X-linked susceptibility to mycobacteria is caused by mutations in NEMO impairing CD40-dependent IL-12 production

Germline mutations in five autosomal genes involved in interleukin (IL)-12–dependent, interferon (IFN)-γ–mediated immunity cause Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases (MSMD). The molecular basis of X-linked recessive (XR)–MSMD remains unknown. We report here mutations in the leucine zipper (LZ) domain of the NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO) gene in three unrelated kindreds with XR-MSMD. The mutant proteins were produced in normal amounts in blood and fibroblastic cells. However, the patients' monocytes presented an intrinsic defect in T cell–dependent IL-12 production, resulting in defective IFN-γ secretion by T cells. IL-12 production was also impaired as the result of a specific defect in NEMO- and NF-κB/c-Rel–mediated CD40 signaling after the stimulation of monocytes and dendritic cells by CD40L-expressing T cells and fibroblasts, respectively. However, the CD40-dependent up-regulation of costimulatory molecules of dendritic cells and the proliferation and immunoglobulin class switch of B cells were normal. Moreover, the patients' blood and fibroblastic cells responded to other NF-κB activators, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, and lipopolysaccharide. These two mutations in the NEMO LZ domain provide the first genetic etiology of XR-MSMD. They also demonstrate the importance of the T cell– and CD40L-triggered, CD40-, and NEMO/NF-κB/c-Rel–mediated induction of IL-12 by monocyte-derived cells for protective immunity to mycobacteria in humans

Etude structurale et fonctionnelle de mutations dans la protéine NEMO, régulateur essentiel de la voie de signalisation NF-kappaB, associées à des pathologies orphelines

PARIS-BIUSJ-Thèses (751052125) / SudocPARIS-BIUSJ-Physique recherche (751052113) / SudocSudocFranceF

Solution structure of NEMO zinc finger and impact of an anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia with immunodeficiency-related point mutation.

International audienceThe regulatory NEMO (NF-kappaB essential modulator) protein has a crucial role in the canonical NF-kappaB signaling pathway notably involved in immune and inflammatory responses, apoptosis and oncogenesis. The regulatory domain is located in the C-terminal half of NEMO and contains a classical CCHC-type zinc finger (ZF). We have investigated the structural and functional effects of a cysteine to phenylalanine point mutation (C417F) in the ZF motif, identified in patients with anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia with immunodeficiency. The solution structures of the wild type and mutant ZF were determined by NMR. Remarkably, the mutant adopts a global betabetaalpha fold similar to that of the wild type and retains thermodynamic stability, i.e., the ability to bind zinc with a native-like affinity, although the last zinc-chelating residue is missing. However, the mutation induces enhanced dynamics in the motif and leads to an important loss of stability. A detailed analysis of the wild type solution structure and experimental evidences led to the identification of two possible protein-binding surfaces that are largely destabilized in the mutant. This is sufficient to alter NEMO function, since functional complementation assays using NEMO-deficient pre-B and T lymphocytes show that full-length C417F pathogenic NEMO leads to a partial to strong defect in LPS, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation, respectively, as compared to wild type NEMO. Altogether, these results shed light onto the role of NEMO ZF as a protein-binding motif and show that a precise structural integrity of the ZF should be preserved to lead to a functional protein-recognition motif triggering full NF-kappaB activation

The Trimerization Domain of Nemo Is Composed of the Interacting C-terminal CC2 and LZ Coiled-coil Subdomains

International audienceNEMO (NF-κB essential modulator) plays a key role in the canonical NF-κB pathway as the scaffold/regulatory component of the IκB kinase (IKK) complex. The self-association of NEMO involves the C-terminal halves of the polypeptide chains containing two putative coiled-coil motifs (a CC2 and a LZ leucine zipper), a proline-rich region, and a ZF zinc finger motif. Using purified truncation mutants, we showed that the minimal oligomerization domain of NEMO is the CC2-LZ segment and that both CC2 and LZ subdomains are necessary to restore the LPS-dependent activation of the NF-κB pathway in a NEMO-deficient cell line. We confirmed the association of the oligomerization domain in a trimer and investigated the specific role of CC2 and LZ subdomains in the building of the oligomer. Whereas a recombinant CC2-LZ polypeptide self-associated into a trimer with an association constant close to that of the wild-type protein, the isolated CC2 and LZ peptides, respectively, formed trimers and dimers with weaker association constants. Upon mixing, isolated CC2 and LZ peptides associated to form a stable hetero-hexamer as shown by gel filtration and fluorescence anisotropy experiments. We propose a structural model for the organization of the oligomerization domain of activated NEMO in which three C-terminal domains associate into a pseudo-hexamer forming a six-helix bundle. This model is discussed in relation to the mechanism of activation of the IKK complex by upstream activators

A point mutation in NEMO associated with anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia with immunodeficiency pathology results in destabilization of the oligomer and reduces lipopolysaccharide- and tumor necrosis factor-mediated NF-kappa B activation.

The NEMO (NF-kappaB essential modulator) protein plays a crucial role in the canonical NF-kappaB pathway as the regulatory component of the IKK (IkappaB kinase) complex. The human disease anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia with immunodeficiency (EDA-ID) has been recently linked to mutations in NEMO. We investigated the effect of an alanine to glycine substitution found in the NEMO polypeptide of an EDA-ID patient. This pathogenic mutation is located within the minimal oligomerization domain of the protein, which is required for the IKK activation in response to diverse stimuli. The mutation does not dramatically change the native-like state of the trimer, but temperature-induced unfolding studied by circular dichroism showed that it leads to an important loss in the oligomer stability. Furthermore, fluorescence studies showed that the tyrosine located in the adjacent zinc finger domain, which is possibly required for NEMO ubiquitination, exhibits an alteration in its spectral properties. This is probably due to a conformational change of this domain, providing evidence for a close interaction between the oligomerization domain and the zinc finger. In addition, functional complementation assays using NEMO-deficient pre-B and T lymphocytes showed that the pathogenic mutation reduced TNF-alpha and LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation by altering the assembly of the IKK complex. Altogether, our findings provide understanding as to how a single point mutation in NEMO leads to the observed EDA-ID phenotype in relation to the NEMO-dependent mechanism of IKK activation

TREM-1 multimerization is essential for its activation on monocytes and neutrophils

The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) is a receptor expressed on innate immune cells. By promoting the amplification of inflammatory signals that are initially triggered by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), TREM-1 has been characterized as a major player in the pathophysiology of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as septic shock, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, and inflammatory bowel diseases. However, the molecular events leading to the activation of TREM-1 in innate immune cells remain unknown. Here, we show that TREM-1 is activated by multimerization and that the levels of intracellular Ca2+release, reactive oxygen species, and cytokine production correlate with the degree of TREM-1 aggregation. TREM-1 activation on primary human monocytes by LPS required a two-step process consisting of upregulation followed by clustering of TREM-1 at the cell surface, in contrast to primary human neutrophils, where LPS induced a rapid cell membrane reorganization of TREM-1, which confirmed that TREM-1 is regulated differently in primary human neutrophils and monocytes. In addition, we show that the ectodomain of TREM-1 is able to homooligomerize in a concentration-dependent manner, which suggests that the clustering of TREM-1 on the membrane promotes its oligomerization. We further show that the adapter protein DAP12 stabilizes TREM-1 surface expression and multimerization. TREM-1 multimerization at the cell surface is also mediated by its endogenous ligand, a conclusion supported by the ability of the TREM-1 inhibitor LR12 to limit TREM-1 multimerization. These results provide evidence for ligand-induced, receptor-mediated dimerization of TREM-1. Collectively, our findings uncover the mechanisms necessary for TREM-1 activation in monocytes and neutrophils

TREM-1 multimerization is essential for its activation on monocytes and neutrophils

The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) is a receptor expressed on innate immune cells. By promoting the amplification of inflammatory signals that are initially triggered by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), TREM-1 has been characterized as a major player in the pathophysiology of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as septic shock, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, and inflammatory bowel diseases. However, the molecular events leading to the activation of TREM-1 in innate immune cells remain unknown. Here, we show that TREM-1 is activated by multimerization and that the levels of intracellular Ca2+release, reactive oxygen species, and cytokine production correlate with the degree of TREM-1 aggregation. TREM-1 activation on primary human monocytes by LPS required a two-step process consisting of upregulation followed by clustering of TREM-1 at the cell surface, in contrast to primary human neutrophils, where LPS induced a rapid cell membrane reorganization of TREM-1, which confirmed that TREM-1 is regulated differently in primary human neutrophils and monocytes. In addition, we show that the ectodomain of TREM-1 is able to homooligomerize in a concentration-dependent manner, which suggests that the clustering of TREM-1 on the membrane promotes its oligomerization. We further show that the adapter protein DAP12 stabilizes TREM-1 surface expression and multimerization. TREM-1 multimerization at the cell surface is also mediated by its endogenous ligand, a conclusion supported by the ability of the TREM-1 inhibitor LR12 to limit TREM-1 multimerization. These results provide evidence for ligand-induced, receptor-mediated dimerization of TREM-1. Collectively, our findings uncover the mechanisms necessary for TREM-1 activation in monocytes and neutrophils

X-linked susceptibility to mycobacteria is caused by mutations in NEMO impairing CD40-dependent IL-12 production

Germline mutations in five autosomal genes involved in interleukin (IL)-12-dependent, interferon (IFN)-gamma-mediated immunity cause Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases (MSMD). The molecular basis of X-linked recessive (XR)-MSMD remains unknown. We report here mutations in the leucine zipper (LZ) domain of the NF-kappa B essential modulator (NEMO) gene in three unrelated kindreds with XR-MSMD. The mutant proteins were produced in normal amounts in blood and fibroblastic cells. However, the patients’ monocytes presented an intrinsic defect in T cell-dependent IL-12 production, resulting in defective IFN-gamma secretion by T cells. IL-12 production was also impaired as the result of a specific defect in NEMO- and NF-kappa B/c-Rel-mediated CD40 signaling after the stimulation of monocytes and dendritic cells by CD40L-expressing T cells and fibroblasts, respectively. However, the CD40-dependent up-regulation of costimulatory molecules of dendritic cells and the proliferation and immunoglobulin class switch of B cells were normal. Moreover, the patients’ blood and fibroblastic cells responded to other NF-kappa B activators, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-beta, and lipopolysaccharide. These two mutations in the NEMO LZ domain provide the first genetic etiology of XR-MSMD. They also demonstrate the importance of the T cell- and CD40L-triggered, CD40-, and NEMO/NF-kappa B/c-Rel-mediated induction of IL-12 by monocyte-derived cells for protective immunity to mycobacteria in humans