The orphan nuclear receptor SHP (small heterodimer partner) is a transcriptional corepressor that regulates hepatic metabolic pathways. Here we identified a role for SHP as an intrinsic negative regulator of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-triggered inflammatory responses. SHP-deficient mice were more susceptible to endotoxin-induced sepsis. SHP had dual regulatory functions in a canonical transcription factor NF-κB signaling pathway, acting as both a repressor of transactivation of the NF-κB subunit p65 and an inhibitor of polyubiquitination of the adaptor TRAF6. SHP-mediated inhibition of signaling via the TLR was mimicked by macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP), a strong inducer of SHP expression, via an AMP-activated protein kinase-dependent signaling pathway. Our data identify a previously unrecognized role for SHP in the regulation of TLR signaling.

Endotoxin tolerance reprograms cell responses to LPS by repressing expression of proinflammatory cytokines, while not inhibiting production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and antimicrobial effectors. Molecular mechanisms of induction and maintenance of endotoxin tolerance are incompletely understood, particularly with regard to the impact of endotoxin tolerization on signalosome assembly, activation of adaptor-kinase modules, and expression of negative regulators of TLR signaling in human cells. In this study, we examined LPS-mediated activation of MyD88-dependent and Toll-IL-1R-containing adaptor inducing IFN-beta (TRIF)-dependent pathways emanating from TLR4 and expression of negative regulators of TLR signaling in control and endotoxin-tolerant human monocytes. Endotoxin tolerization suppressed LPS-inducible TLR4-TRIF and TRIF-TANK binding kinase (TBK)1 associations, induction of TBK1 kinase activity, activation of IFN regulatory factor (IRF)-3, and expression of RANTES and IFN-beta. Tolerance-mediated dysregulation of the TLR4-TRIF-TBK1 signaling module was accompanied by increased levels of suppressor of IkappaB kinase-epsilon (SIKE) and sterile alpha and Armadillo motif-containing molecule (SARM). LPS-tolerant cells showed increased expression of negative regulators Toll-interacting protein (Tollip), suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-1, IL-1R-associated kinase-M, and SHIP-1, which correlated with reduced p38 phosphorylation, IkappaB-alpha degradation, and inhibited expression of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8. To examine functional consequences of increased expression of Tollip in LPS-tolerized cells, we overexpressed Tollip in 293/TLR4/MD-2 transfectants and observed blunted LPS-inducible activation of NF-kappaB and RANTES, while TNF-alpha responses were not affected. These data demonstrate dysregulation of TLR4-triggered MyD88- and TRIF-dependent signaling pathways and increased expression of negative regulators of TLR signaling in endotoxin-tolerant human monocytes.

Asp299Gly (D299G) and, to a lesser extent, Thr399Ile (T399I) TLR4 polymorphisms have been associated with Gram negative sepsis and other infectious diseases, but the mechanisms by which they affect TLR4 signaling are unclear. In this study, we determined the impact of the D299G and T399I polymorphisms on TLR4 expression, interactions with myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD2), LPS binding, and LPS-mediated activation of the MyD88- and TIR domain-containing adapter inducing IFN-β (TRIF) signaling pathways. Complementation of human embryonic kidney 293/CD14/MD2 transfectants with wild-type (WT) or mutant yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged TLR4 variants revealed comparable total TLR4 expression, TLR4-MD-2 interactions, and LPS binding. FACS analyses with anti-TLR4 Ab showed only minimal changes in the cell surface levels of the D299G TLR4. Cells transfected with D299G TLR4 exhibited impaired LPS-induced phosphorylation of p38 and TANK binding kinase-1, activation of NF-κB and IFN regulatory factor 3, and induction of IL-8 and IFN-β mRNA, while T399I TLR4 did not cause statistically significant inhibition. In contrast to WT TLR4, expression of the D299G mutants in TLR4−/− mouse macrophages failed to elicit LPS-mediated induction of TNF-α and IFN-β mRNA. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed diminished LPS-driven interaction of MyD88 and TRIF with the D299G TLR4 species, in contrast to robust adapter recruitment exhibited by WT TLR4. Thus, the D299G polymorphism compromises recruitment of MyD88 and TRIF to TLR4 without affecting TLR4 expression, TLR4-MD-2 interaction, or LPS binding, suggesting that it interferes with TLR4 dimerization and assembly of intracellular docking platforms for adapter recruitment.

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