Suhasini Kulkarni

PI 3-kinase p110β : a new target for antithrombotic therapy.

Platelet activation at sites of vascular injury is essential for the arrest of bleeding; however, excessive platelet accumulation at regions of atherosclerotic plaque rupture can result in the development of arterial thrombi, precipitating diseases such as acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Rheological disturbances (high shear stress) have an important role in promoting arterial thrombosis by enhancing the adhesive and signaling function of platelet integrin αIIbβ3 (GPIIb-IIIa). In this study we have defined a key role for the Type Ia phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) p110β isoform in regulating the formation and stability of integrin αIIbβ3 adhesion bonds, necessary for shear activation of platelets. Isoform-selective PI3K p110β inhibitors have been developed which prevent formation of stable integrin αIIbβ3 adhesion contacts, leading to defective platelet thrombus formation. In vivo, these inhibitors eliminate occlusive thrombus formation but do not prolong bleeding time. These studies define PI3K p110β as an important new target for antithrombotic therapy.

A revised model of platelet aggregation

In this study we have examined the mechanism of platelet aggregation under physiological flow conditions using an in vitro flow-based platelet aggregation assay and an in vivo rat thrombosis model. Our studies demonstrate an unexpected complexity to the platelet aggregation process in which platelets in flowing blood continuously tether, translocate, and/or detach from the luminal surface of a growing platelet thrombus at both arterial and venous shear rates. Studies of platelets congenitally deficient in von Willebrand factor (vWf) or integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) demonstrated a key role for platelet vWf in mediating platelet tethering and translocation, whereas integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) mediated cell arrest. Platelet aggregation under flow appears to be a multistep process involving: (a) exposure of vWf on the surface of immobilized platelets; (b) a reversible phase of platelet aggregation mediated by the binding of GPIbalpha on the surface of free-flowing platelets to vWf on the surface of immobilized platelets; and (c) an irreversible phase of aggregation dependent on integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3). Studies of platelet thrombus formation in vivo demonstrate that this multistep adhesion mechanism is indispensable for platelet aggregation in arterioles and also appears to promote platelet aggregate formation in venules. Together, our studies demonstrate an important role for platelet vWf in initiating the platelet aggregation process under flow and challenge the currently accepted view that the vWf-GPIbalpha interaction is exclusively involved in initiating platelet aggregation at elevated shear rates.

SCFAs Induce Mouse Neutrophil Chemotaxis through the GPR43 Receptor

Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have recently attracted attention as potential mediators of the effects of gut microbiota on intestinal inflammation. Some of these effects have been suggested to occur through the direct actions of SCFAs on the GPR43 receptor in neutrophils, though the precise role of this receptor in neutrophil activation is still unclear. We show that mouse bone marrow derived neutrophils (BMNs) can chemotax effectively through polycarbonate filters towards a source of acetate, propionate or butyrate. Moreover, we show that BMNs move with good speed and directionality towards a source of propionate in an EZ-Taxiscan chamber coated with fibrinogen. These effects of SCFAs were mimicked by low concentrations of the synthetic GPR43 agonist phenylacetamide-1 and were abolished in GPR43−/− BMNs. SCFAs and phenylacetamide-1 also elicited GPR43-dependent activation of PKB, p38 and ERK and these responses were sensitive to pertussis toxin, indicating a role for Gi proteins. Phenylacetamide-1 also elicited rapid and transient activation of Rac1/2 GTPases and phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6. Genetic and pharmacological intervention identified important roles for PI3Kγ, Rac2, p38 and ERK, but not mTOR, in GPR43-dependent chemotaxis. These results identify GPR43 as a bona fide chemotactic receptor for neutrophils in vitro and start to define important elements in its signal transduction pathways.

Intercellular calcium communication regulates platelet aggregation and thrombus growth.

The ability of platelets to form stable adhesion contacts with other activated platelets (platelet cohesion or aggregation) at sites of vascular injury is essential for hemostasis and thrombosis. In this study, we have examined the mechanisms regulating cytosolic calcium flux during the development of platelet–platelet adhesion contacts under the influence of flow. An examination of platelet calcium flux during platelet aggregate formation in vitro demonstrated a key role for intercellular calcium communication (ICC) in regulating the recruitment of translocating platelets into developing aggregates. We demonstrate that ICC is primarily mediated by a signaling mechanism operating between integrin αIIbβ3 and the recently cloned ADP purinergic receptor P2Y12. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the efficiency by which calcium signals are propagated within platelet aggregates plays an important role in dictating the rate and extent of thrombus growth.

PI3Kβ Plays a Critical Role in Neutrophil Activation by Immune Complexes

The β isoform of phosphoinositide 3-kinase may be an effective therapeutic target in inflammatory diseases. The Integrating Isoform The class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are implicated in processes such as growth factor signaling and inflammation. PI3Kγ is activated by G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), whereas PI3Kα and PI3Kδ are activated by protein tyrosine kinase–coupled receptors. PI3Kβ is unusual in that it appears to respond to signals from both types of receptors, depending on the cellular context. Kulkarni et al. investigated the responses of mouse neutrophils to immune complexes of antibody and antigen, which trigger chronic inflammation in conditions such as autoimmune arthritis. Genetic and pharmacological evidence suggested that immune complexes stimulated PI3Kβ in a process involving activation of FcγR, a tyrosine kinase–coupled low-affinity antibody receptor, and autocrine signaling by a proinflammatory lipid (LTB4) through its GPCR. Mice deficient in PI3Kβ fared better than did controls in models of arthritis and inflammatory skin disease. These data implicate PI3Kβ in the integration of signals from tyrosine kinase–coupled receptors and GPCRs—and suggest that this isoform may be an effective therapeutic target in inflammatory diseases. Neutrophils are activated by immunoglobulin G (IgG)–containing immune complexes through receptors that recognize the Fc portion of IgG (FcγRs). Here, we used genetic and pharmacological approaches to define a selective role for the β isoform of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3Kβ) in FcγR-dependent activation of mouse neutrophils by immune complexes of IgG and antigen immobilized on a plate surface. At low concentrations of immune complexes, loss of PI3Kβ alone substantially inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by neutrophils, whereas at higher doses, similar suppression of ROS production was achieved only by targeting both PI3Kβ and PI3Kδ, suggesting that this pathway displays stimulus strength–dependent redundancy. Activation of PI3Kβ by immune complexes involved cooperation between FcγRs and BLT1, the receptor for the endogenous proinflammatory lipid leukotriene B4. Coincident activation by a tyrosine kinase–coupled receptor (FcγR) and a heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide–binding protein (G protein)–coupled receptor (BLT1) may provide a rationale for the preferential activation of the β isoform of PI3K. PI3Kβ-deficient mice were highly protected in an FcγR-dependent model of autoantibody-induced skin blistering and were partially protected in an FcγR-dependent model of inflammatory arthritis, whereas combined deficiency of PI3Kβ and PI3Kδ resulted in near-complete protection in the latter case. These results define PI3Kβ as a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory disease.

CD18-dependent activation of the neutrophil NADPH oxidase during phagocytosis of Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus is regulated by class III but not class I or II PI3Ks

Phagocytosis and activation of the NADPH oxidase are important mechanisms by which neutrophils and macrophages engulf and kill microbial pathogens. We investigated the role of PI3K signaling pathways in the regulation of the oxidase during phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by mouse and human neutrophils, a mouse macrophage-like cell line and a human myeloid-like cell line. Phagocytosis of these bacteria was promoted by serum, independent of serum-derived antibodies, and effectively abolished in mouse neutrophils lacking the beta(2)-integrin common chain, CD18. A combination of PI3K isoform-selective inhibitors, mouse knock-outs, and RNA-interference indicated CD18-dependent activation of the oxidase was independent of class I and II PI3Ks, but substantially dependent on the single class III isoform (Vps34). Class III PI3K was responsible for the synthesis of PtdIns(3)P on phagosomes containing either bacteria. The use of mouse neutrophils carrying an appropriate knock-in mutation indicated that PtdIns(3)P binding to the PX domain of their p40(phox) oxidase subunit is important for oxidase activation in response to both S aureus and E coli. This interaction does not, however, account for all the PI3K sensitivity of these responses, particularly the oxidase response to E coli, suggesting that additional mechanisms for PtdIns(3)P-regulation of the oxidase must exist.

Distinct substrate specificities and functional roles for the 78- and 76-kDa forms of mu-calpain in human platelets.

The intracellular thiol protease μ-calpain exists as a heterodimeric proenzyme, consisting of a large 80-kDa catalytic subunit and a smaller 30-kDa regulatory subunit. Activation of μ-calpain requires calcium influx across the plasma membrane and the subsequent autoproteolytic conversion of the 80-kDa large subunit to a 78-kDa “intermediate” and a 76-kDa fully autolyzed form. Currently, there is limited information on the substrate specificities and functional roles of these distinct active forms of μ-calpain within the cell. Using antibodies that can distinguish among the 80-, 78-, and 76-kDa forms of μ-calpain, we have demonstrated a close correlation between the autolytic generation of the 78-kDa enzyme and the proteolysis of the non-receptor tyrosine phosphatase, PTP-1B, in ionophore A23187-stimulated platelets. Time course studies revealed that pp60c- src proteolysis lagged well behind that of PTP-1B and correlated closely with the generation of the fully proteolyzed form of μ-calpain (76 kDa). In vitroproteolysis experiments with purified μ-calpain and immunoprecipitated PTP-1B or pp60c- src confirmed selective proteolysis of pp60c- src by the 76-kDa enzyme, whereas PTP-1B cleavage was mediated by both the 76- and 78-kDa forms of μ-calpain. Studies using selective pharmacological inhibitors against the different autolytic forms of μ-calpain have demonstrated that the initial conversion of the μ-calpain large subunit to the 78-kDa form is responsible for the reduction in platelet-mediated clot retraction, whereas complete proteolytic activation of μ-calpain (76 kDa) is responsible for the shedding of procoagulant-rich membrane vesicles from the cell surface. These studies demonstrate the existence of multiple active forms of μ-calpain within the cell, that have unique substrate specificities and distinct functional roles.

Functional Redundancy of Class I Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K) Isoforms in Signaling Growth Factor-Mediated Human Neutrophil Survival

We have investigated the contribution of individual phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) Class I isoforms to the regulation of neutrophil survival using (i) a panel of commercially available small molecule isoform-selective PI3K Class I inhibitors, (ii) novel inhibitors, which target single or multiple Class I isoforms (PI3Kα, PI3Kβ, PI3Kδ, and PI3Kγ), and (iii) transgenic mice lacking functional PI3K isoforms (p110δKOγKO or p110γKO). Our data suggest that there is considerable functional redundancy amongst Class I PI3Ks (both Class IA and Class IB) with regard to GM-CSF-mediated suppression of neutrophil apoptosis. Hence pharmacological inhibition of any 3 or more PI3K isoforms was required to block the GM-CSF survival response in human neutrophils, with inhibition of individual or any two isoforms having little or no effect. Likewise, isolated blood neutrophils derived from double knockout PI3K p110δKOγKO mice underwent normal time-dependent constitutive apoptosis and displayed identical GM-CSF mediated survival to wild type cells, but were sensitized to pharmacological inhibition of the remaining PI3K isoforms. Surprisingly, the pro-survival neutrophil phenotype observed in patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was resilient to inactivation of the PI3K pathway.

Coincident signals from GPCRs and receptor tyrosine kinases are uniquely transduced by PI3Kβ in myeloid cells

PI3Kβ mediates synergistic signaling upon costimulation of GPCRs and receptor tyrosine kinases in immune cells. Mediating synergistic signaling Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) family members contain one of four different catalytic subunits and generate the second messenger PIP3 in response to stimulation. Whereas some PI3K isoforms mediate signaling from receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and one isoform mediates signals from GPCRs, PI3Kβ transduces signals from both receptor types. Houslay et al. generated knock-in mice expressing a mutant PI3Kβ unable to transduce GPCR signals and measured the PIP3 responses of macrophages and neutrophils to RTK and GPCR agonists individually or in combination. Of all the PI3K isoforms, PI3Kβ uniquely induced synergistic increases in PIP3 concentration in response to simultaneous stimulation of both receptor types. Furthermore, effective responses of neutrophils to inflammatory stimuli depended on the ability of PI3Kβ to activate G proteins. Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) catalyze production of the lipid messenger phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3), which plays a central role in a complex signaling network regulating cell growth, survival, and movement. This network is overactivated in cancer and inflammation, and there is interest in determining the PI3K catalytic subunit (p110α, p110β, p110γ, or p110δ) that should be targeted in different therapeutic contexts. Previous studies have defined unique regulatory inputs for p110β, including direct interaction with Gβγ subunits, Rac, and Rab5. We generated mice with knock-in mutations of p110β that selectively blocked the interaction with Gβγ and investigated its contribution to the PI3K isoform dependency of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and G protein (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide–binding protein)–coupled receptor (GPCR) responses in primary macrophages and neutrophils. We discovered a unique role for p110β in supporting synergistic PIP3 formation in response to the coactivation of macrophages by macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and the complement protein C5a. In contrast, we found partially redundant roles for p110α, p110β, and p110δ downstream of M-CSF alone and a nonredundant role for p110γ downstream of C5a alone. This role for p110β completely depended on direct interaction with Gβγ, suggesting that p110β transduces GPCR signals in the context of coincident activation by an RTK. The p110β-Gβγ interaction was also required for neutrophils to generate reactive oxygen species in response to the Fcγ receptor–dependent recognition of immune complexes and for their β2 integrin–mediated adhesion to fibrinogen or poly-RGD+, directly implicating heterotrimeric G proteins in these two responses.