NOD2 and TLR2 recognize components of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan and direct defense against enteric pathogens. CD8 + T cells are important for immunity to such pathogens but how NOD2 and TLR2 induce antigen specific CD8 + T cell responses is unknown. Here, we define how these pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) signal in primary dendritic cells (DCs) to influence MHC class I antigen presentation. We show NOD2 and TLR2 phosphorylate PI31 via TBK1 following activation in DCs. PI31 interacts with TBK1 and Sec16A at endoplasmic reticulum exit sites (ERES), which positively regulates MHC class I peptide loading and immunoproteasome stability. Following NOD2 and TLR2 stimulation, depletion of PI31 or inhibition of TBK1 activity in vivo impairs DC cross-presentation and CD8 + T cell activation.DCs from Crohn's patients expressing NOD2 polymorphisms show dysregulated crosspresentation and CD8 + T cell responses. Our findings reveal unidentified mechanisms that underlie CD8 + T cell responses to bacteria in health and in Crohn's.
KeywordsInnate Immunity, NOD2, TLR2, Cross-presentation, CD8 + T cells, Crohn's Disease PRR engagement increases CD8 + T cell activation by cross-presented peptides, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are not completely defined (22,23,4,24,19,25,26). TLR4dependent phosphorylation of phagosomal SNAP-23 recruits MHC class I molecules from endosomal recycling compartments to phagosomes, which promotes cross-presentation (27). However, the mechanisms by which either NOD2 or TLR2 signal to the MHC class I antigen presentation machinery to enhance CD8 + T cell activation remain unclear. We hypothesized undertaking an unbiased screen of NOD2 and TLR2 signaling in primary DCs would reveal molecules co-opted by these receptors to enable cross-presentation. Utilizing information obtained from a quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis comparing NOD2 and TLR2 signaling in human DCs, we discovered that NOD2 in combination with TLR2 phosphorylates PI31. This signaling pathway links PI31 with defective cross-presentation as found in Crohn's.
Materials and Methods
Study DesignThe objective of this study was to explore the role of NOD2 and TLR2 in cross-presentation in human dendritic cells undertaking an unbiased screen. We have used a quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) followed by a computational analysis to identify the proteins as differentially abundant in response to NOD2 and TLR2 sensing. Validation of the phosphoproteomic analysis was performed by the detection of proteins in phosphoenriched lysates and detected by western blot.Techniques for the modulation of gene expression (shRNA and siRNA) were used to confirm the results of observational studies. Immunoprecipitation, in-gel or in-solution digestions and HLAassociated peptide purification were all performed in primary DCs isolated from healthy donors and analysed on an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography system. Cellular analysis of cross-presentation e...