Johanna Rintahaka

(1,3)-β-Glucans Activate Both Dectin-1 and NLRP3 Inflammasome in Human Macrophages

β-glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides that are the major cell wall components of fungi. Recognition of β-glucans is mediated through a membrane-bound pattern recognition receptor called dectin-1, and gene knock-out studies have shown that dectin-1 plays an important role in antifungal immune response in vivo. In this report, we have studied the effect of large particulate (1,3)-β-glucans, including curdlan, glucan from bakers yeast, paramylon, and zymosan, on inflammatory response in human macrophages. We show that β-glucans activate the transcription of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β through a dectin-1–dependent pathway in human macrophages. Moreover, dectin-1 receptor associated Syk tyrosine kinase was essential for β-glucan induced IL-1β mRNA expression. In contrast to LPS, β-glucans also strongly activated the secretion of IL-1β. This β-glucan triggered IL-1β release was abolished by cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of phagocytosis, demonstrating that cytosolic recognition of β-glucans is required for IL-1β response in human macrophages. RNA interference-mediated gene knockdown experiments demonstrated that cytoplasmic NLRP3 inflammasome is essential for β-glucan–induced IL-1β secretion. Moreover, our results suggest that β-glucan–induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation is dependent on the dectin-1/Syk signaling pathway. Furthermore, our results suggest that the lysosomal cathepsin B protease, the formation of reactive oxygen species, and the efflux of potassium are needed for β-glucan–induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In conclusion, our results show that β-glucans are recognized by membrane-associated dectin-1 and cytoplasmic NLRP3 inflammasome resulting in IL-1β gene transcription and IL-1β secretion in human macrophages, respectively.

Quantitative Subcellular Proteome and Secretome Profiling of Influenza A Virus-Infected Human Primary Macrophages

Influenza A viruses are important pathogens that cause acute respiratory diseases and annual epidemics in humans. Macrophages recognize influenza A virus infection with their pattern recognition receptors, and are involved in the activation of proper innate immune response. Here, we have used high-throughput subcellular proteomics combined with bioinformatics to provide a global view of host cellular events that are activated in response to influenza A virus infection in human primary macrophages. We show that viral infection regulates the expression and/or subcellular localization of more than one thousand host proteins at early phases of infection. Our data reveals that there are dramatic changes in mitochondrial and nuclear proteomes in response to infection. We show that a rapid cytoplasmic leakage of lysosomal proteins, including cathepsins, followed by their secretion, contributes to inflammasome activation and apoptosis seen in the infected macrophages. Also, our results demonstrate that P2X7 receptor and src tyrosine kinase activity are essential for inflammasome activation during influenza A virus infection. Finally, we show that influenza A virus infection is associated with robust secretion of different danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) suggesting an important role for DAMPs in host response to influenza A virus infection. In conclusion, our high-throughput quantitative proteomics study provides important new insight into host-response against influenza A virus infection in human primary macrophages.

Genomic HIV RNA Induces Innate Immune Responses through RIG-I-Dependent Sensing of Secondary-Structured RNA

Background Innate immune responses have recently been appreciated to play an important role in the pathogenesis of HIV infection. Whereas inadequate innate immune sensing of HIV during acute infection may contribute to failure to control and eradicate infection, persistent inflammatory responses later during infection contribute in driving chronic immune activation and development of immunodeficiency. However, knowledge on specific HIV PAMPs and cellular PRRs responsible for inducing innate immune responses remains sparse. Methods/Principal Findings Here we demonstrate a major role for RIG-I and the adaptor protein MAVS in induction of innate immune responses to HIV genomic RNA. We found that secondary structured HIV-derived RNAs induced a response similar to genomic RNA. In primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and primary human macrophages, HIV RNA induced expression of IFN-stimulated genes, whereas only low levels of type I IFN and tumor necrosis factor α were produced. Furthermore, secondary structured HIV-derived RNA activated pathways to NF-κB, MAP kinases, and IRF3 and co-localized with peroxisomes, suggesting a role for this organelle in RIG-I-mediated innate immune sensing of HIV RNA. Conclusions/Significance These results establish RIG-I as an innate immune sensor of cytosolic HIV genomic RNA with secondary structure, thereby expanding current knowledge on HIV molecules capable of stimulating the innate immune system.

Early innate recognition of herpes simplex virus in human primary macrophages is mediated via the MDA5/MAVS-dependent and MDA5/MAVS/RNA polymerase III-independent pathways.

ABSTRACT Innate recognition of viruses is mediated by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) triggering expression of antiviral interferons (IFNs) and proinflammatory cytokines. In mice, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR9 as well as intracellular nucleotide-sensing pathways have been shown to recognize herpes simplex virus (HSV). Here, we describe how human primary macrophages recognize early HSV infection via intracellular pathways. A number of inflammatory cytokines, IFNs, and IFN-stimulated genes were upregulated after HSV infection. We show that early recognition of HSV and induction of IFNs and inflammatory cytokines are independent of TLR2 and TLR9, since inhibition of TLR2 using TLR2 neutralizing antibodies did not affect virus-induced responses and the macrophages were unresponsive to TLR9 stimulation. Instead, HSV recognition involves intracellular recognition systems, since induction of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and IFNs was dependent on virus entry and replication. Importantly, expression of IFNs was strongly inhibited by small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of MAVS, but this MAVS-dependent IFN induction occurred independently of the recently discovered polymerase III (Pol III)/RIG-I DNA sensing system. In contrast, induction of TNF-α was largely independent of MAVS, suggesting that induction of inflammatory cytokines during HSV infection proceeds via a novel pathway. Transfection with ODN2006, a broad inhibitor of intracellular nucleotide recognition, revealed that nucleotide-sensing systems are employed to induce both IFNs and TNF-α. Finally, using siRNA knockdown, we found that MDA5, but not RIG-I, was the primary mediator of HSV recognition. Thus, innate recognition of HSV by human primary macrophages occurs via two distinct intracellular nucleotide-sensing pathways responsible for induction of IFNs and inflammatory cytokine expression, respectively.

Cytosolic antiviral RNA recognition pathway activates caspases 1 and 3.

During an innate immune response, macrophages recognize viruses by their pattern recognition receptors. In this study, we have studied the role of membrane-associated TLRs and cytoplasmic retinoic acid inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLR) in regulation of IFN-β, IL-29, IL-1β, and IL-18 production and caspases 1 and 3 activation in human macrophages. We provide evidence that TLRs are mainly involved in transcriptional up-regulation of IL-1β gene expression, whereas cytosolic dsRNA recognition pathway stimulates powerful IFN-β and IL-29 gene transcription. However, robust IL-1β secretion occurred only if two TLRs were triggered simultaneously or if a single TLR was activated in conjunction with the RLR pathway. Markedly, TLR activation did not stimulate IL-18 processing or secretion. In contrast, triggering of cytosolic RNA recognition pathway with poly(I:C) transfection or influenza A virus infection resulted in caspase-1- and -3-mediated proteolytic processing of pro-IL-18 and secretion of biologically active IL-18. Furthermore, caspase 3-dependent processing of pro-IL-18 was also observed in human HaCaT keratinocytes, and forced expression of RIG-I and its downstream effector, mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein, activated proteolytic processing of pro-IL-18, caspase-3, and apoptosis in these cells. The present results indicate that in addition to robust IFN-β, IL-29, IL-1β, and IL-18 generation, RIG-I/mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein pathway activates caspase-3, suggesting a role for these RIG-I-like receptors beyond the innate cytokine response, hence, in the induction of apoptosis of the virus-infected cell.

Trichothecene Mycotoxins Activate Inflammatory Response in Human Macrophages

Damp building-related illnesses have caused concern for years in many countries. Although the problem is extensive, the knowledge of the immunological reactions behind damp building-related illnesses is still quite limited. Trichothecene mycotoxins form one major group of toxins, which possibly contribute to the illnesses. Stachybotrys chartarum is a well-known, but also controversial damp building mold and many strains of this mold are capable of producing trichothecenes. In this report, we have examined the effect of S. chartarum and trichothecene mycotoxins on the proinflammatory cytokine response in human macrophages. As a result, satratoxin-positive S. chartarum activated inflammasome-associated caspase-1, which is needed for proteolytic processing of IL-1β and IL-18. Furthermore, purified trichothecene mycotoxins, roridin A, verrucarin A, and T-2 toxin activated caspase-1, and these mycotoxins also strongly enhanced LPS-dependent secretion of IL-1β and IL-18. The satratoxin-positive strain of S. chartarum and the trichothecenes also triggered the activation of caspase-3, which is an effector caspase of apoptosis. Satratoxin-negative S. chartarum was not able to activate either caspase-1 or caspase-3. In conclusion, our results indicate that human macrophages sense trichothecene mycotoxins as a danger signal, which activates caspase-1, and further enables the secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 from the LPS-primed cells.

Actin and RIG-I/MAVS Signaling Components Translocate to Mitochondria upon Influenza A Virus Infection of Human Primary Macrophages

Influenza A virus is one of the most important causes of respiratory infection. During viral infection, multiple cell signaling cascades are activated, resulting in the production of antiviral cytokines and initiation of programmed cell death of virus-infected cells. In the present study, we have used subcellular proteomics to reveal the host response to influenza A infection at the protein level in human macrophages. Macrophages were infected with influenza A virus, after which the cytosolic and mitochondrial cell fractions were prepared and analyzed by using two-dimensional electrophoresis for protein separation and mass spectrometry for protein identification. In cytosolic proteomes, the level of several heat shock proteins and fragments of cytoskeletal proteins was clearly up-regulated during influenza A virus infection. In mitochondrial proteomes, simultaneously with the expression of viral proteins, the level of intact actin and tubulin was highly up-regulated. This was followed by translocation of the components of antiviral RNA recognition machinery, including RIG-I (retinoic acid-inducible protein I), TRADD (TNFR1-associated death domain protein), TRIM25 (tripartite motif protein 25), and IKKε (inducible IκB kinase), onto the mitochondria. Cytochalasin D, a potent inhibitor of actin polymerization, clearly inhibited influenza A virus-induced expression of IFN-β, IL-29, and TNF-α, suggesting that intact actin cytoskeleton structure is crucial for proper activation of antiviral response. At late phases of infection mitochondrial fragmentation of actin was seen, indicating that actin fragments, fractins, are involved in disruption of mitochondrial membranes during apoptosis of virus-infected cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that actin network interacts with mitochondria to regulate both antiviral and cell death signals during influenza A virus infection.

ELMOD2, a candidate gene for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, regulates antiviral responses

Viral infections and abnormal host response are thought to cause epithelial injury in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). To understand IPF pathogenesis, we have used overexpression cell models and expression microarrays to discover genes networked with ELMO domain containing 2 (ELMOD2) gene genetically implicated in IPF. The identified pathways were confirmed in vitro, and ELMOD2 protein expression was characterized in tissue samples. Here 303 genes were significantly altered after ELMOD2 transfec‐tion of human alveolar epithelial A549 cell line. The enriched pathways were interferon induction, viral response, antigen processing and presentation, and I‐/ nuclear factor‐κΒ signaling. ELMOD2 showed immunoreactivity in macrophages and type II alveolar epithelial cells in normal human lung. In A549 cells, forced expression of ELMOD2 increased type I and type III interferon mRNA expression, and ELMOD2specific siRNA molecules inhibited expression of these antiviral cytokines in response to Toll‐like receptor three (TLR3) activation. In human macrophages silencing of ELMOD2 inhibited TLR3‐dependent expression of type I and type III interferon genes. Influenza A virus infection decreased ELMOD2 mRNA expression in A549 cells and macrophages suggesting negative regulation in viral infections. In summary, our results show that TLR3 pathway is dependent on ELMOD2.—Pulkkinen, V., Bruce, S., Rintahaka, J., Hodgson, U., Laitinen, T., Alenius, H., Kinnula, V. L., Myllarniemi, M., Matikainen, S., Kere, J. ELMOD2, a candidate gene for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, regulates antiviral responses. FASEB J. 24, 1167–1177 (2010). www.fasebj.org

Recognition of Cytoplasmic RNA Results in Cathepsin-Dependent Inflammasome Activation and Apoptosis in Human Macrophages

dsRNA is an important pathogen-associated molecular pattern that is primarily recognized by cytosolic pattern-recognition receptors of the innate-immune system during virus infection. This recognition results in the activation of inflammasome-associated caspase-1 and apoptosis of infected cells. In this study, we used high-throughput proteomics to identify secretome, the global pattern of secreted proteins, in human primary macrophages that had been activated through the cytoplasmic dsRNA-recognition pathway. The secretome analysis revealed cytoplasmic dsRNA-recognition pathway-induced secretion of several exosome-associated proteins, as well as basal and dsRNA-activated secretion of lysosomal protease cathepsins and cysteine protease inhibitors (cystatins). Inflammasome activation was almost completely abolished by cathepsin inhibitors in response to dsRNA stimulation, as well as encephalomyocarditis virus and vesicular stomatitis virus infections. Interestingly, Western blot analysis showed that the mature form of cathepsin D, but not cathepsin B, was secreted simultaneously with IL-18 and inflammasome components ASC and caspase-1 in cytoplasmic dsRNA-stimulated cells. Furthermore, small interfering RNA-mediated silencing experiments confirmed that cathepsin D has a role in inflammasome activation. Caspase-1 activation was followed by proteolytic processing of caspase-3, indicating that inflammasome activation precedes apoptosis in macrophages that had recognized cytoplasmic RNA. Like inflammasome activation, apoptosis triggered by dsRNA stimulation and virus infection was effectively blocked by cathepsin inhibition. In conclusion, our results emphasize the importance of cathepsins in the innate immune response to virus infection.

Intracellular RNA recognition pathway activates strong anti-viral response in human mast cells

Mast cells have been implicated in the first line of defence against parasites and bacteria, but less is known about their role in anti‐viral responses. Allergic diseases often exacerbate during viral infection, suggesting an increased activation of mast cells in the process. In this study we investigated human mast cell response to double‐stranded RNA and viral infection. Cultured human mast cells were incubated with poly(I:C), a synthetic RNA analogue and live Sendai virus as a model of RNA parainfluenza virus infection, and analysed for their anti‐viral response. Mast cells responded to intracellular poly(I:C) by inducing type 1 and type 3 interferons and TNF‐α. In contrast, extracellular Toll‐like receptor 3 (TLR)‐3‐activating poly(I:C) failed to induce such response. Infection of mast cells with live Sendai virus induced an anti‐viral response similar to that of intracellular poly(I:C). Type 1, but not type 3 interferons, up‐regulated the expression of melanoma differentiation–associated gene 5 (MDA‐5) and retinoic acid‐inducible gene‐1 (RIG‐1), and TLR‐3, demonstrating that human mast cells do not express functional receptors for type 3 interferons. Furthermore, virus infection induced the anti‐viral proteins MxA and IFIT3 in human mast cells. In conclusion, our results support the notion that mast cells can recognize an invading virus through intracellular virus sensors and produce high amounts of type 1 and type 3 interferons and the anti‐viral proteins human myxovirus resistance gene A (MxA) and interferon‐induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3 (IFIT3) in response to the virus infection.