T helper cells that produce interleukin 17 (IL-17) are associated with inflammation and the control of certain bacteria. We report here the essential involvement of the adaptor protein Act1 in IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) signaling and IL-17-dependent immune responses. After stimulation with IL-17, recruitment of Act1 to IL-17R required the IL-17R conserved cytoplasmic 'SEFIR' domain, followed by recruitment of the kinase TAK1 and E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF6, which mediate 'downstream' activation of transcription factor NF-kappaB. IL-17-induced expression of inflammation-related genes was abolished in Act1-deficient primary astroglial and gut epithelial cells. This reduction was associated with much less inflammatory disease in vivo in both autoimmune encephalomyelitis and dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis. Our data show that Act1 is essential in IL-17-dependent signaling in autoimmune and inflammatory disease.

Interleukin (IL)-17, a proinflammatory cytokine mainly produced by T-helper-17 (T H 17) lineage, is required for host defense against bacteria and fungus infection and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Act1 is an essential adaptor molecule in IL-17-mediated signaling pathway, recruited to IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) upon IL-17 stimulation through SEFIR-SEFIR domain interaction. Here we report that Act1 is a novel bona fide U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase, whose activity is essential for IL-17-mediated signaling pathways (including nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB), and partially required for Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation) and inflammatory gene expression (KC (CXCL1), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CFS ) and IL-6) in mammalian cells. By utilizing Ubc13/Uev1A E2 complex, Act1 mediates Lys 63-linked ubiquitination of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), an important signaling component of IL-17-mediated signaling pathway. Deletion and point mutations of the Act1 U-box abolish Act1-mediated ubiquitination of TRAF6 and impair the ability of Act1 to restore IL-17-dependent signaling and inflammatory gene expression in Act1 −/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Importantly, we demonstrate that the Lys 124 residue of TRAF6 is critical for efficient Act1-mediated TRAF6 ubiquitination and for the ability of TRAF6 to mediate IL-17-induced NFκB activation. Thus Act1 mediates IL-17-induced signaling pathways through its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity and TRAF6 is a critical substrate of Act1, indicating the importance of protein ubiquitination in IL-17-dependent inflammatory response.

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A novel cytokine IL-33, an IL-1 family member, signals via ST2 receptor and promotes Th2 responses, through the activation of NF-κB and MAP kinases. Previous studies reported that single Ig IL-1R-related molecule (SIGIRR)/Toll IL-1R8 acts as negative regulator for TLR-IL-1R-mediated signaling. We now found that SIGIRR formed a complex with ST2 upon IL-33 stimulation and specifically inhibited IL-33/ST2-mediated signaling in cell culture model. Furthermore, IL-33-induced Th2 response was enhanced in SIGIRR-deficient mice compared with that in wild-type control mice, suggesting a negative regulatory role of SIGIRR in IL-33/ST2 signaling in vivo. Similar to ST2, SIGIRR was highly expressed in in vitro polarized Th2 cells, but not Th1 cells. SIGIRR-deficient Th2 cells produce higher levels of Th2 cytokines, including IL-5, IL-4, and IL-13, than that in wild-type cells. Moreover, SIGIRR-deficient mice developed stronger Th2 immune response in OVA-challenged asthma model. Taken together, our results suggest that SIGIRR plays an important role in the regulation of Th2 response in vivo, possibly through its impact on IL-33-ST2-mediated signaling.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) is phosphorylated after it is recruited to the receptor, subsequently ubiquitinated, and eventually degraded upon IL-1 stimulation. Although a point mutation changing lysine 134 to arginine (K134R) in IRAK abolished IL-1-induced IRAK ubiquitination and degradation, mutations of serines and threonines adjacent to lysine 134 to alanines ((S/T)A (131-144)) reduced IL-1-induced IRAK phosphorylation and abolished IRAK ubiquitination. Through the study of these IRAK modification mutants, we uncovered two parallel IL-1-mediated signaling pathways for NFB activation, TAK1-dependent and MEKK3-dependent, respectively. These two pathways bifurcate at the level of IRAK modification.

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The transitional stage is a key check-point for elimination of autoreactive B cells in the periphery. This selection process requires fine regulation of signals received through B-cell receptor (BCR) and B cell activating factor receptor (BAFFR). We previously identified the adaptor molecule Act1 as a negative regulator of BAFF-mediated signaling. Deficiency of Act1 in mice results in peripheral B cell hyperplasia and development of autoimmunity. In this study we demonstrate that Act1 plays a critical role in the regulation of transitional B cell survival and maturation. We found that the ratio of late-transitional (T2) to early-transitional (T1) cells was increased in spleens from Act1-deficient mice. Moreover, BAFF stimulation induced better T1 cell survival and promoted more efficient maturation of T1 cells into T2 cells ex vivo in the absence of Act1. BAFF stimulation induced higher levels of the anti-apoptotic Bcl2-member Mc1-l in Act1-deficient T1 than that in wild-type control cells, suggesting that Mcl1 might be one of the key effector molecules for BAFF-mediated survival in the Act1-deficient transitional B cells. Importantly, co-stimulation with BAFF was able to rescue Act1-deficient T1 cells from BCR-induced apoptosis more effectively than Act1-suffienct T1 B cells. Finally, by using double transgenic HEL mice, we demonstrated that Act1 deficiency can promote the maturation of HEL-specific autoreactive B cells. Taken together, our results suggest that the transitional stage is a critical point of action for Act1 in the elimination of autoreactive B cells and in the regulation of peripheral B cell homeostasis.

Background: Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs, also known as iron oxide NPs; IONPs) have high biocompatibility and low biotoxicity. They are widely used in the eld of biotechnology for targeted delivery, image formation, and photothermal therapy. NP biodistribution is determined by macrophage capture in vivo, and recently, the induction of macrophage polarization into the M1 phenotype by IONPs has become a hot topic in research. Previous research has shown that IONPs can induce ferroptosis of ovarian cancer cells and ischemic cardiomyocytes. In this study, we exposed macrophages to synthesized Fe 3 O 4 NPs (100 nm in diameter) and determined the effects of NPs in inducing cell death by RNA sequencing.Results: We observed that after 48 h exposure to NPs, there was a change in the macrophage phenotype and a reduction in cell viability. Then, we demonstrated that NPs could induce macrophage cell damage by increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species and by repressing the mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis of macrophages using RNA sequencing and change in ultrastructural morphology, and found that ferroptosis was caused by the upregulation of p53 expression and inhibition of SLC7A11 expression, as their protein levels after 48 h exposure to Fe 3 O 4 NPs were consistent with erastin-induced ferroptosis.Conclusions: These results provide an insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis induced by Fe 3 O 4 NPs in macrophages and provide a basis for the biotoxicity study of Fe 3 O 4 NPs in vivo.