The inhibitor of apoptosis protein fusion c-IAP2.MALT1 stimulates NF-kappaB activation independently of TRAF1 AND TRAF2

The inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) are a family of cell death inhibitors found in viruses and metazoans. All members of the IAP family have at least one baculovirus IAP repeat (BIR) motif that is essential for their anti-apoptotic activity. The t(11, 18)(q21;q21) translocation fuses the BIR domains of c-IAP2 with the paracaspase/MALT1 (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) protein, a critical mediator of T cell receptor-stimulated activation of NF-kappaB. The c-IAP2.MALT1 fusion protein constitutively activates the NF-kappaB pathway, and this is considered critical to malignant B cell transformation and lymphoma progression. The BIR domains of c-IAP1 and c-IAP2 interact with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors 1 and 2 (TRAF1 and TRAF2). Here we investigated the importance of TRAF1 and TRAF2 for c-IAP2.MALT1-stimulated NF-kappaB activation. We identified a novel epitope within the BIR1 domains of c-IAP1 and c-IAP2 that is crucial for their physical interaction with TRAF1 and TRAF2. The c-IAP2.MALT1 fusion protein associates with TRAF1 and TRAF2 using the same binding site. We explored the functional relevance of this interaction and established that binding to TRAF1 and TRAF2 is not required for c-IAP2.MALT1-stimulated NF-kappaB activation. Furthermore, gene ablation of TRAF2 or combined down-regulation of TRAF1 and TRAF2 did not affect c-IAP2.MALT1-stimulated signaling. However, TRAF1/2-binding mutants of c-IAP2.MALT1 still oligomerize and activate NF-kappaB, suggesting that oligomerization might be important for signaling of the fusion protein. Therefore, the t(11, 18)(q21;q21) translocation creating the c-IAP2.MALT1 fusion protein activates NF-kappaB and contributes to human malignancy in the absence of signaling adaptors that might otherwise regulate its activity.     

p53 Proteasomal Degradation: Poly-Ubiquitination is Not the Whole Story

Interactions between survival pathways and apoptotic cascades play a determinant role in the maintenance of neoplastic clone proliferation and impaired response to apoptosis. Recently, we established a novel interplay between the NF-kappaB survival- and p53 death- pathways in a tumor model system that represents the most common extranodal lymphoid cell neoplasia, MALT (Mucosa Associated Lymphoid Tissue) lymphoma. MALTs are genetically characterized by the t(11;18)(q21;q21) chromosomal translocation that results in API2/MALT1 fusion products. It was shown that distinct API2/MALT1 chimeric proteins function as oncogenes that bilaterally confer a proliferative advantage to the neoplastic clone by activating the NF-kappaB signaling pathway and also inhibiting p53 mediated cell death. Here, we demonstrate that API2/MALT1 mediated inhibition of apoptosis is p53 specific, as distinct API2/MALT1 fusion proteins fail to protect cells from FAS induced cell death. Furthermore, we demonstrate that API2/MALT1 mediated NF-kappaB activation does not alter p53 protein levels or subcellular localization suggesting a post-translational or indirect mechanism of p53 deregulation.     

A Novel TRAF6 binding site in MALT1 defines distinct mechanisms of NF-kappaB activation by API2middle dotMALT1 fusions

The recurrent translocation t(11;18)(q21;q21) associated with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma results in the expression of an API2.MALT1 fusion protein that constitutively activates NF-kappaB. The first baculovirus IAP repeat (BIR) domain of API2 and the C terminus of MALT1, which contains its caspase-like domain, are present in all reported fusion variants and interact with TRAF2 and TRAF6, respectively, suggesting their contribution to NF-kappaB signaling by API2.MALT1. Also, the involvement of BCL10 has been suggested via binding to BIR1 of API2 and via its interaction with the immunoglobulin domains of MALT1, present in half of the fusion variants. However, conflicting reports exist concerning their roles in API2.MALT1-induced NF-kappaB signaling. In this report, streptavidin pulldowns of biotinylated API2.MALT1 fusion variants showed that none of the fusion variants interacted with endogenous BCL10; its role in NF-kappaB signaling by API2.MALT1 was further questioned by RNA interference experiments. In contrast, TRAF6 was essential for NF-kappaB activation by all fusion variants, and we identified a novel TRAF6 binding site in the second immunoglobulin domain of MALT1, which enhanced NF-kappaB activation when present in the fusion protein. Furthermore, inclusion of both immunoglobulin domains in API2.MALT1 further enhanced NF-kappaB signaling via intramolecular TRAF6 activation. Finally, binding of TRAF2 to BIR1 contributed to NF-kappaB activation by API2.MALT1, although additional mechanisms involving BIR1-mediated raft association are also important. Taken together, these data reveal distinct mechanisms of NF-kappaB activation by the different API2.MALT1 fusion variants with an essential role for TRAF6.     

CIAP2 Inhibits Anigen Receptor Signaling by Targeting Bcl10 for Degredation

The cellular inhibitor of apoptosis 2 (cIAP2) is a RING-containing protein ubiquitin ligase. In a high percentage of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas, cIAP2 is fused to MALT1/paracaspase as a result of the t(11;18)(q21;q21) translocation. The physiological function of cIAP2 in lymphocytes and how this function may be affected by the translocation are not well understood. We have shown that cIAP2 normally inhibits antigen receptor signaling by mediating the ubiquitination and degradation of Bcl10, a critical component for antigenic signaling to NF-κB. The cIAP2-MALT1 fusion protein lacks this E3 activity and is incapable of ubiquitinating Bcl10, likely causing enhanced Bcl10 expression. Furthermore, cIAP2-MALT1 and Bcl10 synergistically activate NF-κB. These results reveal a physiological function of cIAP2, identify Bcl10 upregulation as a unifying molecular mechanism for MALT lymphomas, and define the mechanism and effects of this upregulation in t(11;18)-positive MALT lymphomas.     

Mechanism and specificity of the human paracaspase MALT1

The paracaspase domain of MALT1 (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1) is a component of a gene translocation fused to the N-terminal domains of the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 2. The paracaspase itself, commonly known as MALT1, participates in the NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) pathway, probably by driving survival signals downstream of the B-cell antigen receptor through MALT1 proteolytic activity. We have developed methods for the expression and purification of recombinant full-length MALT1 and its constituent catalytic domain alone. Both are activated by dimerization without cleavage, with a similar dimerization barrier to the distantly related cousins, the apical caspases. By using positional-scanning peptidyl substrate libraries we demonstrate that the activity and specificity of full-length MALT1 is recapitulated by the catalytic domain alone, showing a stringent requirement for cleaving after arginine, and with striking peptide length constraints for efficient hydrolysis. Rates of cleavage (kcat/Km values) of optimal peptidyl substrates are in the same order (10(3)-10(4) M(-1)·s(-1)) as for a putative target protein CYLD. Thus MALT1 has many similarities to caspase 8, even cleaving the putative target protein CYLD with comparable efficiencies, but with diametrically opposite primary substrate specificity.     

Molecular pathogenesis of lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue—from(auto)antigen driven selection to the activation of NF-?B signaling

Lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue(MALT) are typically present at sites such as the stomach, lung or urinary tract, where lymphoid tissues scatter in mucosa lamina propria, intra- or sub-epithelial cells. The infection of certain pathogens, such as Helicobacter pylori, Chlamydophila psittaci, Borrelia burgdorferi, hepatitis C virus, or certain autoantigens cause these sites to generate a germinal center called the "acquired lymphoid tissue". The molecular pathogenesis of MALT lymphoma is a multi-step process. Receptor signaling, such as the contact stimulation of B cell receptors and CD4 positive T cells mediated by CD40/CD40-ligand and T helper cell type 2 cytokines like interleukin-4, contributes to tumor cell proliferation. A number of genetic alterations have been identified in MALT lymphoma, and among them are important translocations, such as t(11;18)(q21;q21), t(1;14)(p22;q32), t(14;18)(q32;q21) and t(3;14)(p13;q32). Fusion proteins generated by these translocations share the same NF-?B signaling pathway, which is activated by the caspase activation and recruitment domain containing molecules of the membrane associated guanylate kinase family, B cell lymphoma-10 and MALT1(CBM) protein complex. They act downstream of cell surface receptors, such as B cell receptors, T cell receptors, B cell activating factors and Toll-like receptors, and participate in the biological process of MALT lymphoma. The discovery of therapeutic drugs that exclusively inhibit the antigen receptor signaling pathway will be beneficial for the treatment of B cell lymphomas in the future.     

Backbone Assignment of the MALT1 Paracaspase by Solution NMR

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT1) is a unique paracaspase protein whose protease activity mediates oncogenic NF-κB signalling in activated B cell-like diffuse large B cell lymphomas (ABC-DLBCLs). ABC-DLBCLs are aggressive lymphomas with high resistance to current chemotherapies. Low survival rate among patients emphasizes the urgent need for alternative treatment options. The characterization of the MALT1 will be an essential tool for developing new target-directed drugs against MALT1 dependent disorders. As the first step in the atomic-level NMR studies of the system, here we report, the ¹⁵N/¹³C/¹H backbone assignment of the apo form of the MALT1 paracaspase region together with the third immunoglobulin-like (Ig3) domain, 44 kDa, by high resolution NMR. In addition, the non-uniform sampling (NUS) based targeted acquisition procedure is evaluated as a mean of decreasing acquisition and analysis time for larger proteins.     

Pharmacological inhibition of MALT1 protease activity suppresses endothelial activation via enhancing MCPIP1 expression

Mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT1) is not only an intracellular signaling scaffold protein but also a paracaspase that plays a key role in the signal transduction and cellular activation of lymphocytes and macrophages. However, its role in endothelial cells remains unknown. Here we report that pharmacological inhibition of MALT1 protease activity strongly suppresses endothelial activation via enhancing MCPIP1 expression. Treatment with MALT1 protease inhibitors selectively inhibited TNFα-induced VCAM-1 expression in HUVECs and LPS-induced VCAM-1 expression in mice. In addition, Inhibition of MALT1 protease activity also significantly inhibited TNFα-induced adhesion of THP-1 monocytic cells to HUVECs. To explore the mechanisms, MALT1 inhibitors does not affect the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway in HUVEC. However, they can stabilize MCPIP1 protein and significantly enhance MCPIP1 protein level in endothelial cells. These results suggest that MALT1 paracaspase also targets MCPIP1 and degrade MCPIP1 protein in endothelial cells similar as it does in immune cells. Taken together, the study suggest inhibition of MALT1 protease activity may represent a new strategy for prevention/therapy of vascular inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis.     

Immunohistochemical comparison of CD5, lambda,and kappa expression in primary and recurrent buccal Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a type of extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma and is a distinct subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.Primary MALT lymphomas can also occur in the oral cavity, although their appearance in this location is rare. The neoplastic cells of which MALT lymphomas are composed express B-cell antigens and show monotypic immunoglobulin expression with light-chain restriction.Although neoplastic MALT lymphoma cells do not express CD5, previous studies have shown that CD5 positive MALT lymphomas are more prone to dissemination than those that do not express CD5. Moreover, there are some reports that describe kappa- and lambda- dual light chain expression in B cell malignant neoplasms.A 66-year-old Japanese woman with swelling of the right buccal mucosa was referred to our hospital. The lesion was excised and was pathologically diagnosed as a MALT lymphoma tumor with a t(11;18)(q21;q21) chromosome translocation.Swelling of the right buccal mucosa recurred 2 years later. The recurrent tumor was then excised and pathologically diagnosed as MALT lymphoma.Immunohistochemical examination of CD5, lambda, and kappa expressions revealed that the primary tumor was positive for CD5, kappa, and lambda, but the recurrent tumor was weakly positive for CD5 and kappa.With respect to lambda positivity, the recurrent tumor showed negativity.Our study suggests that immunohistochemical expression of CD5, kappa, and lambda in oral MALT lymphoma have the risk of recurrence.We first described the recurrence of CD5 positive MALT lymphoma in the oral cavity and compared the immunohistochemical expressions of CD5, lambda, and kappa between the primary and recurrent tumors.     

Multiple protein domains mediate interaction between Bcl10 and MALT1

Bcl10 and MALT1 are essential mediators of NF-kappaB activation in response to the triggering of a diverse array of transmembrane receptors, including antigen receptors. Additionally, both proteins are translocation targets in MALT lymphoma. Thus, a detailed understanding of the interaction between these mediators is of considerable biological importance. Previous studies have indicated that a 13-amino acid region downstream of the Bcl10 caspase recruitment domain (CARD) is responsible for interacting with the immunoglobulin-like domains of MALT1. We now provide evidence that the death domain of MALT1 and the CARD of Bcl10 also contribute to Bcl10-MALT1 interactions. Although a direct interaction between the MALT1 death domain and Bcl10 cannot be detected via immunoprecipitation, FRET data strongly suggest that the death domain of MALT1 contributes significantly to the association between Bcl10 and MALT1 in T cells in vivo. Furthermore, analysis of point mutants of conserved residues of Bcl10 shows that the Bcl10 CARD is essential for interaction with the MALT1 N terminus. Mutations that disrupt proper folding of the Bcl10 CARD strongly impair Bcl10-MALT1 interactions. Molecular modeling and functional analyses of Bcl10 point mutants suggest that residues Asp(80) and Glu(84) of helix 5 of the Bcl10 CARD directly contact MALT1. Together, these data demonstrate that the association between Bcl10 and MALT1 involves a complex interaction between multiple protein domains. Moreover, the Bcl10-MALT1 interaction is the second reported example of interactions between a CARD and a non-CARD protein region, which suggests that many signaling cascades may utilize CARD interactions with non-CARD domains.     

The TRAF6 ubiquitin ligase and TAK1 kinase mediate IKK activation by BCL10 and MALT1 in T lymphocytes

The CARD domain protein BCL10 and paracaspase MALT1 are essential for the activation of IkappaB kinase (IKK) and NF-kappaB in response to T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation. Here we present evidence that TRAF6 ubiquitin ligase and TAK1 protein kinase mediate IKK activation by BCL10 and MALT1. RNAi-mediated silencing of MALT1, TAK1, TRAF6, and TRAF2 suppressed TCR-dependent IKK activation and interleukin-2 production in T cells. Furthermore, we have reconstituted the pathway from BCL10 to IKK activation in vitro with purified proteins of MALT1, TRAF6, TAK1, and ubiquitination enzymes including Ubc13/Uev1A. We find that a small fraction of BCL10 and MALT1 proteins form high molecular weight oligomers. Strikingly, only these oligomeric forms of BCL10 and MALT1 can activate IKK in vitro. The MALT1 oligomers bind to TRAF6, induce TRAF6 oligomerization, and activate the ligase activity of TRAF6 to polyubiquitinate NEMO. These results reveal an oligomerization --> ubiquitination --> phosphorylation cascade that culminates in NF-kappaB activation in T lymphocytes.     

The paracaspase MALT1 controls caspase-8 activation during lymphocyte proliferation

Caspase-8, an initiator caspase involved in lymphocyte apoptosis, is paradoxically required for lymphocyte proliferation. It is not understood how caspase-8 is controlled during antigenic signaling to allow for activation while averting the triggering of apoptosis. Here, we show that caspase-8 undergoes limited activation upon antigenic stimulation, and this activation is dependent on the paracaspase MALT1. The paracaspase domain of MALT1, in a protease-independent manner, induces caspase-8 activation through direct association. MALT1 diminishes the activation of apoptotic effector caspases, but it does not alter the activity of caspase-8 toward c-FLIP(L), which is required for antigenic signaling. Mutants of MALT1 that fail to activate caspase-8 and permit c-FLIP(L) cleavage cannot facilitate NF-kappaB activation or IL-2 induction. Our results reveal a mechanism that utilizes a protease potentially deadly to the cell for proliferative signaling and demonstrate a functional connection between the caspase and paracaspase families to enable nonapoptotic processes.     

Variations in MALT1 Gene Disruptions Detected by FISH in 109 MALT Lymphomas Occurring in Different Primary Sites

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that can originate in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, thyroid, breasts, lungs, and skin. The most common genetic abnormality occurring in MALT lymphomas involves t(11;18)(q21;q21) in the gene MALT1. This translocation results in a chimeric fusion product between the genes ATI2 and MALT1, which generates a survival advantage in the lymphoma cells. The MALT1 disruption is more common in some MALT lymphomas, distinguished by site, than others. If identified, this variation in frequency could affect treatment courses and outcomes for each type of MALT lymphoma. The study included 109 MALT lymphoma sample specimens. The sample paraffin-embedded slides were pretreated, hybridized for FISH using a MALT1 break-apart probe, post-washed, and viewed using a fluorescent microscope. On each slide, 100 individual cells were counted by two independent readers, totaling 200 cells per case, and the percentage of cells containing a translocation within each sample was recorded. A conservative threshold of 8% was used to make a positive call. There were a total of 18 positive results in the 109 samples tested. The tissue specimens tested that yielded positive results include the colon (62.5%), lung (57.14%), skin (25%), eyelid/lacrimal gland (16.67%), stomach (6.45%), kidney (50%), and thyroid (100%). The sites that yielded only negative results (0%) include the breast, salivary gland, salivary gland/parotid, soft tissue/skin, conjunctiva/orbital, small intestine, nasal, and epidural mass. As hypothesized, a variation in the MALT1 disruption was found. This is the first study to examine MALT1 disruption in the soft tissue, nasal, and epidural mass. The positive results of this study, specifically the results for the colon and lung, and the negative breast and salivary gland results are consistent with previous studies examining the genetic aberrations in MALT lymphomas. These results indicate that MALT lymphoma at different locations differentially display MALT1 disruption, and these disruptions may be responsible for the variance in patient response to therapy. Surgery, radiation therapy, and/or administration of cladribine (2CdA) result in the best outcomes in treating MALT lymphomas with MALT1 disruption.     

Isolation, cDNA, and Genomic Structure of a Conserved Gene (NOF) at Chromosome 11q13 Next to FAU and Oriented in the Opposite Transcriptional Orientation

In our effort to characterize a gene at chromosome 11q13 involved in a t(11;17)(q13;q21) translocation in B-non-Hodgkin lymphoma, we have identified a novel human gene, NOF (Neighbour of FAU). It maps right next to FAU in a head to head configuration separated by a maximum of 146 nucleotides. cDNA clones representing NOF hybridized to a 2.2-kb mRNA present in all tissues tested. The largest open reading frame appeared to contain 166 amino acids and is proline rich, and the sequence shows no homology with any known gene in the public databases. The NOF gene consists of 4 exons and 3 introns spanning approximately 5 kb, and the boundaries between exons and introns follow the GT/AG rule. The NOF locus is conserved during evolution, with the predicted protein having over 80% identity to three translated mouse and rat ESTs of unknown function. Moreover, the mouse ESTs map in the same organization, closely linked to the FAU gene, in the mouse genome. NOF, however, is not affected by the t(11;17)(q13;q21) chromosomal translocation.     

Bcl10 and MALT1, independent targets of chromosomal translocation in malt lymphoma, cooperate in a novel NF-kappa B signaling pathway

At least two distinct recurrent chromosomal translocations have been implicated in the pathogenesis of MALT lymphoma. The first, t(1;14), results in the transfer of the entire Bcl10 gene to chromosome 14 wherein Bcl10 expression is inappropriately stimulated by the neighboring Ig enhancer. The second, t(11;18), results in the synthesis of a novel fusion protein, API2-MALT1. Until now, no common mechanism of action has been proposed to explain how the products of these seemingly unrelated translocations may contribute to the same malignant process. We show here that Bcl10 and MALT1 form a strong and specific complex within the cell, and that these proteins synergize in the activation of NF-kappaB. The data support a mechanism of action whereby Bcl10 mediates the oligomerization and activation of the MALT1 caspase-like domain. This subsequently activates the IKK complex through an unknown mechanism, setting in motion a cascade of events leading to NF-kappaB induction. Furthermore, the API2-MALT1 fusion protein also strongly activates NF-kappaB and shows dependence upon the same downstream signaling factors. We propose a model whereby both the Bcl10.MALT1 complex and the API2-MALT1 fusion protein activate a common downstream signaling pathway that originates with the oligomerization-dependent activation of the MALT1 caspase-like domain.