Cutting edge: autoantigen Ro52 is an interferon inducible E3 ligase that ubiquitinates IRF-8 and enhances cytokine expression in macrophages

J Immunol. 2007 Jul 1;179(1):26-30. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.179.1.26.

Abstract

IFN regulatory factor (IRF)-8 is a transcription factor important for the development and function of macrophages. It plays a critical role in the induction of cytokine genes, including IL-12p40. Immunopurification and mass spectrometry analysis found that IRF-8 interacted with Ro52 in murine macrophages upon IFN-gamma and TLR stimulation. Ro52 is an IFN-inducible protein of the tripartite motif (TRIM) family and is an autoantigen present in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. Ro52 has a RING motif and is capable of ubiquitinating itself. We show that IRF-8 is ubiquitinated by Ro52 both in vivo and in vitro. Ectopic expression of Ro52 enhanced IL-12p40 expression in IFN-gamma/TLR-stimulated macrophages in an IRF-8-dependent manner. Together, Ro52 is an E3 ligase for IRF-8 that acts in a non-degradation pathway of ubiquitination, and contributes to the elicitation of innate immunity in macrophages.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoantigens / chemistry
  • Autoantigens / metabolism
  • Autoantigens / physiology
  • Cell Line
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis*
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors / chemistry
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors / metabolism*
  • Interferon-gamma / physiology*
  • Macrophage Activation / immunology
  • Macrophages / enzymology
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Ribonucleoproteins / chemistry
  • Ribonucleoproteins / metabolism
  • Ribonucleoproteins / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / immunology
  • Toll-Like Receptors / physiology
  • Ubiquitin / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / biosynthesis
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / physiology*
  • Up-Regulation / immunology*

Substances

  • Autoantigens
  • Cytokines
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors
  • Ribonucleoproteins
  • SS-A antigen
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • Ubiquitin
  • interferon regulatory factor-8
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases