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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading chronic liver disease worldwide. Agonists of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R), currently approved to treat type 2 diabetes, hold promise to improve steatosis and even steatohepatitis. However, due to their pleiotropic effects, the mechanisms underlying their protective effect on NAFLD remain elusive. We aimed to investigate these mechanisms using an in vitro model of steatosis treated with the GLP-1R agonist Exendin-4 (Ex-4). We established steatotic HepG2 cells by incubating HepG2 cells with 400 µM oleic acid (OA) overnight. Further treatment with 200nM Ex-4 for 3 hours significantly reduced the OA-induced lipid accumulation (p < 0.05). Concomitantly, Ex-4 substantially reduced the expression levels of Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 1 (FABP1) and its primary activator, Forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1). Interestingly, the silencing of β-catenin with siRNA abolished the effect of Ex-4 on these genes, suggesting dependency on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Furthermore, after β-catenin silencing, OA treatment significantly increased the expression of nuclear transcription factors SREBP-1 and TCF4, whereas Ex-4 significantly decreased this upregulation. Our findings suggest that direct activation of GLP-1R by Ex-4 reduces OA-induced steatosis in HepG2 cells by reducing fatty acid uptake via FABP1 downregulation.

Introduction. Despite the success of autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, barriers to a more widespread use of this potentially curative therapy include manufacturing failures and the high cost of individualized production. There is a strong desire for an immediately available cell therapy option; however, development of "off-the-shelf" T cells is challenging. Alloreactive T cells from unrelated donors can cause graft versus host disease (GvHD) for which researchers have successfully used nucleases to reduce expression of the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) in the allogeneic product. The recognition of allogeneic cells by the host is a complex issue that has not been fully solved to date. Some approaches utilize prolonged immune suppression to avoid immune rejection and increase persistence. Although showing responses in the clinic, this approach carries the risk of infections and the durability of the adoptive T cells is uncertain. Other strategies include deletion of the B2M gene to remove HLA class I molecules and avoid recognition by host CD8 T cells. However, loss of HLA class I sends a "missing-self" signal to natural killer (NK) cells, which readily eliminate B2Mnull T cells. To overcome this, researchers are exploring insertion of the non-polymorphic HLA-E gene, which can provide partial but not full protection from NK cell-mediated lysis. Because activated T cells upregulate HLA class II, rejection by alloreactive CD4 T cells should also be addressed. Methods. Here, we developed an immunologically stealth "off-the-shelf" T cell strategy by leveraging our CRISPR/Cas9 platform and proprietary sequential editing process. To solve the issue of rejection by alloreactive CD4 and CD8 T cells, we knocked out (KO) select HLA class I and class II expression with a sequential editing process. Additionally, we utilize potent TCR-α and -β constant chain (TRAC, TRBC) gRNAs that achieve >99% KO of the endogenous TCR, addressing the risk of GvHD. An AAV-mediated insertion of a CAR or TCR into the TRAC locus is used in parallel with the TRAC KO step to redirect the T cells to tumor targets of interest. Alloreactivity by CD4 and CD8 T cells, NK killing, GvHD induction and T cell function was assessed in vitro and/or in vivo. Results. By knocking out select HLA class I and class II proteins, we were able to avoid host CD4- and CD8-T cell-mediated recognition. Edited T cells were protected from host NK cells, both in vitro and in an in vivo model engrafted with functional human NK cells. TRAC edited donor T cells did not induce GvHD in an immune compromised mouse model over the 90-day evaluation period. Using our proprietary T cell engineering process, we successfully generated allogeneic T cells with sequential KOs and insertion of a tumor-specific TCR or CAR with high yield. Importantly, these allogeneic T cells had comparable functional activity to their autologous T cell counterparts in in vitro assays (tumor cell killing and cytokine release) as well as in vivo tumor models. With a relatively small bank of donors, we can provide an "off-the-shelf" CAR or TCR-T cell solution for a large proportion of the population. Conclusions. We have successfully developed a differentiated "off-the-shelf" approach, which is expected to be safe and cost-effective. It is designed to provide long-term persistence without the need for an immune suppressive regimen. This promising strategy is being applied to our T cell immuno-oncology and autoimmune research candidates. Disclosures Zhang: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Goel: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Prodeus: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Jetley: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Tan: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Averill: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Ranade: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Balwani: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Dutta: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Sharma: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Venkatesan: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Liu: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Roy: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. O′Connell: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Arredouani: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Keenan: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Lescarbeau: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Schultes: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment.

Adoptive cell therapy using T cells expressing transgenic (tg) tumor antigen-targeting T cell receptors (TCRs) has become an attractive modality to treat hematological and solid cancers due to a broader array of accessible targets relative to CAR-T cell therapies. However, high-avidity TCRs specific for shared oncogenic antigens are difficult to identify. In addition, manufacturing of TCR-redirected T cells with single TCR specificity is desired to avoid mispairings and competition with endogenous chains, which can negatively impact T cell specificity and TCR expression levels. This can be achieved with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated replacement of the endogenous TCR α and β chains, by knocking out the TRAC and TRBC genes and inserting the tgTCR into the TRAC locus. While CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has been demonstrated to be highly efficient, simultaneous edits in different loci could result in increased translocations, potentially impairing the quality and safety of the cell product. Moreover, existing cell engineering technology negatively impacts T cell quality and yield. Here, we focused on engineering T cells with specificity for Wilms' Tumor 1 (WT1), a transcription factor overexpressed by a wide range of hematological and solid tumors, that has both, restricted expression on healthy tissues and a strong correlation with oncogenesis. By applying rapid isolation technologies of WT1-specific T cells from healthy donors, we identified a lead TCR to the WT137-45 epitope, restricted to the common human leukocyte antigen, HLA-A*02:01. T cells expressing this tgTCR showed nM avidity and killed leukemia cell lines and primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blasts at low effector-to-target cell ratios. Epitope specificity evaluation by alanine scanning suggested that the minimal peptide recognition sequence for this TCR is restricted to WT1. Further, the lead TCR was able to activate CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, which may be beneficial for T cell persistence. By developing an improved T cell engineering process, we have achieved multiple sequential gene edits in primary human T cells, leading to knockout of the endogenous TCR with up to 99% efficiency and insertion of tgTCRs into 55-80% of the cells. This cell engineering process is scalable, adaptable to a closed system, and results in marked improvements in T cell expansion, yield, stem cell memory phenotype and T cell polyfunctionality, such as cytotoxicity, cytokine release and proliferation in response to WT1+ target cells. Additionally, the high viability profile of the process readily allows for sequential CRISPR/Cas9 gene knockout in T cells, leading to near-complete endogenous TCR removal while limiting TRAC/TRBC translocation to levels close to those found in untreated cells. T cells engineered to express the lead TCR using this process resulted in potent anti-tumor activity in vivo. Disseminated primary AML patient derived xenograft and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell line models were established by intravenous injection of the tumor cells in NSG or NOG mice. Animals were treated subsequently with WT1-specific or control T cells. Almost complete tumor growth inhibition in the blood and bone marrow was noted in the primary AML model. In the fast growing ALL model, WT1-T cells significantly reduced tumor burden and increased survival compared to control groups, which could be further boosted in human IL-15-expressing NOG mice vs. standard NOG mice. No signs of graph-versus-host disease (GvHD) were observed during the course of the study, which is consistent with removal of the endogenous TCR. NTLA-5001 is being advanced into clinical development for AML immunotherapy. Given the expression of WT1 in many solid tumors, engineered WT1 TCR-T cells are being further explored in those indications. Disclosures Liu: Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Prodeus:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Becker:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Foisey:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Balwani:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Dutta:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Zhang:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Arredouani:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. McKee:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Ciceri:Intellia Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Sepp-Lorenzino:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment. Bonini:Kiadis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kite/Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Molmed: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Allogene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Intellia Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Schultes:Intellia Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.

Objective Characterizing specific metabolites in sub-clinical phases preceding the onset of type 2 diabetes to enable efficient preventive and personalized interventions. Research design and methods We developed predictive models of type 2 diabetes using two strategies. One strategy focused on the probability of incidence only and was based on logistic regression (MRS1); the other strategy accounted for the age at diagnosis of diabetes and was based on Cox regression (MRS2). We assessed 293 metabolites using non-targeted metabolomics in fasting plasma samples of 1,044 participants (including 231 incident cases over 9 years) used as training population; and fasting serum samples of 128 participants (64 incident cases versus 64 controls) used as validation population. We applied a LASSO-based variable selection aiming at maximizing the out-of-sample area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AROC) and integrated AROC. Results Sixteen and 17 metabolites were selected for MRS1 and MRS2, respectively, with AROC = 90% and 73% in the training and validation populations, respectively for MRS1. MRS2 had a similar performance and was significantly associated with a younger age of onset of type 2 diabetes (β = −3.44 years per MRS2 SD in the training population, p = 1.56 × 10−7; β = −4.73 years per MRS2 SD in the validation population, p = 4.04 × 10−3). Conclusions Overall, this study illustrates that metabolomics improves prediction of type 2 diabetes incidence of 4.5% on top of known clinical and biological markers, reaching 90% in total AROC, which is considered the threshold for clinical validity, suggesting it may be used in targeting interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes., Highlights • Metabolites Risk Scores improve the prediction of type 2 diabetes on top of clinical and biological risk factors in both high and low-risk sub-populations. • Two predictive metabolites (1,5-anhydroglucitol and Dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate) were well conserved over 9 years. • Comparing two statistical approaches revealed that lipid metabolism distinguishes baseline risk from that of fast converters.

Ca2+ mobilization from intracellular stores represents an important cell signalling process that is regulated, in mammalian cells, by inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3), cyclic ADP ribose and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP). InsP3 and cyclic ADP ribose cause the release of Ca2+ from sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum stores by the activation of InsP3 and ryanodine receptors (InsP3Rs and RyRs). In contrast, the nature of the intracellular stores targeted by NAADP and the molecular identity of the NAADP receptors remain controversial, although evidence indicates that NAADP mobilizes Ca2+ from lysosome-related acidic compartments. Here we show that two-pore channels (TPCs) comprise a family of NAADP receptors, with human TPC1 (also known as TPCN1) and chicken TPC3 (TPCN3) being expressed on endosomal membranes, and human TPC2 (TPCN2) on lysosomal membranes when expressed in HEK293 cells. Membranes enriched with TPC2 show high affinity NAADP binding, and TPC2 underpins NAADP-induced Ca2+ release from lysosome-related stores that is subsequently amplified by Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release by InsP3Rs. Responses to NAADP were abolished by disrupting the lysosomal proton gradient and by ablating TPC2 expression, but were only attenuated by depleting endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores or by blocking InsP3Rs. Thus, TPCs form NAADP receptors that release Ca2+ from acidic organelles, which can trigger further Ca2+ signals via sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum. TPCs therefore provide new insights into the regulation and organization of Ca2+ signals in animal cells, and will advance our understanding of the physiological role of NAADP.

Research into the biological role of the Ca(2+)-releasing second messenger NAADP (nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate) has been hampered by a lack of chemical probes. To find new chemical probes for exploring NAADP signaling, we turned to virtual screening, which can evaluate millions of molecules rapidly and inexpensively. We used NAADP as the query ligand to screen the chemical library ZINC for compounds with similar three-dimensional shape and electrostatic properties. We tested the top-ranking hits in a sea urchin egg bioassay and found that one hit, Ned-19, blocks NAADP signaling at nanomolar concentrations. In intact cells, Ned-19 blocked NAADP signaling and fluorescently labeled NAADP receptors. Moreover, we show the utility of Ned-19 as a chemical probe by using it to demonstrate that NAADP is a key causal link between glucose sensing and Ca(2+) increases in mouse pancreatic beta cells.

Recent studies into the mechanisms of action of the Ca2+-mobilizing messenger NAADP (nicotinic acid–adenine dinucleotide phosphate) have demonstrated that a novel family of intracellular Ca2+-release channels termed TPCs (two-pore channels) are components of the NAADP receptor. TPCs appear to be exclusively localized to the endolysosomal system. These findings confirm previous pharmacological and biochemical studies suggesting that NAADP targets acidic Ca2+ stores rather than the endoplasmic reticulum, the major site of action of the other two principal Ca2+-mobilizing messengers, InsP3 and cADPR (cADP-ribose). Studies of the messenger roles of NAADP and the function of TPCs highlight the novel role of lysosomes and other organelles of the endocytic pathway as messenger-regulated Ca2+ stores which also affects the regulation of the endolysosomal system.

Summary Intracellular Ca2+ signals constitute key elements in signal transduction. Of the three major Ca2+ mobilizing messengers described, the most potent, nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) is the least well understood in terms of its molecular targets [1]. Recently, we showed that heterologous expression of two-pore channel (TPC) proteins enhances NAADP-induced Ca2+ release, whereas the NAADP response was abolished in pancreatic beta cells from Tpcn2 gene knockout mice [2]. However, whether TPCs constitute native NAADP receptors is unclear. Here we show that immunopurified endogenous TPC complexes possess the hallmark properties ascribed to NAADP receptors, including nanomolar ligand affinity [3–5]. Our study also reveals important functional differences between the three TPC isoforms. Thus, TPC1 and TPC2 both mediate NAADP-induced Ca2+ release, but the subsequent amplification of this trigger Ca2+ by IP3Rs is more tightly coupled for TPC2. In contrast, TPC3 expression suppressed NAADP-induced Ca2+ release. Finally, increased TPC expression has dramatic and contrasting effects on endolysosomal structures and dynamics, implicating a role for NAADP in the regulation of vesicular trafficking. We propose that NAADP regulates endolysosomal Ca2+ storage and release via TPCs and coordinates endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release in a role that impacts on Ca2+ signaling in health and disease [6]., Highlights ► Endogenous TPC protein complex has hallmark properties of native NAADP receptors ► TPCs differentially localize to subcellular sites of NAADP-induced Ca2+ release ► Different TPC isoforms show differential roles in NAADP-evoked Ca2+ release ► Altered TPC expression has dramatic, differential effects on endolysosomal function

Background: TPCs are regulated by NAADP and other factors. Results: NAADP-induced Ca2+ release from acidic stores evokes depolarizing currents in pancreatic β cells. Inhibition of NAADP signaling or TPC knock out attenuates Ca2+ signaling and insulin secretion. Conclusion: NAADP-evoked Ca2+ release enhances β cell excitability and insulin secretion in response to glucose or sulfonylureas. Significance: NAADP signaling pathways offer novel therapeutic targets for diabetes treatment., Pancreatic β cells are electrically excitable and respond to elevated glucose concentrations with bursts of Ca2+ action potentials due to the activation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs), which leads to the exocytosis of insulin granules. We have examined the possible role of nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP)-mediated Ca2+ release from intracellular stores during stimulus-secretion coupling in primary mouse pancreatic β cells. NAADP-regulated Ca2+ release channels, likely two-pore channels (TPCs), have recently been shown to be a major mechanism for mobilizing Ca2+ from the endolysosomal system, resulting in localized Ca2+ signals. We show here that NAADP-mediated Ca2+ release from endolysosomal Ca2+ stores activates inward membrane currents and depolarizes the β cell to the threshold for VDCC activation and thereby contributes to glucose-evoked depolarization of the membrane potential during stimulus-response coupling. Selective pharmacological inhibition of NAADP-evoked Ca2+ release or genetic ablation of endolysosomal TPC1 or TPC2 channels attenuates glucose- and sulfonylurea-induced membrane currents, depolarization, cytoplasmic Ca2+ signals, and insulin secretion. Our findings implicate NAADP-evoked Ca2+ release from acidic Ca2+ storage organelles in stimulus-secretion coupling in β cells.

Summary T helper cell type 1 (Th1) and type 2 (Th2) immune responses are characterized by a different pattern of cytokine expression following T-cell activation. Alterations of the ratio of Th1 to Th2 cells are important determinants of susceptibility to viral and parasitic infections, allergies, anti-tumour responses, and autoimmunity. In this work we bring new evidence for an effect of haptoglobin (Hp), a positive acute-phase protein, on T-lymphocyte functions. We show that Hp specifically interacts with both resting and activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. This specific binding results in a strong suppression of induced T-cell proliferation. In addition, Hp exhibits a strong in vitro inhibitory effect on Th2 cytokine release, while the production of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) is only slightly inhibited at high Hp doses. As a result, the presence of Hp promotes Th1 activation over Th2 activation in vivo as evidenced in Hp-deficient mice. Anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody injection indeed resulted in predominant IL-4 production in Hp−/− mice, in contrast to predominant IFN-γ production in Hp+/+ mice. We conclude that Hp plays a modulating role on the Th1/Th2 balance by promoting a dominant Th1 cellular response. This points to a role of acute-phase proteins in balancing immune responses.

The key proteins mediating store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) are the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ sensor STIM1 and the plasma membrane Ca2+-selective channel Orai1. Here, we quantitatively dissect Orai1 trafficking dynamics and show that Orai1 recycles rapidly at the plasma membrane (Kex≃0.1 min−1), with ∼40% of the total Orai1 pool localizing to the plasma membrane at steady state. A subset of intracellular Orai1 localizes to a sub-plasmalemal compartment. Store depletion is coupled to Orai1 plasma membrane enrichment in a STIM1-dependent fashion. This is due to trapping of Orai1 into cortical ER STIM1 clusters, leading to its removal from the recycling pool and enrichment at the plasma membrane. Interestingly, upon high STIM1 expression, Orai1 is trapped into STIM1 clusters intracellularly, thus preventing its plasma membrane enrichment following store depletion. Consistent with this, STIM1 knockdown prevents trapping of excess Orai1 into limiting STIM1 clusters in the cortical ER. SOCE-dependent Ca2+ influx shows a similar biphasic dependence on the Orai1:STIM1 ratio. Therefore, a STIM1-dependent Orai1 ‘trafficking trap’ mechanism controls Orai1 plasma membrane enrichment and SOCE levels, thus modulating the SOCE ‘bandwidth’ for downstream signaling.

Stem cells have fascinated the scientific and clinical communities for over a century. Despite the controversy that surrounds this field, it is clear that stem cells have the potential to revolutionize medicine. However, a number of significant hurdles still stand in the way of the realization of this potential. Chiefly among these are safety concerns, differentiation efficiency and overcoming immune rejection. Here we review current progress made in this field to optimize the safe use of stem cells with particular emphasis on prospective interventions to deal with challenges generated by immune rejection. © 2009 Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Whereas macrophages use the scavenger receptor MARCO primarily in antimicrobial immunity by interacting with both exogenous and endogenous environments, in dendritic cells (DCs) MARCO is believed to pleiotropically link innate to adaptive immunity. MARCO exerts a significant modulatory effect on TLR-induced DC activation, thus offering novel avenues in cancer immunotherapy.

Producción Científica, CD4(+) T cells are involved in the development of autoimmunity, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Here we show that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) blocks experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of MS, by inducing immune homeostasis through CD4(+)IFNγ(+)IL-10(+) T cells and reverses disease progression by restoring tissue integrity via remyelination and neuroregeneration. We show that NAD(+) regulates CD4(+) T-cell differentiation through tryptophan hydroxylase-1 (Tph1), independently of well-established transcription factors. In the presence of NAD(+), the frequency of T-bet(-/-) CD4(+)IFNγ(+) T cells was twofold higher than wild-type CD4(+) T cells cultured in conventional T helper 1 polarizing conditions. Our findings unravel a new pathway orchestrating CD4(+) T-cell differentiation and demonstrate that NAD(+) may serve as a powerful therapeutic agent for the treatment of autoimmune and other diseases.

Here, we sought to determine whether peptide vaccines designed harbor both class I as well as class II restricted antigenic motifs could concurrently induce CD4 and CD8 T cell activation against autologous tumor antigens. Based on our prior genome-wide interrogation of human prostate cancer tissues to identify genes over-expressed in cancer and absent in the periphery, we targeted SIM2 as a prototype autologous tumor antigen for these studies. Using humanized transgenic mice we found that the 9aa HLA-A*0201 epitope, SIM2(237-245), was effective at inducing an antigen specific response against SIM2-expressing prostate cancer cell line, PC3. Immunization with a multi-epitope peptide harboring both MHC-I and MHC-II restricted epitopes induced an IFN-γ response in CD8 T cells to the HLA-A*0201-restricted SIM2(237-245) epitope, and an IL-2 response by CD4 T cells to the SIM2(240-254) epitope. This peptide was also effective at inducing CD8+ T-cells that responded specifically to SIM2-expressing tumor cells. Collectively, the data presented in this study suggest that a single peptide containing multiple SIM2 epitopes can be used to induce both a CD4 and CD8 T cell response, providing a peptide-based vaccine formulation for potential use in immunotherapy of various cancers.

Cytoplasmic Ca2+ signals are central to numerous cell physiological processes, including cellular proliferation. Historically, much of the research effort in this area has focused on the role of Ca2+ signals in cell-cycle progression. It is becoming clear, however, that the relationship between Ca2+ signaling and the cell cycle is a ‘two-way street’. Specifically, Ca2+-signaling pathways are remodeled during M phase, leading to altered Ca2+ dynamics. Such remodeling probably better serves the large variety of functions that cells must perform during cell division compared with during interphase. This is clearly the case during oocyte meiosis, because remodeling of Ca2+ signals partially defines the competence of the egg to activate at fertilization. Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is a ubiquitous Ca2+-signaling pathway that is regulated during M phase. In this Commentary, we discuss the latest advances in our understanding of how SOCE is regulated during cell division.

Several recent reports, including one in this journal, have reignited the debate about whether the calcium-mobilizing messenger, nicotinic adenine nucleotide diphosphate (NAADP) plays a central role in the regulation of calcium signaling in pancreatic beta-cells. 1-5 These studies have highlighted a role for NAADP-induced Ca2+ mobilization not only in mediating the effects of the incretin, GLP-1 and the autocrine proliferative effects of insulin, but also possibly a fundamental role in glucose-mediated insulin secretion in the pancreatic beta-cell.

NAADP (nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate) is a recently discovered second messenger, and as such, we have much yet to learn about its functions in health and disease. A bottleneck in this basic research is due to NAADP, like all second messengers, being charged to prevent it from leaking out of cells. This makes for effective biology, but imposes difficulties in experiments, as it must be injected, loaded via liposomes, or electroporated, techniques that are highly technically demanding and are possible only in certain single cell preparations. For the better understood second messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, great success has been obtained with cell-permeant derivatives where the charged groups are masked through esterification. We now report NAADP-AM as a cell-permeant analogue of NAADP that is taken up into cells and induces NAADP-mediated Ca(2+) signalling. NAADP-AM is a powerful chemical tool that will be of enormous biological utility in a wide range of systems and will greatly facilitate research into the role of NAADP in health and disease.

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is a potent signal to the host immune system for the presence of an ongoing viral infection. The presence of dsRNA, intracellularly or extracellularly, leads to the induction of innate inflammatory cytokines in many cell types including epithelial cells. However, the cell surface receptor for recognition of extracellular dsRNA is not yet determined. Here, we report that extracellular dsRNA is recognized and internalized by scavenger receptor class-A (SR-A). Treatment of human epithelial cells with specific antagonists of SR-A or with an anti-SR-A antibody significantly inhibited dsRNA induction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and regulated on activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES). Furthermore, intranasal dsRNA treatment of SR-A-deficient (SR-A(-/-)) mice showed a significant decrease in the expression of inflammatory cytokines and a corresponding decrease in the accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in lungs. These data provide direct evidence that SR-A is a novel cell surface receptor for dsRNA, and therefore, SR-A may play a role in antiviral immune responses.

The macrophage Class A scavenger receptor MARCO (macrophage receptor with a collagenous structure) functions as a pattern-recognition receptor for bacterial components, but its role in responses to CpG oligonucleotide sequences (CpG-ODN) in microbial DNA has not been characterized. Phosphorothioate (PS)-linked CpG-ODN stimulated IL-12 and NO production in wild-type but not in MARCO-deficient, thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages. MARCO and the related class A receptor SR-A belong to a redundant system of receptors for PS ODNs. The ability of MARCO to bind CpG-ODNs and conversely, to costimulate IL-12 and NO production upon specific ligation with immobilized mAb is consistent with MARCO being a signaling receptor for CpG-ODNs, costimulating TLR9-mediated NO and IL-12 production in macrophages. In contrast to MARCO, SR-A is likely to mediate negative regulation of macrophage responses to CpG-ODNs. In particular, increased affinity toward SR-A may contribute to decreased potency of oligo G-modified CpG-ODNs in stimulating IL-12 production. The results suggest that differential involvement of activating and inhibitory membrane receptors, such as SR-A and MARCO, may underlie profound differences observed in biological activities of different ODN sequences.

The class A macrophage scavenger receptor SR-AI/II is implicated as a pattern recognition receptor for innate immunity, but its functional role in lung defense has not been studied. We used mice genetically deficient in SR-AI/II and their wild-type C57BL/6 counterparts to investigate the contribution of this receptor to defense against pneumococcal infection and inhaled particles. SR-AI/II deficiency caused impaired phagocytosis of fluorescent bacteria in vivo, diminished clearance of live bacteria from the lungs, and substantially increased pneumonic inflammation. Survival studies also showed increased mortality in SR-AI/II-deficient mice with pneumococcal lung infection. Similarly, after challenge of the airways with TiO(2) particles, SR-AI/II-deficient mice showed increased proinflammatory cytokine levels in lung lavage fluid and a more pronounced neutrophilic inflammation. The data indicate that the lung macrophage class A scavenger receptor SR-AI/II contributes to innate defense against bacteria and inhaled particles.

A variety of immunomodulatory effects have previously been attributed to haptoglobin (Hp). These are supposed to be partly mediated through binding of Hp to CD11b. In the present study, we assessed its effects on T-helper (Th) cytokine production following both in vitro and in vivo stimulation of T-cells. Hp exhibits a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on human T lymphocyte release of the Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13) in vitro, whereas it has no clear effect on Th1 cytokine (IL-2 and IFN-γ) release. When administered an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, Hp knockout mice produced more IL-4 and less IFN-γ than did their wild-type litter-mates. Our findings imply that Hp may be regarded as a regulator of the Th1/Th2 balance in both human and murine immune systems.

The scavenger receptor MARCO mediates macrophage recognition and clearance of pathogens and their polyanionic ligands. However, recent studies demonstrate MARCO expression and function in dendritic cells, suggesting MARCO might serve to bridge innate and adaptive immunity. To gain additional insight into the role of MARCO in dendritic cell activation and function, we profiled transcriptomes of mouse splenic dendritic cells obtained from MARCO deficient mice and their wild type counterparts under resting and activating conditions. In silico analysis uncovered major alterations in gene expression in MARCO deficient dendritic cells resulting in dramatic alterations in key dendritic cell-specific pathways and functions. Specifically, changes in CD209, FCGR4 and Complement factors can have major consequences on DC-mediated innate responses. Notably, these perturbations were magnified following activation with the TLR-4 agonist lipopolysaccharide. To validate our in silico data, we challenged DC's with various agonists that recognize all mouse TLRs and assessed expression of a set of immune and inflammatory marker genes. This approach identified a differential contribution of MARCO to TLR activation and validated a major role for MARCO in mounting an inflammatory response. Together, our data demonstrate that MARCO differentially affects TLR-induced DC activation and suggest targeting of MARCO could lead to different outcomes that depend on the inflammatory context encountered by DC.

The role of intracellular Ca2+ pools in oscillations of the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c) triggered by Ca2+ influx was investigated in mouse pancreatic B-cells. [Ca2+]c oscillations occurring spontaneously during glucose stimulation or repetitively induced by pulses of high K+ (in the presence of diazoxide) were characterized by a descending phase in two components. A rapid decrease in [Ca2+]c coincided with closure of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and was followed by a slower phase independent of Ca2+ influx. Blocking the SERCA pump with thapsigargin or cyclopiazonic acid accelerated the rising phase of [Ca2+]c oscillations and increased their amplitude, which suggests that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) rapidly takes up Ca2+. It also suppressed the slow [Ca2+]c recovery phase, which indicates that this phase corresponds to the slow release of Ca2+ that was taken up by the ER during the upstroke of the [Ca2+]c transient. Glucose promoted the buffering capacity of the ER and amplified the slow [Ca2+]c recovery phase. The slow phase induced by high K+ pulses was not affected by modulators of Ca2+- or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced Ca2+ release, did not involve a depolarization-induced Ca2+ release, and was also observed at the end of a rapid rise in [Ca2+]c triggered from caged Ca2+. It is attributed to passive leakage of Ca2+ from the ER. We suggest that the ER displays oscillations of the Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]ER) concomitant and parallel to [Ca2+]c. The observation that thapsigargin depolarizes the membrane of B-cells supports the proposal that the degree of Ca2+ filling of the ER modulates the membrane potential. Therefore, [Ca2+]ER oscillations occurring during glucose stimulation are likely to influence the bursting behavior of B-cells and eventually [Ca2+]c oscillations.

Background: Ca2+ plays an essential role as a second messenger regulating many cellular functions including gene regulation and enzyme activity. Thus intracellular Ca2+ concentration is tightly regulated. Store operated Ca2+ channel (SOC) is a plasma membrane channel, which is activated upon depletion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+. This channel is compromised of two proteins STIM1, that is localized to the ER membrane and senses luminal Ca2+ concentration, and Orai1, that forms the channel at the plasma membrane. To date little is known about the synthesis and maturation of Orai1 protein. Calreticulin and calnexin are two lectin-like chaperones in the ER, which are involved in the synthesis and maturation of many membrane and secretory proteins. In addition to its chaperone function, calreticulin binds Ca2+ with high capacity and low affinity and regulates intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Previously, we showed that loss of calreticulin function activates ER stress pathways leading to the acti...

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is activated by endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store depletion and is a major Ca2+ influx pathway in non-excitable cells. It is widely accepted that Orai1 protein in the plasma membrane (PM) is the channel that mediates SOCE in many cell types. Orai1 is activated when STIM1, an ER transmembrane protein, senses a decrease in the ER Ca2+ concentration and redistributes to ER-PM junctions, where it recruits Orai1 in coincident puncta. We have recently shown that at rest Orai1 actively recycles between an endosomal compartment and the cell membrane in Xenopus laevis oocytes and that ER Ca2+ store depletion translocates most of the Orai1 to the PM. We have also shown that during oocyte maturation Orai1 is internalized resulting in the absence of SOCE in the Xenopus egg. In mammalian cells, mitosis is the only know physiological situation where SOCE is inhibited but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. In this study we investigated the trafficking of Orai1 in C...

Calreticulin is a conserved Ca2+ binding chaperone protein that is localized to the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The protein is implicated in many cellular functions such as the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, the regulation of gene expression, the folding of the newly synthesized proteins, cell adhesion, cancer and auto-immunity. The role of calreticulin in Ca2+ homeostasis regulation through Ca2+ storage and signaling might be the key to explaining the involvement of the protein in many biological functions inside and outside the ER. In this study, we examined whether calreticulin is responsible for regulating store-operated channels (SOC) on the plasma membrane by assessing changes in Ca2+ levels and SOC activity in mouse embryonic fibroblasts that are deficient in calreticulin. Wild type and calreticulin deficient fibroblasts were loaded with fura2-AM and the release of Ca2+ from the ER stores was induced using Thapsigargin or Ionomycin, and Ca2+ levels were measured using InC lm2 computer program. Calreticulin-defiecint fibroblasts showed a marked decrease in Ca2+ influx through SOC compared to wild type. To investigate the mechanism that underlines this decrease in SOC activity we performed western blots using antibodies for ORAI (Calcium release-activated calcium channel protein) and STIM (stromal interacting molecule). Our data showed a significant decrease in the expression of ORAI in the calreticulin-deficient fibroblasts compared to wild type while STIM expression in calreticulin-defiecint fibroblasts did not significantly differ from wild type. We concluded from our data that calreticulin controls SOC activity and this seems to be through regulating the expression of ORAI on the plasma membrane.

Two-pore channels (TPCs) are novel members of the superfamily of voltage-gated ion channels. Their predicted structures indicate 2-fold symmetry with a total of 12 putative transmembrane (TM) α-helices. Sequence homology and membrane topology analyses suggest that TPCs may represent evolutionary intermediates from the single domain 6-TM architecture K+ and non-selective cation channels to the four-repeat 24-TM structure of voltage-gated Ca2+ and Na+ channels. Three genes (TPCN1-3) exist in most vertebrates but their functions remain elusive. We now show that TPC1 and TPC3 are expressed on the membrane of different endosome populations while TPC2 is expressed on the membrane of lysosomes. We provide functional data showing that TPC2 is a target of nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP), a potent Ca2+ mobilizing messenger that evokes Ca2+ release from acidic organelles rather than from the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum. Thus, microsomal membranes enriched with TPC2 exhibit similar high affinity binding with NAADP as native NAADP receptors. In response to NAADP, cells overexpressing TPC2 exhibit enhanced intracellular Ca2+ release and more efficient coupling to IP3 receptors to evoke global Ca2+ transients. These effects were blocked by disrupting lysosomal H+ gradient or RNAi-mediated silencing of TPC2 expression. Our findings provide for the first time a molecular basis for further detailed characterization of the regulatory mechanisms and physiological functions of NAADP-mediated signaling and, in addition, suggest a general role for TPCs in Ca2+ mobilization, Ca2+ homeostasis, and Ca2+ signaling from endosomal/lysosomal compartments of vertebrate cells, which are known to be important for diverse functions in many physiological systems.