Interleukin-17F signaling requires ubiquitination of interleukin-17 receptor via TRAF6

Cell Signal. 2007 Jul;19(7):1514-20. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2007.01.025. Epub 2007 Feb 6.

Abstract

Interleukin-17F (IL-17F), together with interleukin-17A (IL-17 or IL-17A), is a marker of T(H)17 cells, a new lineage of effector CD4(+) T cells to contribute to pathogenesis of a growing list of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). IL-17F, similar to IL-17A, was reported to employ interleukin-17 receptor (IL-17R or IL-17RA) for signaling but the downstream cascades remain largely elusive. Here we report that TRAF6 interacts with IL-17R and mediates ubiquitination of the receptor. We observed that IL-17F and IL-17A could induce IL-17R ubiquitination and DN-TRAF6, a dominant-negative mutant, could block IL-17F- but not IL-17A-triggered ubiquitination of IL-17R. Moreover, we showed that the ubiquitination of IL-17R was positively correlated with the downstream signaling, as evaluated by a luciferase reporter driven by a putative native promoter of 24p3, an IL-17 targeted gene. Our results indicate that ubiquitination of IL-17R mediated by TRAF6 plays a critical role in IL-17F signaling. This study, for the first time, reveals a possible molecular mechanism that the initiation of the IL-17F/IL-17R signaling pathway requires the receptor ubiquitination by TRAF6.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Receptors, Interleukin-17 / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6 / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism

Substances

  • IL17RA protein, human
  • Interleukin-17
  • Receptors, Interleukin-17
  • TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6
  • Ubiquitin
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases