking signals, was dispensable either for ER retention of gM or for the release of the complex. We constructed cell lines with stable co-expression of BoHV-1 gM with chimeric UL49.5 variants, composed of the BoHV-1 N-terminal domain fused to the transmembrane region (TM) from UL49.5 of varicella-zoster virus or TM and the cytoplasmic tail of influenza virus haemagglutinin. Those membrane-anchored N-terminal domains of UL49.5 were sufficient to form a complex, yet gM/UL49.5 folding and ER-TGN trafficking could be affected by the UL49.5 TM sequence. Finally, we found that leucine substitutions in putative glycine zipper motifs within TM helices of gM resulted in strong reduction of complex formation and decreased ability of gM to interfere with UL49.5-mediated major histocompatibility class I downregulation. These findings highlight the importance of gM/UL49.5 transmembrane domains for the biology of this conserved herpesvirus protein complex.

The cytoplasmic domain is essential for transport function of the integral membrane transport protein SLC4A11

Large cytoplasmic domains (CD) are a common feature among integral membrane proteins. In virtually all cases, these CD have a function (e.g., binding cytoskeleton or regulatory factors) separate from that of the membrane domain (MD). Strong associations between CD and MD are rare. Here we studied SLC4A11, a membrane transport protein of corneal endothelial cells, the mutations of which cause genetic corneal blindness. SLC4A11 has a 41-kDa CD and a 57-kDa integral MD. One disease-causing mutation in the CD, R125H, manifests a catalytic defect, suggesting a role of the CD in transport function. Expressed in HEK-293 cells without the CD, MD-SLC4A11 is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, indicating a folding defect. Replacement of CD-SLC4A11 with green fluorescent protein did not rescue MD-SLC4A11, suggesting some specific role of CD-SLC4A11. Homology modeling revealed that the structure of CD-SLC4A11 is similar to that of the Cl(-)/HCO3(-) exchange protein AE1 (SLC4A1) CD. Fusion to CD-AE1 partially rescued MD-SLC4A11 to the cell surface, suggesting that the structure of CD-AE1 is similar to that of CD-SLC4A11. The CD-AE1-MD-SLC4a11 chimera, however, had no functional activity. We conclude that CD-SLC4A11 has an indispensable role in the transport function of SLC4A11. CD-SLC4A11 forms insoluble precipitates when expressed in bacteria, suggesting that the domain cannot fold properly when expressed alone. Consistent with a strong association between CD-SLC4A11 and MD-SLC4A11, these domains specifically associate when coexpressed in HEK-293 cells. We conclude that SLC4A11 is a rare integral membrane protein in which the CD has strong associations with the integral MD, which contributes to membrane transport function.

A Polybasic Plasma Membrane Binding Motif in the I-II Linker Stabilizes Voltage-gated CaV1.2 Calcium Channel Function

L-type voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels (LTCCs) regulate many physiological functions like muscle contraction, hormone secretion, gene expression, and neuronal excitability. Their activity is strictly controlled by various molecular mechanisms. The pore-forming α1-subunit comprises four repeated domains (I-IV), each connected via an intracellular linker. Here we identified a polybasic plasma membrane binding motif, consisting of four arginines, within the I-II linker of all LTCCs. The primary structure of this motif is similar to polybasic clusters known to interact with polyphosphoinositides identified in other ion channels. We used de novo molecular modeling to predict the conformation of this polybasic motif, immunofluorescence microscopy and live cell imaging to investigate the interaction with the plasma membrane, and electrophysiology to study its role for Cav1.2 channel function. According to our models, this polybasic motif of the I-II linker forms a straight α-helix, with the positive charges facing the lipid phosphates of the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. Membrane binding of the I-II linker could be reversed after phospholipase C activation, causing polyphosphoinositide breakdown, and was accelerated by elevated intracellular Ca(2+) levels. This indicates the involvement of negatively charged phospholipids in the plasma membrane targeting of the linker. Neutralization of four arginine residues eliminated plasma membrane binding. Patch clamp recordings revealed facilitated opening of Cav1.2 channels containing these mutations, weaker inhibition by phospholipase C activation, and reduced expression of channels (as quantified by ON-gating charge) at the plasma membrane. Our data provide new evidence for a membrane binding motif within the I-II linker of LTCC α1-subunits essential for stabilizing normal Ca(2+) channel function.

Usher protein functions in hair cells and photoreceptors

The 10 different genes associated with the deaf/blind disorder, Usher syndrome, encode a number of structurally and functionally distinct proteins, most expressed as multiple isoforms/protein variants. Functional characterization of these proteins suggests a role in stereocilia development in cochlear hair cells, likely owing to adhesive interactions in hair bundles. In mature hair cells, homodimers of the Usher cadherins, cadherin 23 and protocadherin 15, interact to form a structural fiber, the tip link, and the linkages that anchor the taller stereocilia's actin cytoskeleton core to the shorter adjacent stereocilia and the elusive mechanotransduction channels, explaining the deafness phenotype when these molecular interactions are perturbed. The conundrum is that photoreceptors lack a synonymous mechanotransduction apparatus, and so a common theory for Usher protein function in the two neurosensory cell types affected in Usher syndrome is lacking. Recent evidence linking photoreceptor cell dysfunction in the shaker 1 mouse model for Usher syndrome to light-induced protein translocation defects, combined with localization of an Usher protein interactome at the periciliary region of the photoreceptors suggests Usher proteins might regulate protein trafficking between the inner and outer segments of photoreceptors. A distinct Usher protein complex is trafficked to the ribbon synapses of hair cells, and synaptic defects have been reported in Usher mutants in both hair cells and photoreceptors. This review aims to clarify what is known about Usher protein function at the synaptic and apical poles of hair cells and photoreceptors and the prospects for identifying a unifying pathobiological mechanism to explain deaf/blindness in Usher syndrome.

Autophosphorylation of gatekeeper tyrosine by symbiosis receptor kinase

Plant receptor-like kinases (RLKs) share their evolutionary origin with animal interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK)/Pelle family of soluble kinases and are distinguished by having tyrosine as 'gatekeeper'. This position is adjacent to the hinge region and is hidden in a hydrophobic pocket of the catalytic cleft of protein kinases and is therefore least probable to be a target for any modification. This communication illustrates the accessibility of the gatekeeper site (Y670) towards both autophosphorylation and dephosphorylation in the recombinant cytoplasmic domain of symbiosis receptor kinase from Arachis hypogaea (AhSYMRK). Autophosphorylation on gatekeeper tyrosine was detected prior to extraction but never under in vitro conditions. We hypothesize gatekeeper phosphorylation to be associated with synthesis/maturation of AhSYMRK and this phenomenon may be prevalent among RLKs.

Mapping the functional domains of TCblR/CD320, the receptor for cellular uptake of transcobalamin-bound cobalamin

The membrane receptor TCblR/CD320 binds transcobalamin (TC) saturated with vitamin B12 [cobalamin (Cbl)] and mediates cellular uptake of the vitamin. The specificity of TC for Cbl and of the receptor for TC-Cbl ensures efficient uptake of Cbl into cells. The high-affinity interaction of TCblR with TC-Cbl (Ka=10 nM(-1)) was investigated using deletions and mutations of amino acid sequences in TCblR. Only the extracellular region (aa 32-229) is needed for TC-Cbl binding, but the N-glycosylation sites (N126, N195, and N213) are of no importance for this function. Deleting the cysteine-rich region (aa 95-141) that separates the two low-density lipoprotein receptor type A (LDLR-A) domains does not affect TC-Cbl binding (Ka = 19-24 nM(-1)). The two LDLR-A domains (aa 54-89 and 132-167) with the negatively charged acidic residues involved in Ca(2+) binding are critical determinants of ligand binding. The cytoplasmic tail is apparently crucial for internalization of the ligand. Within this region, the RPLGLL motif and the PDZ binding motifs (QERL/KESL) appear to be involved in initiating and completing the process of ligand internalization. Mutations and deletions of these regions involved in binding and internalization of TC-Cbl are likely to produce the biochemical and clinical phenotype of Cbl deficiency.

Structure of the cytoplasmic domain of Yersinia pestis YscD, an essential component of the type III secretion system

The Yersinia pestis YscD protein is an essential component of the type III secretion system. YscD consists of an N-terminal cytoplasmic domain (residues 1-121), a transmembrane linker (122-142) and a large periplasmic domain (143-419). Both the cytoplasmic and the periplasmic domains are required for the assembly of the type III secretion system. Here, the structure of the YscD cytoplasmic domain solved by SAD phasing is presented. Although the three-dimensional structure is similar to those of forkhead-associated (FHA) domains, comparison with the structures of canonical FHA domains revealed that the cytoplasmic domain of YscD lacks the conserved residues that are required for binding phosphothreonine and is therefore unlikely to function as a true FHA domain.

Identification of a unique filamin A binding region within the cytoplasmic domain of glycoprotein Ibalpha

Binding of the platelet GPIb/V/IX (glycoprotein Ib/V/IX) receptor to von Willebrand factor is critical for platelet adhesion and aggregation under conditions of rapid blood flow. The adhesive function of GPIbalpha is regulated by its anchorage to the membrane skeleton through a specific interaction with filamin A. In the present study, we examined the amino acid residues within the cytoplasmic tail of GPIbalpha, which are critical for association with filamin A, using a series of 25-mer synthetic peptides that mimic the cytoplasmic tail sequences of wild-type and mutant forms of GPIbalpha. Peptide binding studies of purified human filamin A have demonstrated a major role for the conserved hydrophobic stretch L567FLWV571 in mediating this interaction. Progressive alanine substitutions of triple, double and single amino acid residues within the Pro561-Arg572 region suggested an important role for Trp570 and Phe568 in promoting GPIbalpha binding to filamin A. The importance of these two residues in promoting filamin A binding to GPIbalpha in vivo was confirmed from the study of Chinese-hamster ovary cells expressing GPIbalpha Trp570-->Ala and Phe568-->Ala substitutions. Phenotypic analysis of these cell lines in flow-based adhesion studies revealed a critical role for these residues in maintaining receptor anchorage to the membrane skeleton and in maintaining cell adhesion to a von Willebrand factor matrix under high-shear conditions. These studies demonstrate a novel filamin A binding motif in the cytoplasmic tail of GPIbalpha, which is critically dependent on both Trp570 and Phe568.

A structural basis for integrin activation by the cytoplasmic tail of the alpha IIb-subunit

A key step in the activation of heterodimeric integrin adhesion receptors is the transmission of an agonist-induced cellular signal from the short alpha- and/or beta-cytoplasmic tails to the extracellular domains of the receptor. The structural details of how the cytoplasmic tails mediate such an inside-out signaling process remain unclear. We report herein the NMR structures of a membrane-anchored cytoplasmic tail of the alpha(IIb)-subunit and of a mutant alpha(IIb)-cytoplasmic tail that renders platelet integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) constitutively active. The structure of the wild-type alpha(IIb)-cytoplasmic tail reveals a "closed" conformation where the highly conserved N-terminal membrane-proximal region forms an alpha-helix followed by a turn, and the acidic C-terminal loop interacts with the N-terminal helix. The structure of the active mutant is significantly different, having an "open" conformation where the interactions between the N-terminal helix and C-terminal region are abolished. Consistent with these structural differences, the two peptides differ in function: the wild-type peptide suppressed alpha(IIb)beta(3) activation, whereas the mutant peptide did not. These results provide an atomic explanation for extensive biochemical/mutational data and support a conformation-based "on/off switch" model for integrin activation.

Integrin alpha2beta1 mediates isoform-specific activation of p38 and upregulation of collagen gene transcription by a mechanism involving the alpha2 cytoplasmic tail

Two collagen receptors, integrins alpha1beta1 and alpha2beta1, can regulate distinct functions in cells. Ligation of alpha1beta1, unlike alpha2beta1, has been shown to result in recruitment of Shc and activation of the Ras/ERK pathway. To identify the downstream signaling molecules activated by alpha2beta1 integrin, we have overexpressed wild-type alpha2, or chimeric alpha2 subunit with alpha1 integrin cytoplasmic domain in human osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2) lacking endogenous alpha2beta1. The chimeric alpha2/alpha1 chain formed a functional heterodimer with beta1. In contrast to alpha2/alpha1 chimera, forced expression of alpha2 integrin resulted in upregulation of alpha1 (I) collagen gene transcription in response to three-dimensional collagen, indicating that the cytoplasmic domain of alpha2 integrin was required for signaling. Furthermore, signals mediated by alpha2beta1 integrin specifically activated the p38alpha isoform, and selective p38 inhibitors blocked upregulation of collagen gene transcription. Dominant negative mutants of Cdc42, MKK3, and MKK4 prevented alpha2beta1 integrin-mediated activation of p38alpha. RhoA had also some inhibitory effect, whereas dominant negative Rac was not effective. Our findings show the isoform-specific activation of p38 by alpha2beta1 integrin ligation and identify Cdc42, MKK3, and MKK4 as possible downstream effectors. These observations reveal a novel signaling mechanism of alpha2beta1 integrin that is distinct from ones previously described for other integrins.

Role of P-selectin cytoplasmic domain in granular targeting in vivo and in early inflammatory responses

P-selectin is an adhesion receptor for leukocytes expressed on activated platelets and endothelial cells. The cytoplasmic domain of P-selectin was shown in vitro to contain signals required for both the sorting of this protein into storage granules and its internalization from the plasma membrane. To evaluate in vivo the role of the regulated secretion of P-selectin, we have generated a mouse that expresses P-selectin lacking the cytoplasmic domain (DeltaCT mice). The deletion did not affect the sorting of P-selectin into alpha-granules of platelets but severely compromised the storage of P-selectin in endothelial cells. Unstored P-selectin was proteolytically shed from the plasma membrane, resulting in increased levels of soluble P-selectin in the plasma. The DeltaCT-P-selectin appeared capable of mediating cell adhesion as it supported leukocyte rolling in the mutant mice. However, a secretagogue failed to upregulate leukocyte rolling in the DeltaCT mice, indicating an absence of a releasable storage pool of P-selectin in the endothelium. Furthermore, the neutrophil influx into the inflamed peritoneum was only 30% of the wild-type level 2 h after stimulation. Our results suggest that different sorting mechanisms for P-selectin are used in platelets and endothelial cells and that the storage pool of P-selectin in endothelial cells is functionally important during early stages of inflammation.