Study of the endocytic mechanism of the tumor marker CD166/ALCAM : a new clathrin-independent cargo

Endocytosis is an essential cellular process required for the uptake of nutrients from the cell environment and the turnover of plasma membrane components(commonly referred as “cargoes”). It regulates fundamental cellular functions as diverse as cell signaling, adhesion, migration, polarity, division, growth or differentiation. In particular, mammalian cells have developed multiple endocytic routes/mechanisms to support the vast array of physiological conditions, functions and cargoes they face. However, while several endocytic mechanisms have been described so far, their biological relevance often remains elusive, especially in pathophysiological contexts such as cancer. In 2016, my lab identified a cell surface cargo whose internalization seemed to rely on a yet to characterize endocytic route: the protein CD166/ALCAM(Activated Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule). CD166 is an immunoglobulin-like protein involved in cell adhesion and migration, which has been linked to cancer progression by numerous studies. This protein has notably received particular attention as a promising target for new immunotherapies. However, virtually nothing was known about its cellular trafficking. In that context, the present thesis aimed at unveiling the molecular machinery that underlies CD166 internalization and that modulates its function at cancer cell surface. Using state-of-the-art microscopy and cell biology techniques, we could show that CD166 is a clathrin- and dynamin-independent cargo internalized via a novel endocytic mechanism that involves the BAR domain protein endophilin-A3 and the extracellular lectin galectin-8. Additionally, we could demonstrate that the actin cytoskeleton and its regulatory GTPase Rac1 dynamically associate with CD166-positive endocytic carriers and that their perturbation strongly inhibits the uptake process. We also provide evidence that microtubules and kinesin molecular motors are required to potentiate the endoA3-dependent endocytosis of CD166. Finally, our data reveal that altering this new endocytic mechanism directly modulates the abundance of CD166 at the cell surface and regulates adhesive and migratory properties of cancer cells.(SC - Sciences) -- UCL, 202

Rac1, actin cytoskeleton and microtubules are key players in clathrin-independent endophilin-A3-mediated endocytosis

Endocytic mechanisms actively regulate plasma membrane composition and sustain fundamental cellular functions. Recently, we identified a clathrin-independent endocytic (CIE) modality mediated by the BAR domain protein endophilin-A3 (endoA3), which controls the cell surface homeostasis of the tumor marker CD166/ALCAM. Deciphering the molecular machinery of endoA3-dependent CIE should therefore contribute to a better understanding of its pathophysiological role, which remains so far unknown. Here,we investigate the role in this mechanism of actin, Rho GTPases and microtubules, which are major actors of CIE processes. We show that the actin cytoskeleton is dynamically associated with endoA3- and CD166-positive endocytic carriers and that its perturbation strongly inhibits the uptake process of CD166. We also reveal that the Rho GTPase Rac1, but not Cdc42, is a master regulator of this endocytic route. Finally, we provide evidence that microtubules and kinesin molecular motors are required to potentiate endoA3-dependent endocytosis. Of note, our study also highlights potential compensation phenomena between endoA3-dependent CIE and macropinocytosis. Altogether, our data deepen our understanding of this CIE modality and further differentiate it from other unconventional endocytic mechanisms

Role of the Redox State of Human Peroxiredoxin-5 on Its TLR4-Activating DAMP Function

Human peroxiredoxin-5 (PRDX5) is a unique redox-sensitive protein that plays a dual role in brain ischemia-reperfusion injury. While intracellular PRDX5 has been reported to act as a neuroprotective antioxidative enzyme by scavenging peroxides, once released extracellularly from necrotic brain cells, the protein aggravates neural cell death by inducing expression of proinflammatory cytokines in macrophages through activation of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 (TLR2) and 4 (TLR4). Although recent evidence showed that PRDX5 was able to interact directly with TLR4, little is known regarding the role of the cysteine redox state of PRDX5 on its DAMP function. To gain insights into the role of PRDX5 redox-active cysteine residues in the TLR4-dependent proinflammatory activity of the protein, we used a recombinant human PRDX5 in the disulfide (oxidized) form and a mutant version lacking the peroxidatic cysteine, as well as chemically reduced and hyperoxidized PRDX5 proteins. We first analyzed the oxidation state and oligomerization profile by Western blot, mass spectrometry, and SEC-MALS. Using ELISA, we demonstrate that the disulfide bridge between the enzymatic cysteines is required to allow improved TLR4-dependent IL-8 secretion. Moreover, single-molecule force spectroscopy experiments revealed that TLR4 alone is not sufficient to discriminate the different PRDX5 redox forms. Finally, flow cytometry binding assays show that disulfide PRDX5 has a higher propensity to bind to the surface of living TLR4-expressing cells than the mutant protein. Taken together, these results demonstrate the importance of the redox state of PRDX5 cysteine residues on TLR4-induced inflammation

Endophilin-A3 and Galectin-8 control the clathrin-independent endocytosis of CD166

International audienceWhile several clathrin-independent endocytic processes have been described so far, their biological relevance often remains elusive, especially in pathophysiological contexts such as cancer. In this study, we find that the tumor marker CD166/ALCAM (Activated Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule) is a clathrin-independent cargo. We show that endophilin-A3-but neither A1 nor A2 isoforms-functionally associates with CD166-containing early endocytic carriers and physically interacts with the cargo. Our data further demonstrates that the three endophilin-A isoforms control the uptake of distinct subsets of cargoes. In addition, we provide strong evidence that the construction of endocytic sites from which CD166 is taken up in an endophilin-A3-dependent manner is driven by extracellular galectin-8. Taken together, our data reveal the existence of a previously uncharacterized clathrin-independent endocytic modality, that modulates the abundance of CD166 at the cell surface, and regulates adhesive and migratory properties of cancer cells