TRAF6 suppresses the apoptosis of hemocytes by activating pellino in Crassostrea hongkongensis

Dev Comp Immunol. 2020 Feb:103:103501. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.103501. Epub 2019 Oct 18.

Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), an E3 ubiquitin ligase, participates in both innate and adaptive immunity and regulates the apoptotic process. In this study, we observed that an ortholog of TRAF6 could inhibit the activity of p53 and suppress the apoptotic process in the Hong Kong oyster, Crassostrea hongkongensis. To investigate the possible molecular mechanism of the ChTRAF6-induced antiapoptotic effect, a GST pull-down screening assay was conducted, and ChPellino was found to physically interact with ChTRAF6. In addition, the interaction between them was confirmed by Co-immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, western blotting revealed that the phosphorylation level of ChPellino was decreased after the RNAi of ChTRAF6, demonstrating that ChTRAF6 may be an upstream regulator of Pellino activation. Furthermore, the apoptosis level of hemocytes increased after ChPellino knockdown, and ChPellino overexpression suppressed ChTRAF6-dependent p53 activation. Taken together, these results indicate that ChPellino plays a critical role in suppressing ChTRAF6-dependent anti-apoptosis in the hemocytes of Crassostrea hongkongensis.

Keywords: Apoptosis; ChPellino; ChTRAF6; Crassostrea hongkongensis; Innate immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / immunology*
  • Crassostrea / immunology*
  • Hemocytes / immunology*
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6 / immunology*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / immunology*

Substances

  • TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases