Interleukin-4 Alters Early Phagosome Phenotype by Modulating Class I PI3K Dependent Lipid Remodeling and Protein Recruitment

Phagocytosis is a complex process that involves membranelipid remodeling and the attraction and retention of key effector proteins. Phagosome phenotype depends on the type of receptor engaged and can be influenced by extracellular signals. Interleukin 4 (IL-4) is a cytokine that induces the alternative activation of macrophages (MΦs) upon prolonged exposure, triggering a different cell phenotype that has an altered phagocytic capacity. In contrast, the direct effects of IL-4 during phagocytosis remain unknown. Here, we investigate the impact of short-term IL-4 exposure (1 hour) during phagocytosis of IgG-opsonized yeast particles by MΦs. By time-lapse confocal microscopy of GFP-tagged lipid-sensing probes, we show that IL-4 increases the negative charge of the phagosomal membrane by prolonging the presence of the negatively charged second messenger PI(3,4,5)P3. Biochemical assays reveal an enhanced PI3K/Akt activity upon phagocytosis in the presence of IL-4. Blocking the specific class I PI3K after the onset of phagocytosis completely abrogates the IL-4-induced changes in lipid remodeling and concomitant membrane charge. Finally, we show that IL-4 direct signaling leads to a significantly prolonged retention profile of the signaling molecules Rac1 and Rab5 to the phagosomal membrane in a PI3K-dependent manner. This protracted early phagosome phenotype suggests an altered maturation, which is supported by the delayed phagosome acidification measured in the presence of IL-4. Our findings reveal that molecular differences in IL-4 levels, in the extracellular microenvironment, influence the coordination of lipid remodeling and protein recruitment, which determine phagosome phenotype and, eventually, fate. Endosomal and phagosomal membranes provide topological constraints to signaling molecules. Therefore, changes in the phagosome phenotype modulated by extracellular factors may represent an additional mechanism that regulates the outcome of phagocytosis and could have significant impact on the net biochemical output of a cell

Dictyostelium LvsB Mutants Model the Lysosomal Defects Associated with Chediak-Higashi Syndrome

Chediak-Higashi syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in a gene encoding a protein named LYST in humans (“lysosomal trafficking regulator”) or Beige in mice. A prominent feature of this disease is the accumulation of enlarged lysosome-related granules in a variety of cells. The genome of Dictyostelium discoideum contains six genes encoding proteins that are related to LYST/Beige in amino acid sequence, and disruption of one of these genes, lvsA (large volume sphere), results in profound defects in cytokinesis. To better understand the function of this family of proteins in membrane trafficking, we have analyzed mutants disrupted in lvsA, lvsB, lvsC, lvsD, lvsE, and lvsF. Of all these, only lvsA and lvsB mutants displayed interesting phenotypes in our assays. lvsA-null cells exhibited defects in phagocytosis and contained abnormal looking contractile vacuole membranes. Loss of LvsB, the Dictyostelium protein most similar to LYST/Beige, resulted in the formation of enlarged vesicles that by multiple criteria appeared to be acidic lysosomes. The rates of endocytosis, phagocytosis, and fluid phase exocytosis were normal in lvsB-null cells. Also, the rates of processing and the efficiency of targeting of lysosomal α-mannosidase were normal, although lvsB mutants inefficiently retained α-mannosidase, as well as two other lysosomal cysteine proteinases. Finally, results of pulse-chase experiments indicated that an increase in fusion rates accounted for the enlarged lysosomes in lvsB-null cells, suggesting that LvsB acts as a negative regulator of fusion. Our results support the notion that LvsB/LYST/Beige function in a similar manner to regulate lysosome biogenesis