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Biomedical subjects

Philippe Benaroch

Publications and source records attributed to Philippe Benaroch.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Conservation of antiviral systems across domains of life reveals immune genes in humans.

Deciphering the immune organization of eukaryotes is important for human health and for understanding ecosystems. The recent discovery of antiphage systems revealed that various eukaryotic immune proteins originate from prokaryotic antiphage systems. However, whether bacterial antiphage proteins can illuminate immune organization in eukaryotes remains unexplored. Here, we use a phylogeny-driven approach to uncover eukaryotic immune proteins by searching for homologs of bacterial antiphage systems. We demonstrate that proteins displaying sequence similarity with recently discovered antiphage systems are widespread in eukaryotes and maintain a role in human immunity. Two eukaryotic proteins of the anti-transposon piRNA pathway are evolutionarily linked to the antiphage system Mokosh. Additionally, human GTPases of immunity-associated proteins (GIMAPs) as well as two genes encoded in microsynteny, FHAD1 and CTRC, are respectively related to the Eleos and Lamassu prokaryotic systems and exhibit antiviral activity. Our work illustrates how comparative genomics of immune mechanisms can uncover defense genes in eukaryotes.

Humans↗

AP2 clathrin adaptor complex, but not AP1, controls the access of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II to endosomes.

Newly synthesized MHC II alpha- and beta-chains associated with the invariant chain chaperone (Ii) enter the endocytic pathway for Ii degradation and loading with peptides before transport to the cell surface. It is unclear how alphabetaIi complexes are sorted from the Golgi apparatus and directed to endosomes. However, indirect evidence tends to support direct transport involving the AP1 clathrin adaptor complex. Surprisingly, we show here that knocking down the production of AP1 by RNA interference did not affect the trafficking of alphabetaIi complexes. In contrast, AP2 depletion led to a large increase in surface levels of alphabetaIi complexes, inhibited their rapid internalization, and strongly delayed the appearance of mature MHC II in intracellular compartments. Thus, in the cell systems studied here, rapid internalization of alphabetaIi complexes via an AP2-dependent pathway represents a key step for MHC II delivery to endosomes and lysosomes.

Adaptor Protein Complex 1↗

Protein interaction mapping: a Drosophila case study.

The Drosophila (fruit fly) model system has been instrumental in our current understanding of human biology, development, and diseases. Here, we used a high-throughput yeast two-hybrid (Y2H)-based technology to screen 102 bait proteins from Drosophila melanogaster, most of them orthologous to human cancer-related and/or signaling proteins, against high-complexity fly cDNA libraries. More than 2300 protein-protein interactions (PPI) were identified, of which 710 are of high confidence. The computation of a reliability score for each protein-protein interaction and the systematic identification of the interacting domain combined with a prediction of structural/functional motifs allow the elaboration of known complexes and the identification of new ones. The full data set can be visualized using a graphical Web interface, the PIMRider (http://pim.hybrigenics.com), and is also accessible in the PSI standard Molecular Interaction data format. Our fly Protein Interaction Map (PIM) is surprisingly different from the one recently proposed by Giot et al. with little overlap between the two data sets. Analysis of the differences in data sets and methods suggests alternative strategies to enhance the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the post-genomic generation of broad-scale protein interaction maps.

Animals↗

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 Nef expression induces intracellular accumulation of multivesicular bodies and major histocompatibility complex class II complexes: potential role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

Nef alters the cell surface expression of several immunoreceptors, which may contribute to viral escape. We show that Nef modifies major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) intracellular trafficking and thereby its function. In the presence of Nef, mature, peptide-loaded MHC II were down-modulated at the cell surface and accumulated intracellularly, whereas immature (invariant [Ii] chain-associated) MHC II expression at the plasma membrane was increased. Antibody internalization experiments and subcellular fractionation analyses showed that immature MHC II were internalized from the plasma membrane but had limited access to lysosomes, explaining the reduced Ii chain degradation. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that Nef expression induced a marked accumulation of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) containing Nef, MHC II, and high amounts of Ii chain. The Nef-induced up-regulation of surface Ii chain was inhibited by LY294002 exposure, indicating the involvement of a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, whose products play a key role in MVB biogenesis. Together, our results indicate that Nef induces an increase of the number of MVBs where MHC II complexes accumulate. Given that human immunodeficiency virus recruits the MVB machinery for its assembly process, our data raise the possibility that Nef is involved in viral assembly through its effect on MVBs.

Animals↗

Asparagine endopeptidase can initiate the removal of the MHC class II invariant chain chaperone.

The invariant chain (Ii) chaperone for MHC class II molecules is crucial for their effective function. Equally important is its removal. Cathepsins S or L are known to be required for the final stages of Ii removal in different APCs, but the enzymes which initiate Ii processing have not been identified. Here we show that this step can be performed in B lymphocytes by asparagine endopeptidase (AEP), which targets different asparagine residues in the lumenal domain of human and mouse invariant chain. Inhibition of AEP activity slows invariant chain processing and hinders the expression of an antigenic peptide engineered to replace the groove binding region of Ii (CLIP). However, the initiation of Ii removal can also be performed by other proteases, reflecting the importance of this step.

Animals↗

Effects of HIV-1 Nef on retrograde transport from the plasma membrane to the endoplasmic reticulum.

HIV-1 Nef protein down-regulates several important immunoreceptors through interactions with components of the intracellular sorting machinery. Nef expression is also known to induce modifications of the endocytic pathway. Here, we analyzed the effects of Nef on retrograde transport, from the plasma membrane to the endoplasmic reticulum using Shiga toxin B-subunit (STxB). Nef expression inhibited access of STxB to the endoplasmic reticulum, but did not modify the surface expression level of STxB receptor, Gb3, nor its internalization rate as measured with a newly developed assay. Mutation of the myristoylation site or of a di-leucine motif of Nef involved in the interaction with the clathrin adaptor complexes AP1 and AP2 abolished the inhibition of retrograde transport. In contrast, mutations of Nef motifs known to interact with PACS-1, beta COP or a subunit of the v-ATPase did not modify the inhibitory activity of Nef on retrograde transport. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that Nef was present in clusters located on endosomal or Golgi membranes together with internalized STxB. Furthermore, in strongly Nef-expressing cells, STxB accumulated in endosomal structures that labeled with AP1. Our observations show that Nef perturbs retrograde transport between the early endosome and the endoplasmic reticulum. The potential transport steps targeted by Nef are discussed.

Cell Membrane↗

Down-modulation of mature major histocompatibility complex class II and up-regulation of invariant chain cell surface expression are well-conserved functions of human and simian immunodeficiency virus nef alleles.

Recently, it has been demonstrated that the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Nef from laboratory strains down-modulates cell surface expression of mature major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecules, while up-regulating surface expression of the invariant chain (Ii) associated with immature MHC-II (P. Stumptner-Cuvelette, S. Morchoisne, M. Dugast, S. Le Gall, G. Raposo, O. Schwartz, and P. Benaroch, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98:12144-12149, 2001). These Nef functions could contribute to impaired CD4(+)-T-helper-cell responses found in HIV-1-infected patients with progressive disease. However, it is currently unknown whether nef alleles derived from HIV-1-infected individuals or from other primate lentiviruses also modulate MHC-II and Ii. In the present study, we demonstrate that both activities are conserved among primary HIV-1 nef alleles, as well as among HIV-2 and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) nef alleles. Down-modulation of mature MHC-II required high levels of Nef expression. In contrast, surface expression of Ii was already strongly increased at low to medium levels of Nef expression. Notably, nef genes derived from two of four HIV-1-infected long-term nonprogressors did not up-regulate Ii, whereas nef alleles derived from 10 individuals with progressive disease were active in this assay. Unlike other in vitro Nef functions, the average activity of Nef in modulating MHC-II and Ii surface expression did not change significantly during the course of infection. Mutational analysis confirmed that MHC-II down- and Ii up-regulation are functionally separable from each other and from other Nef functions and identified acidic residues, located at the base of the flexible C-proximal loop of Nef, that are critical for increased Ii expression. Overall, our results suggest that the ability of Nef to interfere with MHC-II antigen presentation might play a role in AIDS pathogenesis.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Human macrophages accumulate HIV-1 particles in MHC II compartments.

Macrophages are important targets for HIV-1 infection and harbor the virions in an as yet unidentified organelle. To determine the location of HIV-1 in these cells, an extensive analysis of primary human macrophages infected in vitro with HIV-1 was carried out by immuno-electron microscopy. Virus particles were found to accumulate in intracellular multivesicular compartments which were enriched in major histocompatibility complex class II molecules and CD63. These features are characteristics of major histocompatibility complex class II compartments where maturing class II molecules acquire their peptide cargo. The membrane-delimited, electron-dense virus particles of 100-110 nm diameter labeled strongly for HIV-1 p24 antigen, major histocompatibility complex class II molecules, CD63 and, to a lesser extent for HIV-1 gp120 envelope protein and Lamp 1. Our data suggest that virus particles may access the lumen of the major histocompatibility complex class II compartment by budding from the limiting membrane, thus acquiring proteins of this membrane such as class II and CD63. Viral assembly and budding would therefore occur in macrophages by a process similar to the formation of the internal vesicles in multivesicular bodies and at the same location. This could account for the particular content in lipids and proteins previously found in the membrane wrapping HIV particles. Our observations also suggest direct fusion of the virus containing major histocompatibility complex class II compartment with the plasma membrane, leading to massive release of viral particles into the extracellular medium.

Cell Compartmentation↗

Exosomes bearing HLA-DR1 molecules need dendritic cells to efficiently stimulate specific T cells.

Exosomes are small vesicles (60-100 nm) secreted by various cell types upon the fusion of endosomal compartments with the plasma membrane. Exosomes from antigen-presenting cells (APC), such as B lymphocytes and dendritic cells (DC), bear MHC class II molecules. In addition, the injection of DC-derived exosomes was reported to elicit potent T cell responses in vivo. Here, we analyzed the activation of specific T cells by MHC class II-bearing exosomes in vitro. The rat mast cell line, RBL-2H3, was engineered to express human class II molecules uniformly loaded with an antigenic peptide [HLA-DR1-hemagglutinin (HA)]. These cells secreted exosomes bearing DR1 class II molecules upon stimulation by a calcium ionophore or IgE receptor cross-linking. Exosomes bearing DR1-HA(306-318) complexes activated HA/DR1-specific T cells only weakly, whereas the cross-linking of such exosomes to latex beads increased stimulation of specific T cells. By contrast, the incubation of free exosomes with DC resulted in the highly efficient stimulation of specific T cells. Thus, exosomes bearing MHC class II complexes must be taken up by professional APC for efficient T cell activation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗