Consequences of cathepsin C inactivation for membrane exposure of proteinase 3, the target antigen in autoimmune vasculitis

Membrane-bound proteinase 3 (PR3(m)) is the main target antigen of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) in granulomatosis with polyangiitis, a systemic small-vessel vasculitis. Binding of ANCA to PR3(m) triggers neutrophil activation with the secretion of enzymatically active PR3 and related neutrophil serine proteases, thereby contributing to vascular damage. PR3 and related proteases are activated from pro-forms by the lysosomal cysteine protease cathepsin C (CatC) during neutrophil maturation. We hypothesized that pharmacological inhibition of CatC provides an effective measure to reduce PR3(m) and therefore has implications as a novel therapeutic approach in granulomatosis with polyangiitis. We first studied neutrophilic PR3 from 24 patients with Papillon-Lefevre syndrome (PLS), a genetic form of CatC deficiency. PLS neutrophil lysates showed a largely reduced but still detectable (0.5-4%) PR3 activity when compared with healthy control cells. Despite extremely low levels of cellular PR3, the amount of constitutive PR3(m) expressed on the surface of quiescent neutrophils and the typical bimodal membrane distribution pattern were similar to what was observed in healthy neutrophils. However, following cell activation, there was no significant increase in the total amount of PR3(m) on PLS neutrophils, whereas the total amount of PR3(m) on healthy neutrophils was significantly increased. We then explored the effect of pharmacological CatC inhibition on PR3 stability in normal neutrophils using a potent cell-permeable CatC inhibitor and a CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cell model. Human CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells were treated with the inhibitor during neutrophil differentiation over 10 days. We observed strong reductions in PR3(m), cellular PR3 protein, and proteolytic PR3 activity, whereas neutrophil differentiation was not compromised

Mechanismen der bimodalen Membran-PR3-Expression auf neutrophilen Granulozyten

Anti-Neutrophile Cytoplasmatische Antikörper verursachen nekrotisierende Vaskulitiden kleiner Blutgefäße. Die Serinprotease PR3 ist ein ANCA-Zielantigen, welches von zirkulierenden ANCA auf der Zellmembran erkannt wird. ANCA aktivieren neutrophile Granulozyten, die dann die nekrotisierende Vaskulitis verursachen. Das Membran-PR3 Expressionsmuster ist bimodal wobei mPR3-niedrig- und mPR3-hoch-exprimierende Zellen existieren. Wir testeten die Hypothese, dass ein Membranrezeptor eine hohe mPR3-Expression vermittelt. Wir verwendeten humane neutrophile Granulozyten, neutrophil-differenzierte Stammzellen und transfizierte HEK293 Zellen. Wir identifizierten das Glykoprotein CD177 als einen mPR3-präsentierenden Rezeptor. CD177 zeigte eine spezifische Bindung von reifem PR3-Protein, nicht aber von einem unprozessierten PR3. Wir separierten die mPR3-Zellpopulationen und führten Durchflusszytometrie, Giemsa-Färbung, Western Blot-Experimente und RT-PCR für die PR3 und CD177 mRNA-Expression durch. Wir fanden, dass die mPR3hoch neutrophilen Granulozyten PR3- und CD177-Protein enthielten, während in den mPR3niedrig neutrophilen Granulozyten nur PR3, aber kein CD177 detektierbar war. Die CD177-Regulation vollzog sich auf transkriptioneller Ebene, da die Zellen, die negativ für das CD177-Protein waren auch keine mRNA transkribierten. Um die Grundlage der fehlenden CD177-Transkription zu analysieren, identifizierten wir den Transkriptionsstart von CD177 für eine anschließende Mutations- und SNP-Analyse. Die CD177-Sequenzen der proteinkodierenden Regionen und der Intron-Exon-Übergänge der beiden Zellpopulationen waren identisch. Jedoch fanden wir, dass das CD177-Gen einer monoallelischen Expression unterliegt. Es wurde dabei maternale als auch paternale monoallelische Expression detektiert. In weiterführenden Untersuchungen soll der Regulationsmechanismus der monoallelischen CD177-Expression charakterisiert werden.Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies cause necrotizing small-vessel vasculitis. The serine protease PR3 provides a main ANCA target antigen and is recognized by circulating ANCA on the neutrophil cell surface. ANCA activate neutrophils and activated neutrophils cause vasculitis. The membrane-PR3 expression pattern is bimodal in that low and high mPR3 expressing cells can be distinguished. We tested the hypothesis that a membrane receptor mediates mPR3high expression. We studied human neutrophils, neutrophilic differentiated CD34-positive hematopoietic stem cells and transfected HEK293 cells. We identified the glycoprotein CD177 as an mPR3 presenting receptor. CD177 demonstrated specific binding of mature, but not of unprocessed pro-PR3. We separated the two mPR3 populations and performed cytometry analysis, Giemsa staining, western blot analysis and RT-PCR for PR3 and CD177 expression. We detected PR3 and CD177 protein in mPR3high expressing neutrophils, whereas only PR3, but no CD177 was found in mPR3low expressing cells. Regulation took place on a transcriptional level because cells that were negative for CD177 protein were also negative for mRNA. To further study this finding, we identified the CD177 transcription start for a subsequent mutation and SNP analysis. CD177 sequences of the protein-coding regions and the intron-exon regions did not differ in both populations. However, we found a monoallelic CD177 expression and were able to detect maternal as well as paternal allele expression. Future experiments will elucidate the mechanisms that control monoallelic CD177 gene expression

Gene silencing and a novel monoallelic expression pattern in distinct CD177 neutrophil subsets

CD177 presents antigens in allo- and autoimmune diseases on the neutrophil surface. Individuals can be either CD177-deficient or harbor distinct CD177neg and CD177pos neutrophil subsets. We studied mechanisms controlling subset-restricted CD177 expression in bimodal individuals. CD177pos, but not CD177neg neutrophils, produced CD177 protein and mRNA. Haplotype analysis indicated a unique monoallelic CD177 expression pattern, where the offspring stably transcribed either the maternal or paternal allele. Hematopoietic stem cells expressed both CD177 alleles and silenced one copy during neutrophil differentiation. ChIP and reporter assays in HeLa cells with monoallelic CD177 expression showed that methylation reduced reporter activity, whereas demethylation caused biallelic CD177 expression. HeLa cell transfection with c-Jun and c-Fos increased CD177 mRNA. Importantly, CD177pos human neutrophils, but not CD177neg neutrophils, showed a euchromatic CD177 promoter, unmethylated CpGs, and c-Jun and c-Fos binding. We describe epigenetic mechanisms explaining the two distinct CD177 neutrophil subsets and a novel monoallelic CD177 expression pattern that does not follow classical random monoallelic expression or imprinting

Endothelial NF-κB Blockade Abrogates ANCA-Induced GN

ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a highly inflammatory condition in which ANCA-activated neutrophils interact with the endothelium, resulting in necrotizing vasculitis. We tested the hypothesis that endothelial NF-κB mediates necrotizing crescentic GN (NCGN) and provides a specific treatment target. Reanalysis of kidneys from previously examined murine NCGN disease models revealed NF-κB activation in affected kidneys, mostly as a p50/p65 heterodimer, and increased renal expression of NF-κB-dependent tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). NF-κB activation positively correlated with crescent formation, and nuclear phospho-p65 staining showed NF-κB activation within CD31-expressing endothelial cells (ECs) in affected glomeruli. Therefore, we studied the effect of ANCA on NF-κB activation in neutrophil/EC cocultures in vitro ANCA did not activate NF-κB in primed human neutrophils, but ANCA-stimulated primed neutrophils activated NF-κB in ECs, at least in part via TNF-α release. This effect increased endothelial gene transcription and protein production of NF-κB-regulated interleukin-8. Moreover, upregulation of endothelial NF-κB promoted neutrophil adhesion to EC monolayers, an effect that was inhibited by a specific IKKβ inhibitor. In a murine NCGN model, prophylactic application of E-selectin-targeted immunoliposomes packed with p65 siRNA to downregulate endothelial NF-κB significantly reduced urine abnormalities, renal myeloid cell influx, and NCGN. Increased glomerular endothelial phospho-p65 staining in patients with AAV indicated that NF-κB is activated in human NCGN also. We suggest that ANCA-stimulated neutrophils activate endothelial NF-κB, which contributes to NCGN and provides a potential therapeutic target in AAV