The Candida albicans transcription factor Cas5 couples stress responses, drug resistance and cell cycle regulation

We thank Cowen lab members for helpful discussions. We also thank David Rogers (University of Tennessee) for sharing microarray analysis of the CAS5 homozygous mutant, and Li Ang (University of Macau) for assistance in optimizing the ChIP-Seq experiments. J.L.X. is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral award and M.D.L. is supported by a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship (Wellcome Trust 096072). B.T.G. holds an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. C.B. and B.J.A. are supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Foundation Grants (FDN-143264 and -143265). D.J.K. is supported by a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases grant (1R01AI098450) and J.D.L.C.D. is supported by the University of Rochester School of Dentistry and Medicine PREP program (R25 GM064133). A.S. is supported by the Creighton University and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (LB506-2017-55). K.H.W. is supported by the Science and Technology Development Fund of Macau S.A.R. (FDCT; 085/2014/A2). L.E.C. is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Operating Grants (MOP-86452 and MOP-119520), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC) of Canada Discovery Grants (06261 and 462167), and an NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship (477598).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The role of epidermal TGFβ activating integrins in Langerhans cell migration

In addition to providing a physical barrier, the epidermis provides a niche for the long-term residency of Langerhans cells (LC). LC provide protection by priming elements of the adaptive immune system, but they can also participate in the maintenance and development of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Within the epidermis, LC possess the ability to migrate from the skin epidermis to regional lymph nodes (LN). At steady-state, LC migrate to LN transporting self and potentially commensal-derived antigen to promote the development of peripheral tolerance. During infection, LC transport potential pathogen-derived antigens and prime naïve adaptive immune responses. Our understanding of LC biology has predominantly been focused on their differentiation and recruitment into the epidermis. The mechanisms that allowed for the long-term retention of these leukocytes has not been extensively studied. Hence, elucidating the mechanisms by which LC maintain their epidermal residency and mediate migration is of great therapeutic interest and will extend our knowledge in LC biology. We have previously shown that integrins ανβ6 and ανβ8 on keratinocytes (KCs) cleave LAP-TGFβ1 to its active form TGFβ1 (Transformative Growth Factor βeta 1), which acts on the TGFβ receptor of LCs to maintain their long-term residency within the skin epidermis. We have also demonstrated that selective expression of a ligand independent constitutively active form of TGFβRI, inhibits LC migration during homeostasis and in response to ultraviolet light in the B spectrum (UVB) exposure. Interestingly, UVB treatment resulted in the loss of epidermal integrins ανβ6 and ανβ8 on KCs. However, whether inflammation induced LC migration acts through a similar mechanism remains unclear. Thus, we propose to test the hypothesis that inflammatory stimuli mediate LC migration from the epidermis through the inhibition of KC-integrin mediated TGF-β activation. In this dissertation, we demonstrate that LC migration in response to inflammatory stimuli was also inhibited by ligand independent TGFβRI signaling. Unlike UVB stimulation which reduced KCs expression of avβ6, in vitro and in vivo exposure to TNF-α or IL-1β increased avβ6 mRNA and protein expression by KCs. This resulted in increased KCs mediated transactivation of latent TGFβ. Expression of avβ8 was largely unchanged. These findings demonstrate that ligand independent TGFβRI signaling in LC can overcome inflammatory migration stimuli, but reduced KCs-mediated transactivation of latent TGFβ by KCs may only drive LC migration during homeostasis and in response to UVB stimulation

TGFβ activating integrins β6 and β8 are dysregulated in inflammatory skin disease and cutaneous melanoma

BackgroundIntegrins avβ6 and avβ8 are expressed by keratinocytes and transactivate latent TGFβ. In a murine model, integrin mediated activation of TGFβ has been shown to be critical in maintaining skin homeostasis, specifically playing roles in epidermal retention of Langerhans cells and resident memory cells T cells (Trm).ObjectiveWe examine expression of Integrins β6 and β8 in human skin, inflammatory skin disease, benign nevi, and melanoma and hypothesize that integrin expression is dysregulated in disease.MethodsUsing immunohistochemistry, we stained tissue from normal human skin (n = 8), psoriasis (n = 6), atopic dermatitis (n = 6), lichen planus (n = 5), benign nevi (n = 24), and melanoma (n = 25) with anti-integrin β6 and anti-integrin β8 to survey expression pattern. We also performed a retrospective chart review in the melanoma cohort to examine if integrin β6 and β8 expression was associated with increased Breslow depth and worse prognostic staging.ResultsHere, we show that human keratinocytes express integrins β6 and β8, similar to murine keratinocytes. We also found that inflammatory skin conditions have increased Integrin β6, but not Integrin β8 expression. Furthermore, we identified that melanomas have greatly increased expression of integrin β8 compared to nevi. Additionally, high expression of integrin β8 was correlated with greater Breslow depth at diagnosis and with worse prognostic staging.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate that like murine keratinocytes, human keratinocytes express integrin β6 and β8 under steady state conditions. Moreover, altered integrin expression may participate in the development or maintenance of cutaneous inflammation as well as tumor immune evasion

TNF-α and IL-1β Do Not Induce Langerhans Cell Migration by Inhibiting TGFβ Activation

In the skin, Langerhans cells (LCs) require autocrine latent TGFβ that is transactivated by the integrins ανβ6 and ανβ8 expressed by keratinocytes (KCs) for long-term epidermal retention. Selective expression of a ligand-independent, constitutively active form of TGFβR1 inhibits LC migration during homeostasis and in response to UVB exposure. In this study, we found that LC migration in response to inflammatory stimuli was also inhibited by ligand-independent TGFβR1 signaling. Contrary to UVB stimulation, which reduced KC expression of ανβ6, in vitro and in vivo exposure to TNF-α or IL-1β increased ανβ6 transcript and protein expression by KCs. This resulted in increased KC-mediated transactivation of latent TGFβ. Expression of ανβ8 was largely unchanged. These findings show that ligand-independent TGFβR1 signaling in LCs can overcome inflammatory migration stimuli, but reduced KC-mediated transactivation of latent TGFβ by KCs may only drive LC migration during homeostasis and in response to UV stimulation

Determination of the Composition of Blends of Oils Using FTIR-ATR and Multivariate Calibration

A exploração de petróleos nas diversas bacias sedimentares dá origem a óleos com composições químicas variáveis no qual exibe grandes diferenças de em suas propriedades físico-químicas, podendo estas características individuais serem mantidas mesmo após a formação das misturas (Blends). O conhecimento da composição do petróleo é uma necessidade imprescindível numa refinaria para o ajuste das condições do processo, pois definem a quantidade e a qualidades das diversas frações que podem ser obtidas. Neste contexto, métodos de espectroscopia no infravermelho médio, com reflectância total atenuada (FTIR-ATR) podem ser uma alternativa eficaz para fornecer metodologias analíticas rápidas, práticas, não destrutiva e de fácil amostragem para monitorar a composição do petróleo. Desta forma, é proposta deste trabalho estudar e desenvolver modelos de calibração multivariados, capazes de determinar a composição de blends de petróleo, formado por óleos de quatro Campos produtores, utilizando como descritores as absorções obtidas por medidas de FTIR-ATR. A metodologia é baseada na modelagem por mínimos quadrados parciais por intervalos (iPLS) e sinergismos de intervalos (siPLS), avaliados pelos erros gerados na previsão de novas amostras. Os resultados são promissores e indicam que os modelos se ajustam melhor a óleos com menor densidade. A absorção da molécula de água no infravermelho faz com que a água emulsionada seja um interferente no processo de modelagem. Os melhores resultados foram apresentados pelo algoritmo siPLS com erros de previsão entre 1,5 a 1,6 % e valores de correção em torno de 0,99 para óleos dos dois Campos com menor densidade. A partir dos resultados obtidos é possível elaborar um modelo estatístico para ser utilizado no processo de mistura de petróleos com objetivo de prever ou determinar a real composição do BlendThe exploitation of oil in various sedimentary basins gives rise to oils with variable chemical compositions in which displays great differences in their physical-chemistry properties, these individual characteristics can be maintained even after the blend. The composition of the oil is an indispensable necessity in a refinery for the adjustment of process conditions, because they define the amount of various fractions that can be obtained. In this context, methods of spectroscopy mid-infrared with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) can be an effective alternative analytical methodologies to provide rapid, practical, not destructive sampling and easy to monitor the composition of oil. This way, this work is proposed to determine the composition of blends of oil, formed by four fields of oil producers by FTIR-ATR measurements. The modeling methodology is based on partial least squares interval (iPLS) and synergisms intervals (siPLS) assessed the errors generated in prediction of new samples. The results are promising indicating that the models best fits the oils with lower density. The absorption of water molecule in IR causes the emulsified water is interfering in a process modeling. The best results were presented by the algorithm with errors siPLS forecast of 1.5 to 1.6% and offset values around 0.99% for oils two fields with lower density. From the results, we develop a statistical model to be used in the mixing process oil in order to predict or determine the actual composition of Blen

Langerhans Cells Sense Staphylococcus aureus Wall Teichoic Acid through Langerin To Induce Inflammatory Responses

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of skin and soft tissue infections and aggravator of the inflammatory skin disease atopic dermatitis (AD [eczema]). Epicutaneous exposure to S. aureus induces Th17 responses through skin Langerhans cells (LCs), which paradoxically contribute to host defense but also to AD pathogenesis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between S. aureus and LCs are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that human LCs directly interact with S. aureus through the pattern recognition receptor langerin (CD207). Human, but not mouse, langerin interacts with S. aureus through the conserved β-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) modifications on wall teichoic acid (WTA), thereby discriminating S. aureus from other staphylococcal species. Importantly, the specific S. aureus WTA glycoprofile strongly influences the level of proinflammatory cytokines that are produced by in vitro-generated LCs. Finally, in a murine epicutaneous infection model, S. aureus strongly upregulated transcripts of Cxcl1, Il6, and Il17, which required the presence of both human langerin and WTA β-GlcNAc. Our findings provide molecular insight into the unique proinflammatory capacities of S. aureus in relation to skin inflammation.IMPORTANCE The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of skin infections and is also associated with the occurrence and severity of eczema. Langerhans cells (LCs), a specific subset of skin immune cells, participate in the immune response to S. aureus, but it is yet unclear how LCs recognize S. aureus Therefore, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between LCs and S. aureus We identified that wall teichoic acid, an abundant polymer on the S. aureus surface, is recognized by langerin, a receptor unique to LCs. This interaction allows LCs to discriminate S. aureus from other related staphylococcal species and initiates a proinflammatory response similar to that observed in patients with eczema. Our data therefore provide important new insights into the relationship between S. aureus, LCs, and eczema

Processing of Candida albicans Ece1p Is Critical for Candidalysin Maturation and Fungal Virulence

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen responsible for superficial and life-threatening infections in humans. During mucosal infection, C. albicans undergoes a morphological transition from yeast to invasive filamentous hyphae that secrete candidalysin, a 31-amino-acid peptide toxin required for virulence. Candidalysin damages epithelial cell plasma membranes and stimulates the activating protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factor c-Fos (via p38–mitogen-activated protein kinase [MAPK]), and the MAPK phosphatase MKP1 (via extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 [ERK1/2]–MAPK), which trigger and regulate proinflammatory cytokine responses, respectively. The candidalysin toxin resides as a discrete cryptic sequence within a larger 271-amino-acid parental preproprotein, Ece1p. Here, we demonstrate that kexin-like proteinases, but not secreted aspartyl proteinases, initiate a two-step posttranslational processing of Ece1p to produce candidalysin. Kex2p-mediated proteolysis of Ece1p after Arg61 and Arg93, but not after other processing sites within Ece1p, is required to generate immature candidalysin from Ece1p, followed by Kex1p-mediated removal of a carboxyl arginine residue to generate mature candidalysin. C. albicans strains harboring mutations of Arg61 and/or Arg93 did not secrete candidalysin, were unable to induce epithelial damage and inflammatory responses in vitro, and showed attenuated virulence in vivo in a murine model of oropharyngeal candidiasis. These observations identify enzymatic processing of C. albicans Ece1p by kexin-like proteinases as crucial steps required for candidalysin production and fungal pathogenicity. IMPORTANCE Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes mucosal infection in millions of individuals worldwide. Successful infection requires the secretion of candidalysin, the first cytolytic peptide toxin identified in any human fungal pathogen. Candidalysin is derived from its parent protein Ece1p. Here, we identify two key amino acids within Ece1p vital for processing and production of candidalysin. Mutations of these residues render C. albicans incapable of causing epithelial damage and markedly reduce mucosal infection in vivo. Importantly, candidalysin production requires two individual enzymatic events. The first involves processing of Ece1p by Kex2p, yielding immature candidalysin, which is then further processed by Kex1p to produce the mature toxin. These observations identify important steps for C. albicans pathogenicity at mucosal surfaces