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Showing papers on "Secretion published in 2014"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Exosomes were described as vesicles of endosomal origin secreted from reticulocytes in the 1980s as discussed by the authors, and their biogenesis, their secretion, and their subsequent fate are discussed, as their functions rely on these important processes.
Abstract: In the 1980s, exosomes were described as vesicles of endosomal origin secreted from reticulocytes. Interest increased around these extracellular vesicles, as they appeared to participate in several cellular processes. Exosomes bear proteins, lipids, and RNAs, mediating intercellular communication between different cell types in the body, and thus affecting normal and pathological conditions. Only recently, scientists acknowledged the difficulty of separating exosomes from other types of extracellular vesicles, which precludes a clear attribution of a particular function to the different types of secreted vesicles. To shed light into this complex but expanding field of science, this review focuses on the definition of exosomes and other secreted extracellular vesicles. Their biogenesis, their secretion, and their subsequent fate are discussed, as their functions rely on these important processes.

3,959 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Interest in the release of membrane-enclosed vesicles by cells into their surrounding environment has been the subject of increasing interest in the past few years, and different families of molecules have been shown to allow intracellular formation of exosomes and their subsequent secretion, which suggests that even among exosome different sub-types exist.

1,314 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the gastrointestinal nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus, which infects mice, secretes vesicles containing microRNAs (miRNAs) and Y RNAs as well as a nematODE Argonaute protein, suggesting that miRNA secretion into host tissues is conserved among parasitic nematodes.
Abstract: In mammalian systems RNA can move between cells via vesicles. Here we demonstrate that the gastrointestinal nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus, which infects mice, secretes vesicles containing microRNAs (miRNAs) and Y RNAs as well as a nematode Argonaute protein. These vesicles are of intestinal origin and are enriched for homologues of mammalian exosome proteins. Administration of the nematode exosomes to mice suppresses Type 2 innate responses and eosinophilia induced by the allergen Alternaria. Microarray analysis of mouse cells incubated with nematode exosomes in vitro identifies Il33r and Dusp1 as suppressed genes, and Dusp1 can be repressed by nematode miRNAs based on a reporter assay. We further identify miRNAs from the filarial nematode Litomosoides sigmodontis in the serum of infected mice, suggesting that miRNA secretion into host tissues is conserved among parasitic nematodes. These results reveal exosomes as another mechanism by which helminths manipulate their hosts and provide a mechanistic framework for RNA transfer between animal species.

591 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
27 Feb 2014-Cell
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the NLRP6 inflammasome, a recently described regulator of colonic microbiota composition and biogeographical distribution, is a critical orchestrator of goblet cell mucin granule exocytosis, linking nonhematopoietic inflammaome signaling to autophagy and highlighting the gobleT cell as a critical innate immune player in the control of intestinal host-microbial mutualism.

538 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: One of the most exciting developments in the field of bacterial pathogenesis in recent years is the discovery that many pathogens utilize complex nanomachines to deliver bacterially encoded effector proteins into target eukaryotic cells.
Abstract: One of the most exciting developments in the field of bacterial pathogenesis in recent years is the discovery that many pathogens utilize complex nanomachines to deliver bacterially encoded effector proteins into target eukaryotic cells. These effector proteins modulate a variety of cellular functions for the pathogen's benefit. One of these protein-delivery machines is the type III secretion system (T3SS). T3SSs are widespread in nature and are encoded not only by bacteria pathogenic to vertebrates or plants but also by bacteria that are symbiotic to plants or insects. A central component of T3SSs is the needle complex, a supramolecular structure that mediates the passage of the secreted proteins across the bacterial envelope. Working in conjunction with several cytoplasmic components, the needle complex engages specific substrates in sequential order, moves them across the bacterial envelope, and ultimately delivers them into eukaryotic cells. The central role of T3SSs in pathogenesis makes them great targets for novel antimicrobial strategies.

437 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that caspase- and PANX1-dependent lysosomal exocytosis has an essential role in ATP release as triggered by immunogenic chemotherapy, and suggests that autophagy-deficient cancer cells fail to elicit therapy-relevant immune responses in vivo.
Abstract: The immunogenic demise of cancer cells can be induced by various chemotherapeutics, such as anthracyclines and oxaliplatin, and provokes an immune response against tumor-associated antigens. Thus, immunogenic cell death (ICD)-inducing antineoplastic agents stimulate a tumor-specific immune response that determines the long-term success of therapy. The release of ATP from dying cells constitutes one of the three major hallmarks of ICD and occurs independently of the two others, namely, the pre-apoptotic exposure of calreticulin on the cell surface and the postmortem release of high-mobility group box 1 (HMBG1) into the extracellular space. Pre-mortem autophagy is known to be required for the ICD-associated secretion of ATP, implying that autophagy-deficient cancer cells fail to elicit therapy-relevant immune responses in vivo. However, the precise molecular mechanisms whereby ATP is actively secreted in the course of ICD remain elusive. Using a combination of pharmacological screens, silencing experiments and techniques to monitor the subcellular localization of ATP, we show here that, in response to ICD inducers, ATP redistributes from lysosomes to autolysosomes and is secreted by a mechanism that requires the lysosomal protein LAMP1, which translocates to the plasma membrane in a strictly caspase-dependent manner. The secretion of ATP additionally involves the caspase-dependent activation of Rho-associated, coiled-coil containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1)-mediated, myosin II-dependent cellular blebbing, as well as the opening of pannexin 1 (PANX1) channels, which is also triggered by caspases. Of note, although autophagy and LAMP1 fail to influence PANX1 channel opening, PANX1 is required for the ICD-associated translocation of LAMP1 to the plasma membrane. Altogether, these findings suggest that caspase- and PANX1-dependent lysosomal exocytosis has an essential role in ATP release as triggered by immunogenic chemotherapy.

367 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is revealed that indole, a metabolite produced from the dissimilation of tryptophan, is able to modulate the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 from immortalized and primary mouse colonic L cells.

348 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that microRNA carrying exosomes can be transferred among different cell lines through direct uptake and, upon uptake, miR-10b can suppress the protein level of its target genes such as HOXD10 and KLF4, indicating its functional significance.
Abstract: Exosomes are 30-100 nm membrane vesicles of endocytic origin, mediating diverse biological functions including tumor cell invasion, cell-cell communication and antigen presentation through transfer of proteins, mRNAs and microRNAs. Recent evidence suggests that microRNAs can be released through ceramide-dependent secretory machinery regulated by neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) enzyme encoded by the smpd3 gene that triggers exosome secretion. However, whether exosome-mediated microRNA transfer plays any role in cell invasion remains poorly understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the exosomal microRNAs involved in breast cancer invasion. The expression level of endogenous and exosomal miRNAs were examined by real time PCR and the expression level of target proteins were detected by western blot. Scanning electron and confocal microscopy were used to characterize exosomes and to study its uptake and transfer. Luciferase reporter plasmids and its mutant were used to confirm direct targeting. Furthermore, the functional significance of exosomal miR-10b was estimated by invasion assay. In this study, we demonstrate that microRNA carrying exosomes can be transferred among different cell lines through direct uptake. miR-10b is highly expressed in metastatic breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells as compared to non-metastatic breast cancer cells or non-malignant breast cells; it is actively secreted into medium via exosomes. In particular, nSMase2 or ceramide promotes the exosome-mediated miR-10b secretion whereas ceramide inhibitor suppresses this secretion. Moreover, upon uptake, miR-10b can suppress the protein level of its target genes such as HOXD10 and KLF4, indicating its functional significance. Finally, treatment with exosomes derived from MDA-MB-231 cells could induce the invasion ability of non-malignant HMLE cells. Together, our results suggest that a set of specific microRNAs may play an important role in modulating tumor microenvironment through exosomes. Thus, a better understanding of this process may aid in the development of novel therapeutic agents.

313 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A hydrolysis-resistant bis-phosphothioate analog of 2′3″-cGAMP (2′3′-cGsAsMP) with similar affinity for human STING in vitro and 10 times more potent at inducing IFN-β secretion from human THP1 monocytes is synthesized.
Abstract: Agonists of mouse STING (TMEM173) shrink and even cure solid tumors by activating innate immunity; human STING (hSTING) agonists are needed to test this therapeutic hypothesis in humans. The endogenous STING agonist is 2'3'-cGAMP, a second messenger that signals the presence of cytosolic double-stranded DNA. We report activity-guided partial purification and identification of ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (ENPP1) to be the dominant 2'3'-cGAMP hydrolyzing activity in cultured cells. The hydrolysis activity of ENPP1 was confirmed using recombinant protein and was depleted in tissue extracts and plasma from Enpp1(-/-) mice. We synthesized a hydrolysis-resistant bisphosphothioate analog of 2'3'-cGAMP (2'3'-cG(s)A(s)MP) that has similar affinity for hSTING in vitro and is ten times more potent at inducing IFN-β secretion from human THP1 monocytes. Studies in mouse Enpp1(-/-) lung fibroblasts indicate that resistance to hydrolysis contributes substantially to its higher potency. 2'3'-cG(s)A(s)MP is therefore improved over natural 2'3'-cGAMP as a model agonist and has potential as a vaccine adjuvant and cancer therapeutic.

313 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Increased glucose in respiratory secretions in pathologic states, such as chronic rhinosinusitis or hyperglycemia, promotes tonic activation of T1R2/3 and suppresses T2R-mediated innate defense, and targeting T1G/3-dependent suppression of T2Rs may have therapeutic potential for upper respiratory tract infections.
Abstract: Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) in the human airway detect harmful compounds, including secreted bacterial products. Here, using human primary sinonasal air-liquid interface cultures and tissue explants, we determined that activation of a subset of airway T2Rs expressed in nasal solitary chemosensory cells activates a calcium wave that propagates through gap junctions to the surrounding respiratory epithelial cells. The T2R-dependent calcium wave stimulated robust secretion of antimicrobial peptides into the mucus that was capable of killing a variety of respiratory pathogens. Furthermore, sweet taste receptor (T1R2/3) activation suppressed T2R-mediated antimicrobial peptide secretion, suggesting that T1R2/3-mediated inhibition of T2Rs prevents full antimicrobial peptide release during times of relative health. In contrast, during acute bacterial infection, T1R2/3 is likely deactivated in response to bacterial consumption of airway surface liquid glucose, alleviating T2R inhibition and resulting in antimicrobial peptide secretion. We found that patients with chronic rhinosinusitis have elevated glucose concentrations in their nasal secretions, and other reports have shown that patients with hyperglycemia likewise have elevated nasal glucose levels. These data suggest that increased glucose in respiratory secretions in pathologic states, such as chronic rhinosinusitis or hyperglycemia, promotes tonic activation of T1R2/3 and suppresses T2R-mediated innate defense. Furthermore, targeting T1R2/3-dependent suppression of T2Rs may have therapeutic potential for upper respiratory tract infections.

311 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
24 Apr 2014-Nature
TL;DR: This work uses electron microscopy to reconstruct the type IV secretion system encoded by the Escherichia coli R388 conjugative plasmid and shows a secretion system with markedly different architecture, and consequently mechanism, to other known bacterial secretion systems.
Abstract: The three-dimensional structure of the type IV secretion system encoded by the Escherichia coli R388 conjugative plasmid. This study reports the use of electron microscopy to reconstruct a large, 3-megadalton complex of the bacterial type IV secretion (T4S) system from Escherichia coli, made up of eight proteins assembled in an intricate stoichiometric relationship to form a stalk spanning the membrane to unite a core outer-membrane-associated complex with an inner membrane complex. The structure reveals a novel architecture that differs markedly from those known from other bacterial secretion systems. T4S systems are used by many bacterial pathogens to deliver virulence factors and to transfer genetic material and also show potential as a tool for the genetic modification of human cells. Bacterial type IV secretion systems translocate virulence factors into eukaryotic cells1,2, distribute genetic material between bacteria and have shown potential as a tool for the genetic modification of human cells3. Given the complex choreography of the substrate through the secretion apparatus4, the molecular mechanism of the type IV secretion system has proved difficult to dissect in the absence of structural data for the entire machinery. Here we use electron microscopy to reconstruct the type IV secretion system encoded by the Escherichia coli R388 conjugative plasmid. We show that eight proteins assemble in an intricate stoichiometric relationship to form an approximately 3 megadalton nanomachine that spans the entire cell envelope. The structure comprises an outer membrane-associated core complex1 connected by a central stalk to a substantial inner membrane complex that is dominated by a battery of 12 VirB4 ATPase subunits organized as side-by-side hexameric barrels. Our results show a secretion system with markedly different architecture, and consequently mechanism, to other known bacterial secretion systems1,4,5,6.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that exosome-mediated secretion of tumor-suppressor miRNA is selected during tumor progression as a mechanism to coordinate activation of a metastatic cascade.
Abstract: Exosomes are small secreted vesicles that can transfer their content to recipient cells. In cancer, exosome secretion has been implicated in tumor growth and metastatic spread. In this study, we explored the possibility that exosomal pathways might discard tumor-suppressor miRNA that restricts metastatic progression. Secreted miRNA characterized from isogenic bladder carcinoma cell lines with differing metastatic potential were uncoupled from binding to target transcripts or the AGO2-miRISC complex. In metastatic cells, we observed a relative increase in secretion of miRNA with tumor-suppressor functions, including miR23b, miR224, and miR921. Ectopic expression of miR23b inhibited invasion, anoikis, angiogenesis, and pulmonary metastasis. Silencing of the exocytotic RAB family members RAB27A or RAB27B halted miR23b and miR921 secretion and reduced cellular invasion. Clinically, elevated levels of RAB27B expression were linked to poor prognosis in two independent cohorts of patients with bladder cancer. Moreover, highly exocytosed miRNA from metastatic cells, such as miR23b, were reduced in lymph node metastases compared with patient-matched primary tumors and were correlated with increments in miRNA-targeted RNA. Taken together, our results suggested that exosome-mediated secretion of tumor-suppressor miRNA is selected during tumor progression as a mechanism to coordinate activation of a metastatic cascade.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The focus of this review is to describe the cytokines, growth factors, and chemokines that are elaborated by eosinophils, and to illustrate some of the intracellular events leading to the release of eos inophil-derived cytokines.
Abstract: Eosinophils derive from the bone marrow and circulate at low levels in the blood in healthy individuals. These granulated cells preferentially leave the circulation and marginate to tissues, where they are implicated in the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity. In diseases such as allergic inflammation, eosinophil numbers escalate markedly in the blood and tissues where inflammatory foci are located. Eosinophils possess a range of immunomodulatory factors that are released upon cell activation, including over 35 cytokines, growth factors, and chemokines. Unlike T and B cells, eosinophils can rapidly release cytokines within minutes in response to stimulation. While some cytokines are stored as pre-formed mediators in crystalloid granules and secretory vesicles, eosinophils are also capable of undergoing de novo synthesis and secretion of these immunological factors. Some of the molecular mechanisms that coordinate the final steps of cytokine secretion are hypothesized to involve binding of membrane fusion complexes comprised of soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs). These intracellular receptors regulate the release of granules and vesicles containing a range of secreted proteins, among which are cytokines and chemokines. Emerging evidence from both human and animal model-based research has suggested an active participation of eosinophils in several physiological/pathological processes such as immunomodulation and tissue remodeling. The observed eosinophil effector functions in health and disease implicate eosinophil cytokine secretion as a fundamental immunoregulatory process. The focus of this review is to describe the cytokines, growth factors, and chemokines that are elaborated by eosinophils, and to illustrate some of the intracellular events leading to the release of eosinophil-derived cytokines.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Critical questions about the epidemiology of chronic, subclinical human colonization with ETBF and its impact on the biology of the colon need to be addressed.
Abstract: The human body comprises fewer host cells than bacterial cells, most of which are obligate anaerobes residing in the gut. The symbiont Bacteroides fragilis constitutes a relatively small proportion (up to 1%-2%) of cultured fecal bacteria, but colonizes most humans. There are 2 classes of B. fragilis distinguished by their ability to secrete a zinc-dependent metalloprotease toxin, B. fragilis toxin (BFT). Strains that do not secrete BFT are nontoxigenic B. fragilis (NTBF), and those that do are called enterotoxigenic B. fragilis (ETBF). ETBF can induce clinical pathology, including inflammatory diarrhea, although asymptomatic colonization may be common. Intestinal inflammation is mediated by BFT, as yet the only known virulence factor of ETBF. Recent experimental evidence demonstrating that ETBF-driven colitis promotes colon tumorigenesis has generated interest in the potential contribution of ETBF to human colon carcinogenesis. Critical questions about the epidemiology of chronic, subclinical human colonization with ETBF and its impact on the biology of the colon need to be addressed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A bacterial effector protein, HopX1, targets host plant JAZ transcriptional repressors for degradation to activate the jasmonate pathway, thereby promoting bacterial pathogenesis by suppressing host defense responses.
Abstract: Pathogenicity of Pseudomonas syringae is dependent on a type III secretion system, which secretes a suite of virulence effector proteins into the host cytoplasm, and the production of a number of toxins such as coronatine (COR), which is a mimic of the plant hormone jasmonate-isoleuce (JA-Ile). Inside the plant cell, effectors target host molecules to subvert the host cell physiology and disrupt defenses. However, despite the fact that elucidating effector action is essential to understanding bacterial pathogenesis, the molecular function and host targets of the vast majority of effectors remain largely unknown. Here, we found that effector HopX1 from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci (Pta) 11528, a strain that does not produce COR, interacts with and promotes the degradation of JAZ proteins, a key family of JA-repressors. We show that hopX1 encodes a cysteine protease, activity that is required for degradation of JAZs by HopX1. HopX1 associates with JAZ proteins through its central ZIM domain and degradation occurs in a COI1-independent manner. Moreover, ectopic expression of HopX1 in Arabidopsis induces the expression of JA-dependent genes, represses salicylic acid (SA)-induced markers, and complements the growth of a COR-deficient P. syringae pv. tomato (Pto) DC3000 strain during natural bacterial infections. Furthermore, HopX1 promoted susceptibility when delivered by the natural type III secretion system, to a similar extent as the addition of COR, and this effect was dependent on its catalytic activity. Altogether, our results indicate that JAZ proteins are direct targets of bacterial effectors to promote activation of JA-induced defenses and susceptibility in Arabidopsis. HopX1 illustrates a paradigm of an alternative evolutionary solution to COR with similar physiological outcome.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review summarizes the recent progress in understanding of the architecture and mechanism of action of these fascinating machines, with emphasis on the 'archetypal' A. tumefaciens VirB/VirD4 T4SS and related conjugation systems.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that after macrophage secretion, MMP-12 is transported into virus-infected cells, and it is suggested that inhibiting extracellular M MP-12 could be a new avenue for the development of antiviral treatments.
Abstract: Interferon-α (IFN-α) is essential for antiviral immunity, but in the absence of matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12) or IκBα (encoded by NFKBIA) we show that IFN-α is retained in the cytosol of virus-infected cells and is not secreted. Our findings suggest that activated IκBα mediates the export of IFN-α from virus-infected cells and that the inability of cells in Mmp12(-/-) but not wild-type mice to express IκBα and thus export IFN-α makes coxsackievirus type B3 infection lethal and renders respiratory syncytial virus more pathogenic. We show here that after macrophage secretion, MMP-12 is transported into virus-infected cells. In HeLa cells MMP-12 is also translocated to the nucleus, where it binds to the NFKBIA promoter, driving transcription. We also identified dual-regulated substrates that are repressed both by MMP-12 binding to the substrate's gene exons and by MMP-12-mediated cleavage of the substrate protein itself. Whereas intracellular MMP-12 mediates NFKBIA transcription, leading to IFN-α secretion and host protection, extracellular MMP-12 cleaves off the IFN-α receptor 2 binding site of systemic IFN-α, preventing an unchecked immune response. Consistent with an unexpected role for MMP-12 in clearing systemic IFN-α, treatment of coxsackievirus type B3-infected wild-type mice with a membrane-impermeable MMP-12 inhibitor elevates systemic IFN-α levels and reduces viral replication in pancreas while sparing intracellular MMP-12. These findings suggest that inhibiting extracellular MMP-12 could be a new avenue for the development of antiviral treatments.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: IFN-γ directly triggers degranulation and death of Paneth cells, which do not respond to microbial stimulation in primary culture.
Abstract: Paneth cells (PCs) are terminally differentiated, highly specialized secretory cells located at the base of the crypts of Lieberkuhn in the small intestine. Besides their antimicrobial function, PCs serve as a component of the intestinal stem cell niche. By secreting granules containing bactericidal proteins like defensins/cryptdins and lysozyme, PCs regulate the microbiome of the gut. Here we study the control of PC degranulation in primary epithelial organoids in culture. We show that PC degranulation does not directly occur upon stimulation with microbial antigens or bacteria. In contrast, the pro-inflammatory cytokine Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) induces rapid and complete loss of granules. Using live cell imaging, we show that degranulation is coupled to luminal extrusion and death of PCs. Transfer of supernatants from in vitro stimulated iNKT cells recapitulates degranulation in an IFN-γ-dependent manner. Furthermore, endogenous IFN-γ secretion induced by anti-CD3 antibody injection causes Paneth loss and release of goblet cell mucus. The identification of IFN-γ as a trigger for degranulation and extrusion of PCs establishes a novel effector mechanism by which immune responses may regulate epithelial status and the gut microbiome.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Using gene-targeted mice, data show that XIAP controls RIP3-dependent cell death and IL-1β secretion in response to TNF, which might contribute to hyperinflammation in patients with XLP-2.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A model for pilus biogenesis and substrate transfer in conjugative systems is proposed and provides a renewed view of the mechanism that might help to envisage new strategies to curb the threating expansion of antibiotic resistance.
Abstract: Bacterial conjugation is one of the main mechanisms for horizontal gene transfer. It constitutes a key element in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes to human pathogenic bacteria. DNA transfer is mediated by a membrane-associated macromolecular machinery called Type IV secretion system (T4SS). T4SSs are involved not only in bacterial conjugation but also in the transport of virulence factors by pathogenic bacteria. Thus, the search for specific inhibitors of different T4SS components opens a novel approach to restrict plasmid dissemination. This review highlights recent biochemical and structural findings that shed new light on the molecular mechanisms of DNA and protein transport by T4SS. Based on these data, a model for pilus biogenesis and substrate transfer in conjugative systems is proposed. This model provides a renewed view of the mechanism that might help to envisage new strategies to curb the threating expansion of antibiotic resistance.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work describes the characterization of a P. aeruginosa H3-T6SS-dependent phospholipase D effector, PldB, and its three tightly linked cognate immunity proteins, implying a potentially widespread T 6SS-mediated mechanism, which deploys a single phospholIPase effector to influence both prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic hosts.

Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: Continued advances in the understanding of the nerve-mediated regulation of salivary glands should help in the development of strategies for preventing chronic oral dryness resulting from drugs or atrophic disease associated with inflammation and irradiation.
Abstract: Maintenance of a film of saliva on oral surfaces is dependent upon nerve-mediated, reflex salivary gland secretion. Afferent signalling arises from taste, olfaction and mastication and is modified by signalling from other centres in the central nervous system before efferent signals are delivered to salivary glands in autonomic nerves. Salivary fluid secretion is largely dependent upon cholinergic signalling from parasympathetic nerves whilst the protein content of saliva is additionally dependent upon signalling by neuropeptides and, in the major (parotid, submandibular and sublingual) salivary glands, by sympathetic nerves and the release of noradrenaline. There have been significant recent advances in our understanding of the membrane transport proteins involved in intracellular calcium signalling in salivary acinar cells in response to nerve stimulation and of the ion transport proteins responsible for acinar cell secretion of saliva. Salivary glands retain an ability to regenerate following extreme atrophy, and autonomic nerves have an important role in both gland development and maintenance of long-term normal function. Continued advances in the understanding of the nerve-mediated regulation of salivary glands should help in the development of strategies for preventing chronic oral dryness resulting from drugs or atrophic disease associated with inflammation and irradiation.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Recent advances in the identification and characterization of T6SS effector proteins are summarized, highlighting the broad repertoire of enzymatic activities, and recent findings relating to the secretion mechanisms are discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Cryo-transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that an electron dense surface layer known to comprise CTD proteins accounted for a large proportion of the OMVs' volume providing an explanation for the enrichment of CTDprotein, finding that P. gingivalis is able to specifically concentrate and release a large number of its virulence factors into the environment in the form of OMVs.
Abstract: Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen associated with chronic periodontitis, produces outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that carry a cargo of virulence factors. In this study, the proteome of OMVs was determined by LC-MS/MS analyses of SDS-PAGE fractions, and a total of 151 OMV proteins were identified, with all but one likely to have originated from either the outer membrane or periplasm. Of these, 30 exhibited a C-terminal secretion signal known as the CTD that localizes them to the cell/vesicle surface, 79 and 27 were localized to the vesicle membrane and lumen respectively while 15 were of uncertain location. All of the CTD proteins along with other virulence factors were found to be considerably enriched in the OMVs, while proteins exhibiting the OmpA peptidoglycan-binding motif and TonB-dependent receptors were preferentially retained on the outer membrane of the cell. Cryo-transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that an electron dense surface layer known to comprise CTD proteins accounted for a large proportion of the OMVs' volume providing an explanation for the enrichment of CTD proteins. Together the results show that P. gingivalis is able to specifically concentrate and release a large number of its virulence factors into the environment in the form of OMVs.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results show that the G51D mutation significantly attenuates α-Syn aggregation in vitro, and suggest that the PD-linked mutations may cause neurodegeneration via different mechanisms, some of which may be independent of α- Syn aggregation.
Abstract: A novel mutation in the α-Synuclein (α-Syn) gene "G51D" was recently identified in two familial cases exhibiting features of Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). In this study, we explored the impact of this novel mutation on the aggregation, cellular and biophysical properties of α-Syn, in an attempt to unravel how this mutant contributes to PD/MSA. Our results show that the G51D mutation significantly attenuates α-Syn aggregation in vitro. Moreover, it disrupts local helix formation in the presence of SDS, decreases binding to lipid vesicles C-terminal to the site of mutation and severely inhibits helical folding in the presence of acidic vesicles. When expressed in yeast, α-Syn(G51D) behaves similarly to α-Syn(A30P), as both exhibit impaired membrane association, form few inclusions and are non-toxic. In contrast, enhanced secreted and nuclear levels of the G51D mutant were observed in mammalian cells, as well as in primary neurons, where α-Syn(G51D) was enriched in the nuclear compartment, was hyper-phosphorylated at S129 and exacerbated α-Syn-induced mitochondrial fragmentation. Finally, post-mortem human brain tissues of α-Syn(G51D) cases were examined, and revealed only partial colocalization with nuclear membrane markers, probably due to post-mortem tissue delay and fixation. These findings suggest that the PD-linked mutations may cause neurodegeneration via different mechanisms, some of which may be independent of α-Syn aggregation.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used quantitative time-lapse microscopy to show the spread of infectious cytoplasmic material between cells in the absence of lysis, and showed that pharmacological stimulation of the autophagy pathway caused more rapid viral spread in tissue culture and greater pathogenicity in mice.
Abstract: The cell-to-cell spread of cytoplasmic constituents such as nonenveloped viruses and aggregated proteins is usually thought to require cell lysis. However, mechanisms of unconventional secretion have been described that bypass the secretory pathway for the extracellular delivery of cytoplasmic molecules. Components of the autophagy pathway, an intracellular recycling process, have been shown to play a role in the unconventional secretion of cytoplasmic signaling proteins. Poliovirus is a lytic virus, although a few examples of apparently nonlytic spread have been documented. Real demonstration of nonlytic spread for poliovirus or any other cytoplasmic constituent thought to exit cells via unconventional secretion requires demonstration that a small amount of cell lysis in the cellular population is not responsible for the release of cytosolic material. Here, we use quantitative time-lapse microscopy to show the spread of infectious cytoplasmic material between cells in the absence of lysis. siRNA-mediated depletion of autophagy protein LC3 reduced nonlytic intercellular viral transfer. Conversely, pharmacological stimulation of the autophagy pathway caused more rapid viral spread in tissue culture and greater pathogenicity in mice. Thus, the unconventional secretion of infectious material in the absence of cell lysis is enabled by components of the autophagy pathway. It is likely that other nonenveloped viruses also use this pathway for nonlytic intercellular spread to affect pathogenesis in infected hosts.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Secretion through the outer membrane requires maintenance of lipoproteins in a translocation-competent unfolded conformation, likely through interaction with a periplasmic holding chaperone, which delivers the proteins to an outer membrane lipoprotein flippase.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that caspase-1 processing is required for maturation of the intracellular IL-37 precursor for its translocation to the nucleus, and that neutralizing antibodies reverse the suppression of LPS-induced IL-6 inIL-37 transgenic mice, supporting a role for extracellular signaling by IL- 37.
Abstract: IL-37 is a fundamental inhibitor of innate immunity. Human IL-37 has a caspase-1 cleavage site and translocates to the nucleus upon LPS stimulation. Here, we investigated whether caspase-1 processing affects IL-37–mediated suppression of LPS-induced cytokines and the release from cells by analyzing a caspase-1 cleavage site mutant IL-37 (IL-37D20A). Nuclear translocation of IL-37D20A is significantly impaired compared with WT IL-37 in transfected cells. LPS-induced IL-6 was decreased in cells expressing WT IL-37 but not IL-37D20A. The function of IL-37 in transfected bone marrow-derived macrophages is nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-dependent, because IL-37 transfection in apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a carboxyl-terminal caspase recruitment domain- and NLRP3-deficient cells does not reduce levels of IL-6 and IL-1β upon LPS stimulation. IL-37–expressing macrophages release both precursor and mature IL-37, but only the externalization of mature IL-37 was dependent on ATP. Precursor and mature IL-37 was also secreted from human dendritic cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. To determine whether IL-37 is active in the extracellular compartment, we pretreated IL-37 transgenic mice with IL-37–neutralizing antibodies before LPS challenge. In IL-37–expressing mice, neutralizing IL-37 antibodies reversed the suppression of LPS-induced serum IL-6. In contrast, the addition of neutralizing antibody did not reverse suppression of LPS-induced IL-6 in mouse macrophages transfected with IL-37. Although caspase-1 is required for nuclear translocation of intracellular IL-37 and for secretion of mature IL-37, the release of the IL-37 precursor is independent of caspase-1 activation. IL-37 now emerges as a dual-function cytokine with intra- and extracellular properties for suppressing innate inflammation.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review focuses on recent advances in the field of T2SS, and discusses open questions regarding the secretion mechanism, as part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein trafficking and secretion in bacteria.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work demonstrates the active production of vesicle production by Streptococcus pneumoniae from the plasma membrane, rather than being a product from cell lysis, and shows that pneumococcus produces membrane-derived vesicles particularly enriched in lipoproteins and short-chain fatty acids.