T-cell Death-associated Gene 8 Research Articles

A genome-wide association study of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia using an electronic medical record.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an unpredictable, potentially catastrophic adverse effect of heparin treatment resulting from an immune response to platelet factor 4 (PF4)/heparin complexes. No genome-wide evaluations have been performed to identify potential genetic influences on HIT. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and candidate gene study using HIT cases and controls identified using electronic medical records (EMRs) coupled to a DNA biobank and attempted to replicate GWAS associations in an independent cohort. We subsequently investigated influences of GWAS-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on PF4/heparin antibodies in non-heparin treated individuals. In a recessive model, we observed significant SNP associations (odds ratio [OR] 18.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.33-54.23; p=3.18×10(-9)) with HIT near the T-Cell Death-Associated Gene 8 (TDAG8). These SNPs are in linkage disequilibrium with a missense TDAG8 SNP. TDAG8 SNPs trended toward an association with HIT in replication analysis (OR 5.71; 0.47-69.22; p=0.17), and the missense SNP was associated with PF4/heparin antibody levels and positive PF4/heparin antibodies in non-heparin treated patients (OR 3.09; 1.14-8.13; p=0.02). In the candidate gene study, SNPs at HLA-DRA were nominally associated with HIT (OR 0.25; 0.15-0.44; p=2.06×10(-6)). Further study of TDAG8 and HLA-DRA SNPs is warranted to assess their influence on the risk of developing HIT.

A potential role for the acid-sensing T cell death associated gene-8 (TDAG8) receptor in depression-like behavior

Inflammation has been suggested to contribute to the pathophysiology of depression. The T cell death associated gene-8 (TDAG8) receptor is a proton-sensing G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) expressed on immune cells in both the CNS and periphery. Previous work has shown modulation of inflammation by the TDAG8 receptor, with pro-inflammatory responses reported in the central nervous system (CNS). Given the link between depression and inflammation, the aim of the present study was to investigate the role of TDAG8 in depression relevant behaviors. Mice deficient in TDAG8 (TDAG8−/−) were tested in the forced swim test (FST) and sucrose preference paradigm. TDAG8 deficiency resulted in significant attenuation of immobility in the FST as compared to wild type TDAG8 (TDAG8+/+) mice. These differences were not due to alterations in motor activity evoked by TDAG8 deficiency as TDAG8+/+ and TDAG8−/− mice displayed similar activity in the home cage or in a novel context. TDAG8−/− mice showed significantly higher consumption of sucrose compared to wild type mice although sucrose preference was not significantly different between genotypes. Collectively, our results support the involvement of the TDAG8 receptor in behavioral response relevant to depression. Further investigation is required to validate TDAG8 as a novel target linking inflammation and depression.

TDAG8 activation inhibits osteoclastic bone resorption

Although the roles of acids in bone metabolism are well characterized, the function of proton-sensing receptors in bone metabolism remains to be explored. In this study, we evaluated the role of proton-sensing receptor T-cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) in osteoclastic activity during bone loss after ovariectomy. Through observations of bone mineral content, we found that pathological bone resorption was significantly exacerbated in mice homozygous for a gene trap mutation in the Tdag8 gene. Furthermore, osteoclasts from the homozygous mutant mice resorbed calcium in vitro more than the osteoclasts from the heterozygous mice did. Impaired osteoclast formation under acidic conditions was ameliorated in cultures of bone marrow cells by Tdag8 gene mutation. Extracellular acidification changed the cell morphology of osteoclasts via the TDAG8-Rho signaling pathway. These results suggest that the enhancement of TDAG8 function represents a new strategy for preventing bone resorption diseases, such as osteoporosis.

Activation of spinal TDAG8 and its downstream PKA signaling pathway contribute to bone cancer pain in rats

Bone cancer pain is difficult to treat and has a strong impact on the quality of life of patients. Few therapies have emerged because the molecular mechanisms underlying bone cancer pain are poorly understood. Recently, T-cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) has been shown to participate in complete Freund's adjuvant-induced chronic inflammatory pain. In this study, we aimed to examine whether TDAG8 and its downstream protein kinase A (PKA) pathway are involved in bone cancer pain. A bone cancer pain model was made by inoculation of Walker 256 cells into the intramedullary space of rat tibia. Spinal TDAG8 expression was increased after inoculation with tumor cells. Intrathecal TDAG8 siRNA attenuated bone cancer pain behaviors during the initiation and maintenance phases; there were also concomitant decreases in TDAG8 mRNA and protein levels in spinal cord. Moreover, we found spinal PKA and phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding (pCREB) protein levels were up-regulated in the rat model of bone cancer pain. Knockdown of TDAG8 resulted in reduced bone cancer pain-induced spinal PKA and pCREB protein expression in two procedures. Furthermore, intrathecal H-89 (a PKA inhibitor) significantly attenuated bone cancer pain behaviors in rats. Our results suggest a causal relationship between TDAG8 expression and the initiation and maintenance of bone cancer pain. Activation of spinal TDAG8 contributes to bone cancer pain through the PKA signaling pathway in rats. These findings may lead to novel strategies for the treatment of bone cancer pain.

Activation of T cell death-associated gene 8 regulates the cytokine production of T cells and macrophages in vitro

An orphan G-protein-coupled receptor, T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) which has been reported to be a proton sensor, inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by extracellular acidification. Recently, we have found that TDAG8 knockout mice showed significant exacerbation in various immune-mediated inflammation disease models. To elucidate the role of TDAG8, we screened an in-house library to find compounds which have a profile as a TDAG8 agonist using a cyclic adenosine 5′-monophosphate assay. Among the screening hits, we focused on (3-[(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)thio]-1,6-dimethyl-5,6-dihydro-1H-pyridazino[4,5-e][1,3,4]thiadiazin-5-one) (named BTB09089). BTB09089 did not act on other proton sensing G-protein-coupled receptors such as G-protein-coupled receptor 4 (GPR4) nor ovarian cancer G-protein-coupled receptor 1 (OGR1). Moreover, BTB09089 increased cAMP level in the splenocytes from wild-type littermates but not from TDAG8-deficient mice. Thus, BTB09089 was found to be a TDAG8 specific agonist. We then investigated the effects of BTB09089 on T cells and macrophages in vitro. In splenocytes, BTB09089 suppressed the production of IL-2 stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies. In peritoneal exuded macrophages induced by thioglycollate, BTB09089 suppressed the production of TNF-α and IL-6 while it increased that of IL-10 when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. These effects were observed in cells from wild type mice, but not those from TDAG8 knockout mice. These results indicate that activation of TDAG8 attenuates immune-mediated inflammation by regulating the cytokine production of T cells and macrophages.

Involvement of proton-sensing receptor TDAG8 in the anti-inflammatory actions of dexamethasone in peritoneal macrophages

Dexamethasone (DEX), a potent glucocorticoid, increased the expression of T-cell death associated gene 8 (TDAG8), a proton-sensing G protein-coupled receptor, which is associated with the enhancement of acidic pH-induced cAMP accumulation, in peritoneal macrophages. We explored the role of increased TDAG8 expression in the anti-inflammatory actions of DEX. The treatment of macrophages with either DEX or acidic pH induced the cell death of macrophages; however, the cell death was not affected by TDAG8 deficiency. While DEX inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced production of tumor necrosis factor-α, an inflammatory cytokine, which was independent of TDAG8, at neutral pH, the glucocorticoid enhanced the acidic pH-induced inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-α production in a manner dependent on TDAG8. In conclusion, the DEX-induced increase in TDAG8 expression is in part involved in the glucocorticoid-induced anti-inflammatory actions through the inhibition of inflammatory cytokine production under the acidic pH environment. On the other hand, the role of TDAG8 in the DEX-induced cell death is questionable.

Activation of T cell death-associated gene 8 attenuates inflammation by negatively regulating the function of inflammatory cells

T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) is a G-protein-coupled receptor identified by differential mRNA display during thymocyte apoptosis induced by T cell receptor engagement. To examine the physiological role of an orphan G-protein-coupled receptor TDAG8 in inflammation, we studied various immune-mediated inflammatory disease models using TDAG8-deficient mice. We found that TDAG8-deficient mice showed significant exacerbation of anti-type II collagen antibody-induced arthritis and delayed-type hypersensitivity, and showed a slight exacerbation of collagen-induced arthritis. These results suggest that TDAG8 acts as a negative regulator of inflammation.

The G protein-coupled receptor T-cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) facilitates tumor development by serving as an extracellular pH sensor

Tumors often are associated with a low extracellular pH, which induces a variety of cellular events. However, the mechanisms by which tumor cells recognize and react to the acidic environment have not been fully elucidated. T-cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) is an extracellular pH-sensing G protein-coupled receptor that is overexpressed in various tumors and tumor cell lines. In this report, we show that TDAG8 on the surface of tumor cells facilitates tumor development by sensing the acidic environment. Overexpression of TDAG8 in mouse Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells enhanced tumor development in animal models and rendered LLC cells resistant to acidic culture conditions by increasing activation of protein kinase A and extracellular signal-regulated kinase in vitro. Moreover, shRNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous TDAG8 in NCI-H460 human non-small cell lung cancer cells reduced cell survival in an acidic environment in vitro as well as tumor development in vivo. Microarray analyses of tumor-containing lung tissues of mice injected with TDAG8-expressing LLC cells revealed up-regulation of genes related to cell growth and glycolysis. These results support the hypothesis that TDAG8 enhances tumor development by promoting adaptation to the acidic environment to enhance cell survival/proliferation. TDAG8 may represent a therapeutic target for arresting tumor growth.

Acid-sensing by the T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) receptor cloned from rat brain

The T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) is a pH-sensing GPCR with a reported immune-specific expression profile. Here, we demonstrate pH-induced activation of TDAG8 receptor cloned from rodent brain (rTDAG8). Cloned rTDAG8 transcript showed 88–95% homology with human and mouse transcripts of lymphoid origin. RT-PCR revealed high expression of TDAG8 in forebrain limbic regions. Extracellular acidification induced significantly elevated intracellular cyclic AMP, and phosphorylated CREB in TDAG8 expressing cells. Acidification-induced LDH release was significantly attenuated in cells expressing TDAG8, suggesting neuroprotective potential against acidosis-related cell injury. Our results open up new areas of investigation into the relevance of TDAG8 in pH homeostasis and pathological states associated with acid–base dys-regulation in the brain such as ischemia and panic disorder.

Inhibition of superoxide anion production by extracellular acidification in neutrophils

Extracellular acidification inhibited formyl-Met-Leu-Phe- or C5a-induced superoxide anion (O 2 −) production in differentiated HL-60 neutrophil-like cells and human neutrophils. A cAMP-increasing agonist, prostaglandin E 1, also inhibited the formyl peptide-induced O 2 − production. The inhibitory action on the O 2 − production by extracellular acidic pH was associated with cAMP accumulation and partly attenuated by H89, a protein kinase A inhibitor. A significant amount of mRNAs for T-cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) and other proton-sensing ovarian cancer G-protein-coupled receptor 1 (OGR1)-family receptors is expressed in these cells. These results suggest that cAMP/protein kinase A, possibly through proton-sensing G-protein-coupled receptors, may be involved in extracellular acidic pH-induced inhibition of O 2 − production.

T-Cell Death-Associated Gene 8 Critically Regulates Airway Eosinophilia in Allergen-Challenged Mice

RATIONALE: T-cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) is a novel acid-sensing G-protein coupled receptor expressed on multiple immune cell lineages that we identified as upregulated in two mouse models of allergen-induced lung inflammation. Because allergic lung inflammation is associated with airway acidity, we hypothesized that TDAG8 contributes to inflammation in murine models of allergic lung inflammation.

Identification of T Cell Death-associated Gene 8 (TDAG8) as a Novel Acid Sensing G-protein-coupled Receptor

T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) is a G-protein-coupled receptor mainly expressed in lymphoid organs and cancer tissues. TDAG8 shares high amino acid sequence homologies with recently reported proton-sensing G-protein-coupled receptors, G2A, OGR1, and GPR4. Here we have identified TDAG8 as a novel proton-sensing receptor. Upon acid stimulation, stably expressed TDAG8 was internalized from the plasma membrane. As a signaling pathway downstream of TDAG8, accumulation of cyclic AMP was observed in response to solutions with a pH value lower than 7.2. Furthermore, RhoA activation and actin rearrangement were elicited by acid-stimulated TDAG8. These results suggest that TDAG8 may play biological roles in immune response and cellular transformation under conditions accompanying tissue acidosis.

Differential proton sensitivity of related G protein-coupled receptors T cell death-associated gene 8 and G2A expressed in immune cells

G2A, T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8), ovarian cancer G protein-coupled receptor 1 (OGR1), and G protein-coupled receptor 4 (GPR4) form a group of structurally related G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) originally proposed to bind proinflammatory lipids. More recent studies have challenged the identification of lipid agonists for these GPCRs and have suggested that they function primarily as proton sensors. We compared the ability of these four receptors to modulate pH-dependent responses by using transiently transfected cell lines. In accordance with previously published reports, OGR1 was found to evoke strong pH-dependent responses as measured by inositol phosphate accumulation. We also confirmed the pH-dependent cAMP production by GPR4 and TDAG8. However, we found the activity of the human G2A receptor and its mouse homolog to be significantly less sensitive to pH fluctuations as measured by inositol phosphate and cAMP accumulation. Sequence homology analysis indicated that, with one exception, the histidine residues that were previously shown to be important for pH sensing by OGR1, GPR4, and TDAG8 were not conserved in the G2A receptor. We further addressed the pH-sensing properties of G2A and TDAG8 in a cellular context where these receptors are coexpressed. In thymocytes and splenocytes explanted from receptor-deficient mice, TDAG8 was found to be critical for pH-dependent cAMP production. In contrast, G2A was found to be dispensable for this process. We conclude that members of this GPCR group exhibit differential sensitivity to extracellular protons, and that expression of TDAG8 by immune cells may regulate responses in acidic microenvironments.

TDAG8 Is a Proton-sensing and Psychosine-sensitive G-protein-coupled Receptor

T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) has been reported to be a receptor for psychosine. Ovarian cancer G-protein-coupled receptor 1 (OGR1) and GPR4, G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) closely related to TDAG8, however, have recently been identified as proton-sensing or extracellular pH-responsive GPCRs that stimulate inositol phosphate and cAMP production, respectively. In the present study, we examined whether TDAG8 senses extracellular pH change. In the several cell types that were transfected with TDAG8 cDNA, cAMP was markedly accumulated in response to neutral to acidic extracellular pH, with a peak response at approximately pH 7.0-6.5. The pH effect was inhibited by copper ions and was reduced or lost in cells expressing mutated TDAG8 in which histidine residues were changed to phenylalanine. In the membrane fractions prepared from TDAG8-transfected cells, guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) binding activity and adenylyl cyclase activity were remarkably stimulated in response to neutral and acidic pH. The concentration-dependent effect of extracellular protons on cAMP accumulation was shifted to the right in the presence of psychosine. The inhibitory psychosine effect was also observed for pH-dependent actions in OGR1- and GPR4-expressing cells but not for prostaglandin E(2)- and sphingosine 1-phosphate-induced actions in any pH in native and sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-expressing cells. Glucosylsphingosine and sphingosylphosphorylcholine similarly inhibited the pH-dependent action, although to a lesser extent. Psychosine-sensitive and pH-dependent cAMP accumulation was also observed in mouse thymocytes. We concluded that TDAG8 is one of the proton-sensing GPCRs coupling to adenylyl cyclase and psychosine, and its related lysosphingolipids behave as if they were antagonists against protein-sensing receptors, including TDAG8, GPR4, and OGR1.

G2A Is a Proton-sensing G-protein-coupled Receptor Antagonized by Lysophosphatidylcholine

G2A (from G2 accumulation) is a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that regulates the cell cycle, proliferation, oncogenesis, and immunity. G2A shares significant homology with three GPCRs including ovarian cancer GPCR (OGR1/GPR68), GPR4, and T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8). Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) were reported as ligands for G2A and GPR4 and for OGR1 (SPC only), and a glycosphingolipid psychosine was reported as ligand for TDAG8. As OGR1 and GPR4 were reported as proton-sensing GPCRs (Ludwig, M. G., Vanek, M., Guerini, D., Gasser, J. A., Jones, C. E., Junker, U., Hofstetter, H., Wolf, R. M., and Seuwen, K. (2003) Nature 425, 93-98), we evaluated the proton-sensing function of G2A. Transient expression of G2A caused significant activation of the zif 268 promoter and inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation at pH 7.6, and lowering extracellular pH augmented the activation only in G2A-expressing cells. LPC inhibited the pH-dependent activation of G2A in a dose-dependent manner in these assays. Thus, G2A is another proton-sensing GPCR, and LPC functions as an antagonist, not as an agonist, and regulates the proton-dependent activation of G2A.

Critical function of T cell death-associated gene 8 in glucocorticoid-induced thymocyte apoptosis.

Transcriptional expression of a gene or genes is absolutely required for induction of glucocorticoid-induced thymocyte apoptosis. We have previously shown that expression of T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8) is quickly induced exclusively in the thymus after dexamethasone (DEX) treatment. Here, we present data that TDAG8 expression is induced prior to induction of DEX-mediated apoptosis. In contrast, TDAG8 expression in thymocytes was not induced in the process of gamma-irradiation-mediated apoptosis. TDAG8 expression accelerated only DEX-induced, but not TCR-mediated or gamma-irradiation-induced, thymocyte apoptosis in transgenic mice overexpressing TDAG8. Interestingly, these effects were specifically detected in CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive thymocytes. Moreover, activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9 was enhanced in thymocytes of TDAG8 transgenic mice after DEX stimulation. In conclusion, TDAG8 expression is involved in glucocorticoid-induced signals to activate caspase-9, -8 and -3 for subsequent apoptosis induction in CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive thymocytes.

Cloning, characterization, and mapping of human homolog of mouse T-cell death-associated gene.

To establish immunologic autotolerance, self-reactive immature thymocytes are eliminated by negative selection during T-cell development in the thymus. Self-reactive clones undergo apoptosis after stimulation via the T-cell receptor (TCR). The process of cell selection is determined by the dedication of the TCR for tolerogenic antigen/major histocompatibility complex. We have cloned a novel human gene that is highly homologous in the transmembrane and G protein-coupling domains to mouse T-cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8). The gene, human TDAG8 (hTDAG8), which belongs to the G protein-couple receptor superfamily, encodes a protein of 337 amino acids. An expressed sequence tag (EST) corresponding to hTDAG8 was identified from a human thyroid cDNA library and subsequently used to isolate a full-length genomic clone. Northern blot analysis revealed that the hTDAG8 gene is expressed predominantly in lymphoid tissues, including peripheral blood leukocytes, spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus. Stably transfected mammalian CHO cells were generated, and heterologous expression of hTDAG8 was confirmed by Northern blot analysis. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that hTDAG8 maps to human chromosome 14q31-32.1, a region in which abnormalities associated with human T-cell lymphoma or leukemia are found. Taken together, these data implicate the hTDAG8 gene in T-cell-associated diseases in humans, but its actual physiological and pathological role in the human immune system needs further investigation.