Michelle A. Kelliher

The Distinct Roles of TRAF2 and RIP in IKK Activation by TNF-R1: TRAF2 Recruits IKK to TNF-R1 while RIP Mediates IKK Activation

The death domain kinase RIP and the TNF receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) are essential effectors in TNF signaling. To understand the mechanism by which RIP and TRAF2 regulate TNF-induced activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB, we investigated their respective roles in TNF-R1-mediated IKK activation using both RIP-/- and TRAF2-/- fibroblasts. We found that TNF-R1-mediated IKK activation requires both RIP and TRAF2 proteins. Although TRAF2 or RIP can be independently recruited to the TNF-R1 complex, neither one of them alone is capable of transducing the TNF signal that leads to IKK activation. Moreover, we demonstrated that IKK is recruited to the TNF-R1 complex through TRAF2 upon TNF treatment and that IKK activation requires the presence of RIP in the same complex.

Rip1 mediates the Trif-dependent toll-like receptor 3- and 4-induced NF-{kappa}B activation but does not contribute to interferon regulatory factor 3 activation.

Rip1 is required for IκB kinase activation in response to tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and has been implicated in the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) response to double-stranded RNA. Cytokine production is impaired when rip1–/– cells are treated with TNF-α, poly(I-C), or lipopolysaccharide, implicating Rip1 in the Trif-dependent TLR3 and TLR4 pathways. To examine the role of Rip1 in the Trif-dependent TLR4 pathway, we generated rip1–/– MyD88–/– cells. Lipopolysaccharide failed to stimulate NF-κB activation in rip1–/–MyD88–/– cells, revealing that Rip1 is also required for the Trif-dependent TLR4-induced NF-κB pathway. In addition to activating NF-κB, TLR3/4 pathways also stimulate interferon regulatory factor 3 activation. However, we find that Rip1 expression stimulates NF-κB but not interferon regulatory factor 3 activity. In the TNF-α pathway, Rip1 interacts with the E3 ubiquitin ligase Traf2 and is modified by polyubiquitin chains. Upon TLR3 activation, Rip1 is also modified by polyubiquitin chains and is recruited to TLR3 along with Traf6 and the ubiquitin-activated kinase Tak1. These studies suggest that Rip1 uses a similar, ubiquitin-dependent mechanism to activate IκB kinase-β in response to TNF-α and TLR3 ligands.

Tal-1 induces T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia accelerated by casein kinase IIalpha.

Ectopic activation of the TAL‐1 gene in T lymphocytes occurs in the majority of cases of human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL), yet experiments to date have failed to demonstrate a direct transforming capability for tal‐1. The tal‐1 gene product is a serine phosphoprotein and basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) transcription factor known to regulate embryonic hematopoiesis. We have established a transgenic mouse model in which tal‐1 mis‐expression in the thymus results in the development of clonal T cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma. Thus, overexpression of tal‐1 alone can be transforming, verifying its pathogenic role in human T‐ALL. In addition, leukemogenesis is accelerated dramatically by transgenic co‐expression of tal‐1 and the catalytic subunit of casein kinase IIalpha (CKIIalpha), a serine/threonine protein kinase known to modulate the activity of other bHLH transcription factors. Although tal‐1 is a substrate for CKII, the synergy of the tal‐1 and CKIIalpha transgenes appears to be indirect, perhaps mediated through the E protein heterodimeric partners of tal‐1. These studies prove that dysregulated tal‐1 is oncogenic, providing a direct molecular explanation for the malignancies associated with TAL‐1 activation in human T‐ALL.

Notch1 Contributes to Mouse T-Cell Leukemia by Directly Inducing the Expression of c-myc

ABSTRACT Recent work with mouse models and human leukemic samples has shown that gain-of-function mutation(s) in Notch1 is a common genetic event in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). The Notch1 receptor signals through a γ-secretase-dependent process that releases intracellular Notch1 from the membrane to the nucleus, where it forms part of a transcriptional activator complex. To identify Notch1 target genes in leukemia, we developed mouse T-cell leukemic lines that express intracellular Notch1 in a doxycycline-dependent manner. Using gene expression profiling and chromatin immunoprecipitation, we identified c-myc as a novel, direct, and critical Notch1 target gene in T-cell leukemia. c-myc mRNA levels are increased in primary mouse T-cell tumors that harbor Notch1 mutations, and Notch1 inhibition decreases c-myc mRNA levels and inhibits leukemic cell growth. Retroviral expression of c-myc, like intracellular Notch1, rescues the growth arrest and apoptosis associated with γ-secretase inhibitor treatment or Notch1 inhibition. Consistent with these findings, retroviral insertional mutagenesis screening of our T-cell leukemia mouse model revealed common insertions in either notch1 or c-myc genes. These studies define the Notch1 molecular signature in mouse T-ALL and importantly provide mechanistic insight as to how Notch1 contributes to human T-ALL.

The Death Domain Kinase RIP Is Essential for TRAIL (Apo2L)-Induced Activation of IκB Kinase and c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase

ABSTRACT Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) (Apo2 ligand [Apo2L]) is a member of the TNF superfamily and has been shown to have selective antitumor activity. Although it is known that TRAIL (Apo2L) induces apoptosis and activates NF-κB and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) through receptors such as TRAIL-R1 (DR4) and TRAIL-R2 (DR5), the components of its signaling cascade have not been well defined. In this report, we demonstrated that the death domain kinase RIP is essential for TRAIL-induced IκB kinase (IKK) and JNK activation. We found that ectopic expression of the dominant negative mutant RIP, RIP(559–671), blocks TRAIL-induced IKK and JNK activation. In the RIP null fibroblasts, TRAIL failed to activate IKK and only partially activated JNK. The endogenous RIP protein was detected by immunoprecipitation in the TRAIL-R1 complex after TRAIL treatment. More importantly, we found that RIP is not involved in TRAIL-induced apoptosis. In addition, we also demonstrated that the TNF receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) plays little role in TRAIL-induced IKK activation although it is required for TRAIL-mediated JNK activation. These results indicated that the death domain kinase RIP, a key factor in TNF signaling, also plays a pivotal role in TRAIL-induced IKK and JNK activation.

RIPK1 Blocks Early Postnatal Lethality Mediated by Caspase-8 and RIPK3

Receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK)-1 is involved in RIPK3-dependent and -independent signaling pathways leading to cell death and/or inflammation. Genetic ablation of ripk1 causes postnatal lethality, which was not prevented by deletion of ripk3, caspase-8, or fadd. However, animals that lack RIPK1, RIPK3, and either caspase-8 or FADD survived weaning and matured normally. RIPK1 functions in vitro to limit caspase-8-dependent, TNFR-induced apoptosis, and animals lacking RIPK1, RIPK3, and TNFR1 survive to adulthood. The role of RIPK3 in promoting lethality in ripk1(-/-) mice suggests that RIPK3 activation is inhibited by RIPK1 postbirth. Whereas TNFR-induced RIPK3-dependent necroptosis requires RIPK1, cells lacking RIPK1 were sensitized to necroptosis triggered by poly I:C or interferons. Disruption of TLR (TRIF) or type I interferon (IFNAR) signaling delayed lethality in ripk1(-/-)tnfr1(-/-) mice. These results clarify the complex roles for RIPK1 in postnatal life and provide insights into the regulation of FADD-caspase-8 and RIPK3-MLKL signaling by RIPK1.

NOD2, RIP2 and IRF5 play a critical role in the type I interferon response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

While the recognition of microbial infection often occurs at the cell surface via Toll-like receptors, the cytosol of the cell is also under surveillance for microbial products that breach the cell membrane. An important outcome of cytosolic recognition is the induction of IFNα and IFNβ, which are critical mediators of immunity against both bacteria and viruses. Like many intracellular pathogens, a significant fraction of the transcriptional response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection depends on these type I interferons, but the recognition pathways responsible remain elusive. In this work, we demonstrate that intraphagosomal M. tuberculosis stimulates the cytosolic Nod2 pathway that responds to bacterial peptidoglycan, and this event requires membrane damage that is actively inflicted by the bacterium. Unexpectedly, this recognition triggers the expression of type I interferons in a Tbk1- and Irf5-dependent manner. This response is only partially impaired by the loss of Irf3 and therefore, differs fundamentally from those stimulated by bacterial DNA, which depend entirely on this transcription factor. This difference appears to result from the unusual peptidoglycan produced by mycobacteria, which we show is a uniquely potent agonist of the Nod2/Rip2/Irf5 pathway. Thus, the Nod2 system is specialized to recognize bacteria that actively perturb host membranes and is remarkably sensitive to mycobacteria, perhaps reflecting the strong evolutionary pressure exerted by these pathogens on the mammalian immune system.

NOD2 pathway activation by MDP or Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection involves the stable polyubiquitination of Rip2

The Rip2 kinase contains a caspase recruitment domain and has been implicated in the activation of the transcriptional factor NF-κB downstream of Toll-like receptors, Nod-like receptors, and the T cell receptor. Although Rip2 has been linked to Nod signaling, how Nod-Rip2 proteins mediate NF-κB activation has remained unclear. We find Rip2 required for Nod2-mediated NF-κB activation and to a lesser extent mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. We demonstrate that Rip2 and IκB kinase-γ become stably polyubiquitinated upon treatment of cells with the NOD2 ligand, muramyl dipeptide. We also demonstrate a requirement for the E2-conjugating enzyme Ubc13, the E3 ubiquitin ligase Traf6, and the ubiquitin-activated kinase Tak1 in Nod2-mediated NF-κB activation. Rip2 polyubiquitination is also stimulated when macrophages are infected with live Mycobacterium tuberculosis but not when infected with heat-killed bacteria. Consistent with our data linking Rip2 to NOD and not Toll-like receptor signaling, M. tuberculosis-induced Rip2 polyubiquitination appears MyD88-independent. Collectively, these data reveal that the NOD2 pathway is ubiquitin-regulated and that Rip2 employs a ubiquitin-dependent mechanism to achieve NF-κB activation.

RIPK1 maintains epithelial homeostasis by inhibiting apoptosis and necroptosis

Necroptosis has emerged as an important pathway of programmed cell death in embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, immunity and inflammation. RIPK1 is implicated in inflammatory and cell death signalling and its kinase activity is believed to drive RIPK3-mediated necroptosis. Here we show that kinase-independent scaffolding RIPK1 functions regulate homeostasis and prevent inflammation in barrier tissues by inhibiting epithelial cell apoptosis and necroptosis. Intestinal epithelial cell (IEC)-specific RIPK1 knockout caused IEC apoptosis, villus atrophy, loss of goblet and Paneth cells and premature death in mice. This pathology developed independently of the microbiota and of MyD88 signalling but was partly rescued by TNFR1 (also known as TNFRSF1A) deficiency. Epithelial FADD ablation inhibited IEC apoptosis and prevented the premature death of mice with IEC-specific RIPK1 knockout. However, mice lacking both RIPK1 and FADD in IECs displayed RIPK3-dependent IEC necroptosis, Paneth cell loss and focal erosive inflammatory lesions in the colon. Moreover, a RIPK1 kinase inactive knock-in delayed but did not prevent inflammation caused by FADD deficiency in IECs or keratinocytes, showing that RIPK3-dependent necroptosis of FADD-deficient epithelial cells only partly requires RIPK1 kinase activity. Epidermis-specific RIPK1 knockout triggered keratinocyte apoptosis and necroptosis and caused severe skin inflammation that was prevented by RIPK3 but not FADD deficiency. These findings revealed that RIPK1 inhibits RIPK3-mediated necroptosis in keratinocytes in vivo and identified necroptosis as a more potent trigger of inflammation compared with apoptosis. Therefore, RIPK1 is a master regulator of epithelial cell survival, homeostasis and inflammation in the intestine and the skin.

Increased NOD2-mediated recognition of N-glycolyl muramyl dipeptide

Peptidoglycan-derived muramyl dipeptide (MDP) activates innate immunity via the host sensor NOD2. Although MDP is N-acetylated in most bacteria, mycobacteria and related Actinomycetes convert their MDP to an N-glycolylated form through the action of N-acetyl muramic acid hydroxylase (NamH). We used a combination of bacterial genetics and synthetic chemistry to investigate whether N-glycolylation of MDP alters NOD2-mediated immunity. Upon infecting macrophages with 12 bacteria, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α secretion was NOD2 dependent only with mycobacteria and other Actinomycetes (Nocardia and Rhodococcus). Disruption of namH in Mycobacterium smegmatis obrogated NOD2-mediated TNF secretion, which could be restored upon gene complementation. In mouse macrophages, N-glycolyl MDP was more potent than N-acetyl MDP at activating RIP2, nuclear factor κB, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and proinflammatory cytokine secretion. In mice challenged intraperitoneally with live or killed mycobacteria, NOD2-dependent immune responses depended on the presence of bacterial namH. Finally, N-glycolyl MDP was more efficacious than N-acetyl MDP at inducing ovalbumin-specific T cell immunity in a model of adjuvancy. Our findings indicate that N-glycolyl MDP has a greater NOD2-stimulating activity than N-acetyl MDP, consistent with the historical observation attributing exceptional immunogenic activity to the mycobacterial cell wall.