Cell Surface Immune Receptors Research Articles

Generation of a multimeric form of CD40L with potent immunostimulatory activity using streptavidin as a chaperon

Effective aggregation of cell surface immune receptors with their ligands is critical in promoting humoral and cellular immune responses. Simulation of these interactions using soluble multimeric ligands having potent adjuvant effects may prove an effective alternative to agonistic antibodies as immunotherapeutics. Multimeric ligands may effectively engage their receptors, leading to aggregation and effective signal transduction. We exploited the structural characteristics of streptavidin (SA) for the generation of multimeric chimeric proteins. Streptavidin forms stable tetramers and oligomers under physiological conditions, and, as such, chimeric molecules with SA are expected to possess similar features. Two chimeric molecules consisting of the extracellular domains of human and mouse CD40L and a modified form of core streptavidin were generated. These proteins form stable oligomers that could only be dissociated into monomers by heating at 100°C, but not 60°C, under denaturing conditions. The chimeric proteins vigorously stimulated B cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells for the production of cytokines and chemokines and upregulation of immunostimulatory molecules. The use of SA as a chaperon presents a novel approach to generate multimeric immunological molecules with potent activities and their use as potential therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and other immune-based disorders.

An avian influenza vaccine for humans targeting the polymerase B2 protein inside the capsid instead of hemagglutinin or neuramidase on the virus surface

Vaccines for avian influenza typically are aimed at hemagglutinin or neuramidase on the outside of the virus capsid. A major problem with such an approach is that the genes coding for these proteins have a very rapid mutation rate, forcing commercial producers to wait for mutations to occur before developing effective new versions of standard vaccines. However, a recent study has revealed that the 1918 flu virus, like the H5N1 avian flu virus, has an E627K mutation in its polymerase B2 component, which is located inside the virus capsid. Other research has indicated that this mutation strongly influences the virulence of H5N1. It seems reasonable to believe that the constancy, over more than 80 years, of the E627K mutation could be exploited to begin developing a vaccine now, rather than waiting for new mutations. Consequently, a publicly available database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website, and the SYFPEITHI online computer algorithm, were used to generate a hypothesis about a peptide-based vaccine targeted at the E627K mutation in PB2 of the avian influenza virus. It was found that the peptide sequence, DTVQIIKLL, present in the PB2 protein of the H5N1 virus, would be expected to bind to HLA-A26 restricted immune system cell surface receptors. Hence, the bound peptide might be capable of stimulating protection from cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Should the present hypothesis be confirmed in laboratory studies, and an effective vaccine developed for individuals expressing the HLA-A26 receptor; further research would be indicated. This research would be aimed at determining whether molecular modifications to the DTVQIIKLL peptide could make it effective with other members of the HLA-A1 supertype to which HLA-A26 belongs. In addition to allowing vaccine development to begin now, this peptide-based approach would have the advantage of avoiding the use of dangerous, live, avian influenza virus during mass production.

Method for Selecting and Enriching Cells Expressing Low Affinity Ligands for Cell Surface Receptors

The affinity of protein-protein interaction in biological systems ranges from extremely strong, such as that between avidin and biotin (Ka = approximately 10 15 M-1) to the very weak, such as E-selectin and E-selectin ligand-1 (Ka = approximately 7.4 × 104 M-1S-1) (1). It is known that the interactions mediated by the surface receptors of immune cells are often of low-affinity and transient in nature (2). Despite weak affinities, cell surface interactions among immune cells have been shown to play an important role in many functions such as surveillance, immunosynapse formation, and activation (2). It is therefore desirable to devise a way to select and enrich cells expressing low-affinity ligands for specific immune cell surface receptors. Here we use the well-studied interaction between CD97 and CD55 as a model system to describe a simple method for this purpose. Both CD97 and CD55 are cell surface proteins expressed predominantly on leukocytes (3–5). The binding of CD97 to CD55 has been demonstrated to be both of low affinity (86 μM) and transient (off-rate; 0.6/s) (6). We and others have previously shown that the interaction is mediated exclusively by the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains of CD97 and the short consensus repeats (SCR) of CD55 in a Ca2+-dependent fashion (6,7). Furthermore, a CD97-like molecule, EMR2, has been shown not to bind CD55 even though it contains highly homologous EGF-like domains (97.5% identity), therefore providing an ideal negative control (8). Our method is based on (i) the efficient isolation and coupling of Fc-fusion proteins to protein AGconjugated paramagnetic beads (Protein A/G Dynabeads®; Dynal A.S., Oslo, Norway) (Figure 1A) and (ii) the simple capture and separation of ligand-positive cells from the Fcfusion protein-coated paramagnetic beads (Figure 1B). The coupling of the Fc-fusion proteins to the protein AG-conjugated paramagnetic beads generates a multivalent protein probe, thereby increasing binding efficiency (Figure 1, A and B). As the major CD55-binding CD97 isoform contains three EGF-domains, we fused the three EGF-domains immediately upstream of the mouse Fc region (Figure 1A). CD97(EGF-1,2,5)-mFc and EMR2(EGF-1,2,5)-mFc fusion proteins were produced as described previously in transiently transfected HEK293T cells (Figure 1C). Protein AG-conjugated paramagnetic beads were washed three times in binding buffer [0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA) in Hank’s Balanced Salt solution (HBSS)], reconstituted in the binding buffer to the original concentration (10 mg/mL), and incubated at 4°C for 30 min with or without 2 μg mFc-fusion protein/10 μL beads/reaction. Following the removal of unbound proteins by magnetic separation, the fusion protein-bead complexes were then resuspended in 20 μL binding buffer/reaction. K562 cells (CD55+) were washed, adjusted to a cell density of 3 × 106 cells/mL, and incubated at 4°C with the protein-bead

High-resolution Structural Insights into Ligand binding and Immune Cell Recognition by Human Lung Surfactant Protein D

Lung surfactant protein D (SP-D) can directly interact with carbohydrate residues on pulmonary pathogens and allergens, stimulate immune cells, and manipulate cytokine and chemokine profiles during the immune response in the lungs. Therapeutic administration of rfhSP-D, a recombinant homotrimeric fragment of human SP-D comprising the α-helical coiled-coil neck plus three CRDs, protects mice against lung allergy and infection caused by the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. The high resolution crystal structures of maltose-bound rfhSP-D to 1.4 Å, and of rfhSP-D to 1.6 Å, define the fine detail of the mode and nature of carbohydrate recognition and provide insights into how a small fragment of human SP-D can bind to allergens/antigens or whole pathogens, and at the same time recruit and engage effector cells and molecules of humoral immunity. A previously unreported calcium ion, located on the trimeric axis in a pore at the bottom of the funnel formed by the three CRDs and close to the neck–CRD interface, is coordinated by a triad of glutamate residues which are, to some extent, neutralised by their interactions with a triad of exposed lysine residues in the funnel. The spatial relationship between the neck and the CRDs is maintained internally by these lysine residues, and externally by a glutamine, which forms a pair of hydrogen-bonds within an external cleft at each neck–CRD interface. Structural links between the central pore and the cleft suggest a possible effector mechanism for immune cell surface receptor binding in the presence of bound, extended natural lipopolysaccharide and phospholipid ligands. The structural requirements for such an effector mechanism, involving both the trimeric framework for multivalent ligand binding and recognition sites formed from more than one subunit, are present in both native hSP-D and rfhSP-D, providing a possible explanation for the significant biological activity of rfhSP-D.

Membrane Rafts Play a Crucial Role in Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor κB Signaling and Osteoclast Function

Membrane lipid rafts play a key role in immune cell activation by recruiting and excluding specific signaling components of immune cell surface receptors upon the receptor engagement. Despite this, the role of these microdomains in the regulation of osteoclasts as controlled by receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB (RANK) has yet to be established. In this study, we demonstrate that the raft microdomain expression plays an essential role in osteoclast function and differentiation. Expression of raft component flotillin greatly increased during osteoclast differentiation, whereas engagement of RANK induced the translocation of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 to rafts where Src was constitutively resident. Disruption of rafts blocked TRAF6 translocation and Akt activation by RANK ligand in osteoclasts and further reduced the survival of osteoclasts. Actin ring formation and bone resorption by osteoclasts were also found to require the integrity of rafts. Our observations demonstrate for the first time that RANK-mediated signaling and osteoclast function are critically dependent on the expression and integrity of raft membrane microdomains.

The metalloproteinase inhibitor GI5402 inhibits endotoxin-induced soluble CD27 and CD16 release in healthy humans.

Metalloproteinases have been implicated in the cleavage of a number of cell surface immune receptors. Oral administration of the metalloproteinase inhibitor GI5402 attenuated the release of soluble CD27 and CD16 into the circulation after intravenous endotoxin injection in healthy humans.

Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Cbl upon Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Stimulation and Its Association with EGF Receptor and Downstream Signaling Proteins

We and others have shown that Cbl, the protein product of the c-cbl proto-oncogene, is an early target of tyrosine phosphorylation upon stimulation through the immune cell surface receptors, which signal through noncovalently associated cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases. Using human mammary epithelial cells that express a natural epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and require EGF as an essential growth factor, we demonstrate here that Cbl is a prominent target of tyrosine phosphorylation upon stimulation through the EGF receptor tyrosine kinase. Phosphorylation of Cbl was EGF dose-dependent, rapid (detectable as early as 5 s and maximal by 2 min), and relatively sustained (detectable even after 1 h). Co-immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that Cbl became associated with the EGF receptor in an EGF-dependent manner. Cbl was basally associated with the adaptor protein growth factor receptor-binding protein 2 (Grb2), and this interaction was further enhanced by EGF stimulation; however, the interaction was entirely mediated via the Grb2 Src homology 3 (SH3) domains, suggesting that binding of Grb2 SH2 domain to EGF receptor provides one mechanism of Cbl's association with the EGF receptor. EGF stimulation also induced the association of Cbl with Src homology and collagen (Shc) protein, p85 subunit of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Crk proteins, in particular with the CrkL isoform. Interactions of Cbl with the EGF receptor and multiple downstream signaling proteins suggest a role for this proto-oncogene product in mitogenic signaling through growth factor receptor kinases.

P120cbl Is a Major Substrate of Tyrosine Phosphorylation upon B Cell Antigen Receptor Stimulation and Interacts in Vivo with Fyn and Syk Tyrosine Kinases, Grb2 and Shc Adaptors, and the p85 Subunit of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase

We and others have demonstrated that the c-cbl proto-oncogene product is one of the earliest targets of tyrosine phosphorylation upon T cell receptor stimulation. Given the similarities in the B and T lymphocyte antigen receptors, and the induction of pre-B leukemias in mice by the v-cbl oncogene, we examined the potential involvement of Cbl in B cell receptor signaling. We demonstrate prominent and early tyrosine phosphorylation of Cbl upon stimulation of human B cell lines through surface IgM. Cbl was associated in vivo with Fyn and, to a lesser extent, other Src family kinases. B cell activation also induced a prominent association of Cbl with Syk tyrosine kinase. A substantial fraction of Cbl was constitutively associated with Grb2 and this interaction was mediated by Grb2 SH3 domains. Tyrosine-phosphorylated Shc, which prominently associated with Grb2, was detected in association with Cbl in activated B cells. Thus, Grb2 and Shc adaptors, which associate with immunoreceptor tyrosine based activation motifs, may link Cbl to the B cell receptor. B cell activation also induced a prominent association between Cbl and the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase resulting in the association of a substantial fraction of PI 3-kinase activity with Cbl. Thus, Cbl is likely to play an important role to couple the B cell receptor to the PI 3-kinase pathway. Our results strongly suggest a role for p120cbl in signaling downstream of the B cell receptor and support the idea that Cbl participates in a general signal transduction function downstream of the immune cell surface receptors.