Sam68 is a regulator of Toll-like receptor signaling

Cell Mol Immunol. 2017 Jan;14(1):107-117. doi: 10.1038/cmi.2016.32. Epub 2016 Jul 4.

Abstract

Recognition of pathogens by Toll-like receptors (TLR) activate multiple signaling cascades and expression of genes tailored to mount a primary immune response, inflammation, cell survival and apoptosis. Although TLR-induced activation of pathways, such as nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), has been well studied, molecular entities controlling quantitative regulation of these pathways during an immune response remain poorly defined. We identified Sam68 as a novel regulator of TLR-induced NF-κB and MAPK activation. We found that TLR2 and TLR3 are totally dependent, whereas TLR4 is only partially dependent on Sam68 to induce the activation of NF-κB c-Rel. Absence of Sam68 greatly decreased TLR2- and TLR3-induced NF-κB p65 activation, whereas TLR4-induced p65 activation in a Sam68-independent manner. In contrast, Sam68 appeared to be a negative regulator of MAPK pathways because absence of Sam68 enhanced TLR2-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK). Interestingly, TLR2- and TLR3-induced gene expression showed a differential requirement of Sam68. Absence of Sam68 impaired TLR2-induced gene expression, suggesting that Sam68 has a critical role in myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88-dependent TLR2 signaling. TLR3-induced gene expression that utilize Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor-domain-containing adapter-inducing beta interferon pathway, depend only partially on Sam68. Our findings suggest that Sam68 may function as an immune rheostat that balances the activation of NF-κB p65 and c-Rel, as well as MAPK, revealing a potential novel target to manipulate TLR signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Interleukin-1 / pharmacology
  • Lipopeptides / pharmacology
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Models, Biological
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • RAW 264.7 Cells
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction* / drug effects
  • Toll-Like Receptors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Interleukin-1
  • Khdrbs1 protein, mouse
  • Lipopeptides
  • NF-kappa B
  • Pam(3)CSK(4) peptide
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Toll-Like Receptors