ZMYND8-regulated IRF8 transcription axis is an acute myeloid leukemia dependency

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Dual character of Toll-like receptor signaling: Pro-tumorigenic effects and anti-tumor functions

As a major class of pattern-recognition receptors, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in defense against invading pathogens. Increasing evidence demonstrates that, in addition to infection, TLRs are involved in other important pathological processes, such as tumorigenesis. Activation of TLRs results in opposing outcomes, pro-tumorigenic effects and anti-tumor functions. TLR signaling can inhibit apoptosis and promote chronic inflammation-induced tumorigenesis. TLR activation in tumor cells and immune cells can induce production of cytokines, increase tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis resistance, promote invasion and metastasis, and inhibit immune cell activity resulting in tumor immune escape. In contrast, the engagement of other TLRs directly induces growth inhibition and apoptosis of tumor cells and triggers activation of immune cells enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. Thus, the interpretation of the precise function of each TLR in tumors is very important for targeting TLRs and using TLR agonists in tumor therapy. We review the role of TLR signaling in tumors and discuss the factors that affect outcomes of TLR activation.     

Relevance of signaling molecules for apoptosis induction on influenza A virus replication

Apoptosis is an important mechanism to maintain homeostasis in mammals, and disruption of the apoptosis regulation mechanism triggers a range of diseases, such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, and developmental disorders. The severity of influenza A virus (IAV) infection is also closely related to dysfunction of apoptosis regulation. In the virus infected cells, the functions of various host cellular molecules involved in regulation of induction of apoptosis are modulated by IAV proteins to enable effective virus replication. The modulation of the intracellular signaling pathway inducing apoptosis by the IAV infection also affects extracellular mechanisms controlling apoptosis, and triggers abnormal host responses related to the disease severity of IAV infections. This review focuses on apoptosis related molecules involved in IAV replication and pathogenicity, the strategy of the virus propagation through the regulation of apoptosis is also discussed.     

DDX19 Inhibits Type I Interferon Production by Disrupting TBK1-IKKε-IRF3 Interactions and Promoting TBK1 and IKKε Degradation

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鞘内注射干扰素调节因子8小干扰RNA对术后持续性疼痛大鼠痛阈及脊髓小胶质细胞活化的影响*

目的: 探究鞘内注射干扰素调节因子8小干扰RNA(IRF8 SiRNA)对PPsP大鼠痛阈及脊髓小胶质细胞活化的影响。方法: 120只雄性SD大鼠随机分为假手术组(SH,n=12),模型组(SM,n=48),溶媒组(SD,n=12)和IRF8沉默组(SS,n=48),其中,SM组于大鼠后足中部隐静脉内侧按皮肤/肌肉切开牵拉(SMIR)法建立术后持续性疼痛(PPsP)模型,SH组仅切开不牵拉;SD组与SS组建模前一周先于L4/5椎间隙行鞘内置管术, SS组于建模后第5、6日连续鞘内给予IRF8 SiRNA溶液20 μl(溶于DEPC水中,150 pmol),SD组给予等量DEPC水。测量并记录建模前(D0),建模后第1(D1)、3(D3)、7(D7)、12(D12)、22(D22)、33(D33)日等时点各组大鼠术侧后足机械刺激缩足反应阈值 (PWT); 建模后第12日各取6只,Western blot法检测脊髓背角Iba-1蛋白表达情况,并取SH组和SM组各3只,取术野隐神经行电镜观察其超微结构改变;再取SM组和SS组于上述各时点各6只,流式细胞术检测脊髓背角小胶质细胞活化情况。结果: 与D0相比, SM组在D1～D22PWT降低(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),并在D33恢复至正常水平(P＞0.05);与SH组相比,SM组PWT在D1～D22均降低(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);与SD组相比,SS组PWT在D7～D22增高(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);与SH组相比,SS组D7～D22降低(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);隐神经髓鞘平均厚度: SH组为(377.03± 69.60) nm,SM组为(369.50±73.26) nm,两组间相比无统计学意义(P＞0.05);与SH组相比,SM组Iba-1明显上调(P＜0.01);与SD组相比,SS组Iba-1表达受到抑制(P＜0.05),与SH组相比,SS组Iba-1表达也具有统计学差异(P＜0.05),而SM组与SD组之间,Iba-1的表达无统计学意义(P＞0.05);与D0相比,SM组小胶质细胞活化比率在D3～D22均显著增加(P＜0.01),而SS组小胶质细胞活化于D3达到高峰(P＜0.01);鞘内给药后,SS组脊髓背角小胶质细胞活化比率明显下降,与SM组相比,在D7～D12显著下降(P＜0.01)。结论: SMIR诱导的PPsP大鼠显著且持续的机械痛觉过敏为非明显的外周神经损伤所致,可能是基于脊髓背角小胶质细胞活化所介导,而鞘内给予IRF8小干扰RNA可抑制脊髓背角小胶质细胞的激活,并逆转SMIR诱导的痛觉过敏。     

Tumor suppressor IRF-1 mediates retinoid and interferon anticancer signaling to death ligand TRAIL

Retinoids and interferons are signaling molecules with pronounced anticancer activity. We show that in both acute promyelocytic leukemia and breast cancer cells the retinoic acid (RA) and interferon signaling pathways converge on the promoter of the tumoricidal death ligand TRAIL. Promoter mapping, chromatin immunoprecipitation and RNA interference reveal that retinoid-induced interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1), a tumor suppressor, is critically required for TRAIL induction by both RA and IFNgamma. Exposure of breast cancer cells to both antitumor agents results in enhanced TRAIL promoter occupancy by IRF-1 and coactivator recruitment, leading to strong histone acetylation and synergistic induction of TRAIL expression. In coculture experiments, pre-exposure of breast cancer cells to RA and IFNgamma induced a dramatic TRAIL-dependent apoptosis in heterologous cancer cells in a paracrine mode of action, while normal cells were not affected. Our results identify a novel TRAIL-mediated tumor suppressor activity of IRF-1 and suggest a mechanistic basis for the synergistic antitumor activities of certain retinoids and interferons. These data argue for combination therapies that activate the TRAIL pathway to eradicate tumor cells.     

Genetic Polymorphism of Interferon-γ, Interferon-γ Receptor, and Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 Genes in Patients with Hepatitis B Virus Infection

The natural history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is probably related to host immune factors. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) plays significant roles in immune defense. This study was undertaken to investigate the association between HBV infection and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IFN-γ, IFN-γ receptor (IFNGR)-1 and 2, and interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-1 genes. Between March 2002 and December 2002, 614 Korean patients were enrolled in two different groups: an HBV clearance group (n = 201), who were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative with antibodies to HBsAg and hepatitis B core antigen, and an HBV persistence group (n = 413), who were repeatedly HBsAg positive. We assessed polymorphisms in the IFN-γ gene at position +874, in the IFNGR-1 gene at positions −56 and +95, in the IFNGR-2 gene at the second position of codon 64 (Gln64Arg), and in the IRF-1 gene promoter (−410, −388), and the genotype distributions of the HBV clearance and persistence groups were compared. On the basis of unconditional logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age and sex, no statistically significant association with susceptibility to persistent HBV infection was observed with the IFN-γ, IFNGR-1 and 2, and IRF-1 gene polymorphisms under the codominant, dominant, and recessive models.     

TRIM56 Is an Essential Component of the TLR3 Antiviral Signaling Pathway

Members of the tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins are being recognized as important regulators of host innate immunity. However, specific TRIMs that contribute to TLR3-mediated antiviral defense have not been identified. We show here that TRIM56 is a positive regulator of TLR3 signaling. Overexpression of TRIM56 substantially potentiated extracellular dsRNA-induced expression of interferon (IFN)-β and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), while knockdown of TRIM56 greatly impaired activation of IRF3, induction of IFN-β and ISGs, and establishment of an antiviral state by TLR3 ligand and severely compromised TLR3-mediated chemokine induction following infection by hepatitis C virus. The ability to promote TLR3 signaling was independent of the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of TRIM56. Rather, it correlated with a physical interaction between TRIM56 and TRIF. Deletion of the C-terminal portion of TRIM56 abrogated the TRIM56-TRIF interaction as well as the augmentation of TLR3-mediated IFN response. Together, our data demonstrate TRIM56 is an essential component of the TLR3 antiviral signaling pathway and reveal a novel role for TRIM56 in innate antiviral immunity.     

Toll-like receptor 9 signaling has anti-inflammatory effects on the early phase of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced immune responses in the gastric mucosa are skewed toward T helper (Th) 1 phenotype, which is characterized by predominant production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ by helper T cells. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an essential role in mucosal defense against microbes through the recognition of bacterial molecules. Among the members of the TLR family, TLR9 recognizes bacterial unmethylated CpG DNA sites, and signal transduction of TLR9 induces production of a variety of cytokines, including type-I IFN (IFN-α/β). We investigated the expression and role of TLR9 in H. pylori-induced gastritis in mice. Expression of TLR9 mRNA in the gastric tissue increased after infection with H. pylori. TLR9 was mainly expressed in the macrophages, dendritic cells, and CD3⁺ cells in the gastric mucosa. Neutrophil infiltration and the expression levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA were higher in TLR9 knockout (KO) mice than in wild-type mice at 2 and 4 months after H. pylori inoculation. These differences in inflammatory parameters between H. pylori-infected wild-type and TLR9 KO mice disappeared 6 months after H. pylori inoculation. Expression of interleukin-4 mRNA, typical Th2 cytokine, in the gastric tissue did not differ between H. pylori-infected wild-type and TLR9 KO mice. Expression level of IFN-α/β mRNA in the TLR9 KO mice was lower than that in wild-type mice by 4 months after inoculation. Administration of IFN-α reduced H. pylori infection-induced increase in neutrophil infiltration and the expression levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA in TLR9 KO mice. Our findings suggest that TLR9 signaling plays important roles in the suppression of H. pylori-induced gastritis in the early phase via downregulation of Th1-type cytokines modulated by IFN-α.