Katherine E. Ward

Sphingosine analogue drug FTY720 targets I2PP2A/SET and mediates lung tumour suppression via activation of PP2A-RIPK1-dependent necroptosis

Mechanisms that alter protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)‐dependent lung tumour suppression via the I2PP2A/SET oncoprotein are unknown. We show here that the tumour suppressor ceramide binds I2PP2A/SET selectively in the nucleus and including its K209 and Y122 residues as determined by molecular modelling/simulations and site‐directed mutagenesis. Because I2PP2A/SET was found overexpressed, whereas ceramide was downregulated in lung tumours, a sphingolipid analogue drug, FTY720, was identified to mimick ceramide for binding and targeting I2PP2A/SET, leading to PP2A reactivation, lung cancer cell death, and tumour suppression in vivo. Accordingly, while molecular targeting of I2PP2A/SET by stable knockdown prevented further tumour suppression by FTY720, reconstitution of WT‐I2PP2A/SET expression restored this process. Mechanistically, targeting I2PP2A/SET by FTY720 mediated PP2A/RIPK1‐dependent programmed necrosis (necroptosis), but not by apoptosis. The RIPK1 inhibitor necrostatin and knockdown or genetic loss of RIPK1 prevented growth inhibition by FTY720. Expression of WT‐ or death‐domain‐deleted (DDD)‐RIPK1, but not the kinase‐domain‐deleted (KDD)‐RIPK1, restored FTY720‐mediated necroptosis in RIPK1−/− MEFs. Thus, these data suggest that targeting I2PP2A/SET by FTY720 suppresses lung tumour growth, at least in part, via PP2A activation and necroptosis mediated by the kinase domain of RIPK1.

Ceramide kinase regulates the production of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) via inhibition of TNFα-converting enzyme.

Background: Pro-TNFα is transformed into the active/soluble form through proteolysis by TNFα-converting enzyme (TACE). Results: Genetic ablation of ceramide kinase induces an increase in TACE activity and secreted TNFα. Conclusion: Ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) negatively regulates the activity of TACE. Significance: The TACE/C1P interaction is a viable drug target for the treatment of heart disease and sepsis. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) is a well known cytokine involved in systemic and acute inflammation. In this study, we demonstrate that ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) produced by ceramide kinase (CERK) is a negative regulator of LPS-induced TNFα secretion. Specifically, bone marrow-derived macrophages isolated from CERK knock-out mice (CERK−/−) generated higher levels of TNFα than the wild-type mice (CERK+/+) in response to LPS. An increase in basal TNFα secretion was also observed in CERK−/− murine embryonic fibroblasts, which was rescued by re-expression of wild-type CERK. This effect was due to increased secretion and not transcription. The secretion of TNFα is regulated by TNFα-converting enzyme (TACE also known as ADAM17), and importantly, the activity of TACE was higher in cell extracts from CERK−/− as compared with wild type. In vitro analysis also demonstrated that C1P is a potent inhibitor of this enzyme, in stark contrast to ceramide and sphingosine 1-phosphate. Furthermore, TACE specifically bound C1P with high affinity. Finally, several putative C1P-binding sites were identified via homology throughout the protein sequence of TACE. These results indicate that C1P produced by CERK has a negative effect on the processing/secretion of TNFα via modulation of TACE activity.

Protein kinase Cθ C2 domain is a phosphotyrosine binding module that plays a key role in its activation

Background: PKCθ plays a key role in T lymphocyte activation, but its regulatory mechanism is not understood. Results: Phosphotyrosine binds the PKCθ C2 domain and activates PKCθ. Conclusion: The PKCθ C2 domain-phosphotyrosine binding is important for PKCθ activation in T cells. Significance: This study provides new mechanistic insight into the regulation of PKCθ in T cells. Protein kinase Cθ (PKCθ) is a novel PKC that plays a key role in T lymphocyte activation. To understand how PKCθ is regulated in T cells, we investigated the properties of its N-terminal C2 domain that functions as an autoinhibitory domain. Our measurements show that a Tyr(P)-containing peptide derived from CDCP1 binds the C2 domain of PKCθ with high affinity and activates the enzyme activity of the intact protein. The Tyr(P) peptide also binds the C2 domain of PKCδ tightly, but no enzyme activation was observed with PKCδ. Mutations of PKCθ-C2 residues involved in Tyr(P) binding abrogated the enzyme activation and association of PKCθ with Tyr-phosphorylated full-length CDCP1 and severely inhibited the T cell receptor/CD28-mediated activation of a PKCθ-dependent reporter gene in T cells. Collectively, these studies establish the C2 domain of PKCθ as a Tyr(P)-binding domain and suggest that the domain may play a major role in PKCθ activation via its Tyr(P) binding.

Ceramide 1-Phosphate Mediates Endothelial Cell Invasion via the Annexin a2-p11 Heterotetrameric Protein Complex

Background: Extracellular ceramide 1-phosphate is presumed to interact with extracellular proteins to mediate cellular invasion. These proteins are unidentified. Results: C-1-P interacts with both annexin a2 and p11 proteins. C-1-P-mediated vascular endothelial cell invasion requires expression of these proteins. Conclusion: Extracellular C-1-P mediates invasion via an interaction with the annexin a2-p11 heterotetramer. Significance: Gradients of C-1-P may guide vascular endothelial cell invasion during wound healing. The bioactive sphingolipid, ceramide 1-phosphate (C-1-P), has been implicated as an extracellular chemotactic agent directing cellular migration in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and macrophages. However, interacting proteins that could mediate these actions of C-1-P have, thus far, eluded identification. We have now identified and characterized interactions between ceramide 1-phosphate and the annexin a2-p11 heterotetramer constituents. This C-1-P-receptor complex is capable of facilitating cellular invasion. Herein, we demonstrate in both coronary artery macrovascular endothelial cells and retinal microvascular endothelial cells that C-1-P induces invasion through an extracellular matrix barrier. By employing surface plasmon resonance, lipid-binding ELISA, and mass spectrometry technologies, we have demonstrated that the heterotetramer constituents bind to C-1-P. Although the annexin a2-p11 heterotetramer constituents do not bind the lipid C-1-P exclusively, other structurally similar lipids, such as phosphatidylserine, sphingosine 1-phosphate, and phosphatidic acid, could not elicit the potent chemotactic stimulation observed with C-1-P. Further, we show that siRNA-mediated knockdown of either annexin a2 or p11 protein significantly inhibits C-1-P-directed invasion, indicating that the heterotetrameric complex is required for C-1-P-mediated chemotaxis. These results imply that extracellular C-1-P, acting through the extracellular annexin a2-p11 heterotetrameric protein, can mediate vascular endothelial cell invasion.

C2 Domain Membrane Penetration by Group IVA Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Induces Membrane Curvature Changes

Group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2α) is an 85 kDa enzyme that regulates the release of arachidonic acid (AA) from the sn-2 position of membrane phospholipids. It is well established that cPLA2α binds zwitterionic lipids such as phosphatidylcholine in a Ca2+-dependent manner through its N-terminal C2 domain, which regulates its translocation to cellular membranes. In addition to its role in AA synthesis, it has been shown that cPLA2α promotes tubulation and vesiculation of the Golgi and regulates trafficking of endosomes. Additionally, the isolated C2 domain of cPLA2α is able to reconstitute Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis, suggesting that C2 domain membrane binding is sufficient for phagosome formation. These reported activities of cPLA2α and its C2 domain require changes in membrane structure, but the ability of the C2 domain to promote changes in membrane shape has not been reported. Here we demonstrate that the C2 domain of cPLA2α is able to induce membrane curvature changes to lipid vesicles, giant unilamellar vesicles, and membrane sheets. Biophysical assays combined with mutagenesis of C2 domain residues involved in membrane penetration demonstrate that membrane insertion by the C2 domain is required for membrane deformation, suggesting that C2 domain-induced membrane structural changes may be an important step in signaling pathways mediated by cPLA2α.