Published online before print January 16, 2008
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
,1
* Hemato-Oncology Unit and Laboratory of Pediatric Oncology, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants, Brussels, Belgium; and
Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Bordet Institute, Brussels, Belgium
2 Correspondence: Hopital des Enfants Cancer, Av. J. J. Crocq 15, Brussels, Belgium 1020, Belgium. E-mail: esariban{at}ulb.ac.be
|
|
|---|
Key Words: neuropeptides cell activation signal transduction adhesion molecules exocytosis
|
|
|---|
VPAC1 is preferentially coupled to G
s protein, and many studies have identified the VPAC1 receptor and the cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway as being major mediators of VIP effects on hematopoïetic cells. However, VIP-induced, cAMP-independent pathways have also been reported. This was based on the fact that H89, a specific PKA inhibitor, was not effective in blocking some VIP-induced effects [11
, 17
, 26
]. These reports were not taking into account that cAMP-dependent/PKA-independent pathways could also play a role in VIP effects.
Recently, exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (EPAC), a guanine nucleotide-exchange factor activated by cAMP, has been identified as an alternative cAMP target [27 ]. EPAC regulates the GTPase activity of Rap1, a member of the Ras superfamily of monomeric GTPase. Rap1 signaling regulates several important cellular process [28 , 29 ]; one of the most consistent finding is the involvement of Rap1 in the stimulation of exocytosis by cAMP in a number of cells of different origins as well as the implication of Rap1 in the activation of a variety of integrins [30 31 32 33 34 35 ]. Although at first, it was reported that human peripheral blood monocytes and neutrophils were not expressing EPAC transcripts [36 ], further studies clearly indicated the presence of EPAC mRNA or protein in primary phagocytic cells [31 , 32 , 37 ], as well as the role of EPAC in myeloid cell function [38 ].
Human neutrophils express the formyl peptide receptor (FPR), the high-affinity receptor for the bacterial peptide fMLP, as well as the structurally related FPR-like 1 receptor (FPRL1), a promiscuous receptor having low affinity for fMLP as well as for numerous and chemically unrelated ligands [39 , 40 ]. FPR and FPRL1 are involved through neutrophil degranulation in exocytosis of inflammatory mediators and CD11b membrane integrin up-regulation. Recently, it has been reported that PACAP but not VIP in human neutrophils is also a functional ligand for FPRL1. Of interest, in neuronal cells, some effects of PACAP are mediated through a cAMP/EPAC-dependent, PKA-independent signaling cascade [41 , 42 ]. As we found previously that VPAC1 is differentially regulated in human neutrophils and monocytes [13 14 15 16 ], we evaluate in this study whether in monocytes, VIP can modulate signaling pathways and functions. In sharp contrast to what has been reported in neutrophils [43 ], we did find that human monocytes are sensitive to VIP.
|
|
|---|
Cell preparation and treatment
PBMC were isolated by centrifugation on a Ficoll-Metrizoate density gradient (Lymphoprep, Lucron Bioproducts, Axis-Shield, Norway). PBMC were suspended in RPMI-1640 medium (BioWhittaker, Europe) containing 10% heat-inactivated FBS (NV Life Technologie, Rockville, MD, USA), 100 U/ml penicillin, and 100 µg/ml streptomycin. Monocytes were purified further by adherence for 90 min to gelatin-coated plastic flasks, previously incubated with FBS. Differential cell counts revealed that these preparations were >95% monocytes and >99% viable. Thereafter, purified monocytes were cultured overnight and used for experiments the day after. Thus, the time for venipuncture to performance of the experiment was 24 h. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells and FPRL1-transfected CHO-K1 cells [45
] were kindly provided by Marc Parmentier (Free University, Brussels). In studies using inhibitors of biochemical pathways, cells were treated for 1 min with WRW4 (10 µM), 10 min with U73122 (10 µM), 30 min with PD98059 (10 µM), 30 min with SB203580 (10 µM), 30 min with H89 (10 µM), 60 min with LY294002 (10 µM), and 120 min with pertussis toxin (PTX; 200 ng/ml). Thereafter, cells were exposed to 10 µM VIP for 10 min and analyzed. Monocyte exposure to these different inhibitors did not alter their viability, as measured by the propidium iodide exclusion test. Dose and time exposure was similar to the ones reported in the literature for LY294002 [46
], U73122 [47
], PTX [48
], PD98059 and SB203580 [49
], WRW4 [50
], and H89 [51
]. Activated monocytes used as positive controls consist in monocytes exposed to fMLP (0.1 µM, 2 min) or LPS (1 µg/ml, 10 min). When indicated, forskolin (FK) was used at 10 µM for 20 min and 8CPT-2Me-cAMP at 10 µM for 30 min.
RT-PCR
RNA isolation and RT-PCR were performed as reported previously using specific primers set for VPAC1 [14
, 15
] and for glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH). Monocytes and neutrophils were used as positive controls for VPAC1 expression, and the T-lymphoblastoid cell line SupT-1 was used as negative control.
Measurement of calcium signals
Free intracellular calcium was determined as described previously [15
, 16
] with a LS50B fluorescence Photometer (Perkin Elmer, Norwalk, CT, USA) in purified monocyte loaded with the calcium-sensitive dye Fluo-3/AM, and calcium concentration was calculated from fluorescence using the equation [52
]: [Ca2+] = (dF – Fmin/Fmax–dF)Kd. In this formula, dF is the observed fluorescence, Fmin is the fluorescence at low Ca2+, 5 mM EGTA, Fmax is the fluorescence at high Ca2+, 8 µM ionomycin, and Kd= 390 nM for Fluo-3/AM. Values Fmin and Fmax were obtained at the end of each experiment. Peak values and plateau phase are recorded, this last data being calculated as the area under the curve, starting at the peak, up to 200 s after, and expressed as arbitrary units.
Western blot analysis
Cell lysates were subjected to SDS-PAGE using 10% polyacrylamide gels and transferred to polyvinylidene fluoride membranes (Amersham Biosciences, Uppsala, Sweden) using a semidry electroblot chamber. Membranes were blocked with TBST containing 5% BSA overnight at 4°C. The blots were incubated with primary antibodies diluted in TBST for 1 h at 25°C. Following 1 h of incubation with goat-antirabbit peroxidase-conjugated antibody (Sigma Chemical Co.) at room temperature, proteins were detected by the electogenerated chemiluminescence method (Amersham Biosciences), according to the manufacturers instructions. Blots were stripped by incubation in 62.5 mM Tris-HCl, 2% SDS, 100 mM 2-ME (pH 6.7), for 30 min at 50°C. Stripped blots were then rinsed extensively with TBST and reprobed as described above. Detection of ERK, p38, phospho-ERK (Tyr204), and phospho-p38 (Tyr182) was done using specific mAb (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA) [15
, 16
].
Assessment of H2O2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) production
Intracellular production of H2O2 was analyzed on a Perkin Elmer LS50B luminescence spectrometer (Fluometer) as reported [15
, 16
]. Monocytes (106/ml) were incubated at 37°C for 20 min with 20 mM 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) diacetate (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR, USA). After labeling, cells were treated, and production of H2O2 was then monitored every 10 min by measuring DCF emission at 525 nm; results were expressed as relative fluorescence intensity ± SEM. MMP-9 production was determined by a gelatin assay as described [15
, 16
].
Flow cytometry
Expression of CD11b (membrane-activated complex 1) and of the complement receptor 1 CD35 was analyzed on a flow cytometer (FACSort, Becton Dickinson, San Jose, CA, USA), as described previously [13
], and results were reported as mean fluorescence ± SEM. Antibodies were from Becton Dickinson. Control of isotype-matched antibody was assayed in parallel.
Rap1 activation assays
Rap1 activation assays were performed as described [53
]. Briefly, an equal amount of cell lysates was incubated with the Ras-binding domain of Ras-related GTPase (Ral)-GDP dissociation stimulator (GDS) fused to GST provided by Johannes Bos (Utrecht, the Netherlands). This fusion protein was precoupled to glutathione beads to specifically pull down the activated GTP-bound form of Rap1, and activation of Rap1 was analyzed by immunoblotting using a Rap1 antibody. As negative control, glutathione beads incubated with serum before tumbling with cell lysate were used.
Statistical analysis
Statistical differences were determined with Students t-test or Wilcoxon matched pairs test using Prism 3.0 statistical software (Graphpad, San Diego, CA, USA). In experiments where cells were exposed only to VIP, differences were regarded as significant when *, P < 0.05, **, P < 0.01, or ***, P < 0.001, versus untreated cells. In experiments where cells were pretreated with inhibitors before exposure to VIP, differences were regarded as significant when , P < 0.05, or , P < 0.01, versus VIP-treated cells.
|
|
|---|
![]() View larger version (30K): [in a new window] |
Figure 1. Activation of the PI-3K pathway by VIP. Kinetics (A) and dose response (B) of VIP-induced Akt phosphorylation (pAkt) are presented as well as the dose-response effect of the PI-3K inhibitor LY294002 (LY), the PKA inhibitor H89, and the PLC inhibitor U73122 in VIP-treated cells (10 min; C and D). Preincubation times with the different inhibitors are 10 min for PLC, 20 min for H89, and 60 min for LY294002. Cells lysates were subjected to SDS-PAGE analysis, and phosphorylation of Akt was analyzed by immunoblotting using antibodies against the phosphorylated form of the protein. Equal protein loading was confirmed by stripping the blots and reprobing them with an antibody against total p38. All of the results shown are representative of at least three separated experiments. c, Control.
|
![]() View larger version (33K): [in a new window] |
Figure 2. Activation and regulation of ERK and p38 MAPK by VIP. VIP-treated monocytes were analyzed for phosphorylation of ERK (pERK; A, C, E, G, I) and p38 (pp38; B, D, F, H, J). Kinetics in cells exposed to 10 µM VIP (A and B) and dose response of VIP-treated cells for 10 min (C and D) are presented as well as the effect of preincubation with inhibitors of ERK (E), p38 (F), PKA (G and H), and PI-3K pathways (I and J) in VIP-treated cells (10 µM). Unstimulated cells were run as a negative control (C). Preincubation times with the different inhibitors are 20 min for H89, 30 min for PD098059 (PD), 30 min for SB203580 (SB), and 60 min for LY294002. Cells were analyzed as described in Figure 1
, and results are representative of at least three separated experiments.
|
![]() View larger version (34K): [in a new window] |
Figure 3. Role of EPAC in VIP-treated monocytes, which were exposed to VIP for the indicated time (A) or the indicated concentration (B) or to 10 µM 8CPT-2Me-cAMP (A, B), with or without pretreatment with H89 (A). Cells were then lysed and analyzed for GTP-bound Rap1 (upper blot) as well as total Rap1 (lower blot). Cells exposed to VIP or to the specific EPAC activator 8-CPT-2Me-cAMP were analyzed by Western blotting for Akt (C) and ERK and p38 (D) phosphorylation using the appropriate antibody.
|
![]() View larger version (22K): [in a new window] |
Figure 4. VIP increased in CD11b integrin membrane expression is ERK-, p38-, PI-3K-, cAMP/PKA-, and cAMP/EPAC-dependent. Kinetics (A) and dose-response (B) of VIP increased in CD11b integrin expression are presented as well as the effect of inhibitors of p38 and ERK (C) and PKA and PI-3K pathways (D) in monocytes exposed to 10 µM VIP. CD11b expression was evaluated in cells exposed to VIP and 8CPT-2Me-cAMP (E), and the effect of PI-3K and PLC inhibitors on 8CPT-2Me-cAMP-mediated CD11b up-regulation is shown in F. CD11b expression was measured by means of PE-labeled anti-CD11b and was analyzed by flow cytometry. Mean fluorescence intensity for control samples is 100 ± 6.9. The results are expressed as mean fluorescence ± SEM from three different experiments. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.005, versus control; , P < 0.05, versus VIP or 8CPT-2Me-cAMP-treated cells.
|
![]() View larger version (19K): [in a new window] |
Figure 5. VIP increased in CD35 and MMP9 expression is cAMP/PKA/p38-dependent but EPAC/ERK-independent. Cells exposed to VIP were analyzed for CD35 up-regulation by flow cytometry. Kinetics (A) and dose-response (B) are shown as well as the effects of the cAMP-elevating agents 8CPT-2Me-cAMP and FK on CD35 up-regulation (C) and the effects of the ERK (PD), p38 (SB), and MAPK and PKA (H89) inhibitors on CD35 expression in VIP-stimulated cells (C). Statistical evaluation is as in Figure 3
. Exocytosis of MMP-9 is evaluated by a gelatinase assay (D–F). Time course of MMP-9 release in response to VIP stimulation (D), dose-response effects of VIP on MMP-9 secretion (E), and effects of the cAMP-elevating agents 8CPT-2Me-cAMP and FK on MMP-9 secretion (F) and of the inhibitors of p38 (SB), ERK (PD), and MAPK and PKA (H89) pathways on VIP-induced stimulation of MMP-9 release is presented (F). Mean fluorescence intensity for control samples in CD35 experiments is 27 ± 4.1. Data from one experiment are representative of three others. *, P < 0.08; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.005, vs. control; , P < 0.01, vs. VIP-treated cell 5.
|
![]() View larger version (22K): [in a new window] |
Figure 6. VIP biological effects are mediated in part by FPRL1. Monocytes pretreated or not with WRW4 (10 µM, 30 min) were exposed to VIP and analyzed for cAMP production (A), Akt (B), ERK (C), p38 (D), and phosphorylation and CD11b up-regulation (E). (A) cAMP elevation was measured as described in Materials and Methods; VIP pretreatment time was 10 min. **, P< 0.01, versus control. (B–D) Cells were evaluated by Western blotting for Akt, ERK, and p38 phosphorylation using the appropriate antibody. Cells exposed to LPS (Akt and p38) or fMLP (ERK) were used as positive control. (E) WRW4-treated cells exposed to VIP for 30 min were evaluated for CD11b expression as described in Figure 3D
. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01, versus control.
|
![]() View larger version (26K): [in a new window] |
Figure 7. VIP signals through FPRL-1. Wild-type (CHO Wt) and FPRL-1-transfected CHO-K1 cells (CHO t) were analyzed for VPAC1 mRNA expression by RT-PCR using primers specific for VPAC1 (A). Human neutrophils and monocytes were used as positive control (+), and the human T lymphoid SupT-1 cells were used as negative control (–). G3PDH was used as control to test the integrity and the quantity of the mRNAs. CHO cells were exposed to VIP for the indicated times (B, C) or the indicated concentration (D, E) and analyzed as in Figures 1
and 2
for ERK (B, D), Akt (C, D), phosphorylation, as well as for the inhibitory effect of WRW4 on VIP-induced ERK and Akt phosphorylation (E).
|
s and G
i proteins participate in VIP activation of monocytes
s/cAMP/PKA pathway diverts its attention from G
s to G
i, resulting in the activation of β
subunits with downstream activation of the PI-3K and ERK pathways. Interrupting this line of communication by pretreating cells with PTX allowed us to evaluate the role of G
i in VIP-mediated signaling; such treatment dose-dependently prevents Akt (Fig. 8A
) and ERK phosphorylation (Fig. 8B)
and inhibits CD11b up-regulation (Fig. 8D)
without having any effect on p38 phosphorylation (Fig. 8C)
.
![]() View larger version (29K): [in a new window] |
Figure 8. G s and G i participate in VIP-mediated monocyte activation. Monocytes, pretreated or not with PTX (60 min), were exposed to VIP and analyzed by Western blotting for Akt (A), ERK (B), and p38 (C) phosphorylation or by flow cytometry, as described in Figure 3
for CD11b up-regulation (D). **, P < 0.01, versus control; , P < 0.05, versus VIP-treated cells.
|
|
|
|---|
Recently, it was reported that in neutrophils, the proinflammatory effects of PACAP were mediated by VPAC1 and FPRL1, the low-affinity FPR receptor [43 ]; in this study, VIP was reported to have no effect on calcium or ERK phosphorylation. In contrast, we found that in monocytes, VIP increases cAMP, phosphorylates Akt, ERK, and p38, and up-regulates CD11b, CD35 membrane expression, and MMP-9 secretion, indicating that monocytes are sensitive to VIP. Using the FPRL1-blocking hexapeptide WRW4, we found that part of the VIP-mediated signaling was WRW4-dependent. However, cAMP increase, a second messenger not reported to be linked to FPR or FPRL1 [39 , 40 ], and p38 phosphorylation were not affected by WRW4, indicating that at least both receptors, VPAC1 and FPRL1, are interacting with VIP. This was translated to functional tests: Thus, CD35 up-regulation and MMP-9 secretion are cAMP/p38-sensitive and WRW4-resistant, indicating that they are under the control of VPAC1 through a cAMP/p38 pathway. Similar results were recently reported by our group using PACAP instead of VIP to activate monocytes. In these cells, the proinflammatory effects of PACAP linked to Akt/ERK activation were inhibited to WRW4, and p38 phosphorylation was not affected by WRW4 [56 ]. CHO-K1 cells do not express VPAC1. The activation of PI-3K and ERK by VIP in FPRL-1 transfected CHO-K1 cells further confirms that VIP, in addition to VPAC1, uses FPRL1 to initiate signaling pathways. Thus, VIP and PACAP interact with myeloid cells via different receptors to fully activate the cell.
On agonist binding, heterotrimeric Gi proteins coupled to VPAC1 or FPRL1 dissociate into
and β
subunits, the latter activating the PI-3K pathway, which we found in monocytes to be involved in ERK activation and CD11b up-regulation. In agreement, PTX, which inactivates the G
subunits of the
i class, also inhibits Akt and ERK phosphorylation as well as integrin activation.
In FK-induced murine macrophage proliferation, PI-3K phosphorylation is dependent on cAMP and EPAC activation [32 ]. Over the past years, EPAC, the cAMP-dependent guanine exchange factor for the small GTPase Rap1 and Rap2, has emerged as an important, alternative target of cAMP in a number of processes, including exocytosis and cell adhesion through integrin regulation [27 , 34 , 57 ]. PACAP in neuronal cells promotes cell survival, neurite outgrowth, and excitability through a cAMP/EPAC-dependent but PKA-independent manner [41 , 42 ], and in lymphocytes, VIP effects on Th2 cell survival are mediated via cAMP through EPAC [58 ]. Specific roles for PKA versus EPAC in the regulation of phagocyte functions have been reported [31 , 38 , 59 ]. VIP in our study was shown to activate Rap1. In addition, using the cAMP analog 8CPT-2Me-cAMP, which specifically activates EPAC but not PKA [31 ], we found that VIP and 8CPT-2Me-cAMP are activating similar biochemical pathways and functions. Thus, as reported for VIP, 8CPT-2Me-cAMP phosphorylates Akt and ERK and up-regulates CD11b. On the other hand, as opposed to VIP, 8-CPT-cAMP is not acting on p38, on CD35 up-regulation, or MMP-9 secretion. Altogether these results indicate the presence in VIP-activated monocytes of three pathways: Two are VPAC1-dependent, including a cAMP/PKA/p38 pathway, which regulates CD35 and MMP-9, and a cAMP/EPAC/PI3K/ERK pathway, which regulates integrin activation; the third pathway is mediated by VIP/FPRL1 interaction and involved the PI-3K/ERK pathway already activated by VPAC1 through EPAC (Fig. 9 ). Thus, myeloid cells should be added into the growing list of cells where EPAC plays an important role through exocytosis regulation and integrin modulation.
![]() View larger version (20K): [in a new window] |
Figure 9. Conceptual model for the signal transduction cascades initiated in human monocytes exposed to VIP. Occupation of the VPAC1 receptor results initially in the activation of a heterotrimeric G s protein triggering a cAMP/PKA transduction pathway as well as a cAMP/Rap 1 pathway. Activation of the cAMP/PKA pathway leads to p38 MAPK phosphorylation and functional cell activation with CD11b, CD35 membrane up-regulation, and MMP-9 secretion. PKA activation is also responsible for a switch from s/β to i/β containing VPAC1, with subsequent activation of PI-3K. This last pathway plays a key role, as it is activated by the cAMP/Rap 1 pathway under the control of VPAC1 and by the β, subunit of i/β containing FPRL1. PI-3K downstream regulates ERK and CD11b expression. Tertiary granules (dotted lines) are reservoirs of membrane proteins such as CD11b, fMLP receptor, and FPRL1, which become incorporated into the surface membrane when upon activation by proinflammatory agents, these granules fuse with the plasma membrane. We hypothesize that VIP through mobilization of tertiary granules up-regulates not only CD11b expression but also FPRL1 and primes monocytes to further activation by proinflammatory agents. The participation of other GPCR or non-GPCR receptors is not excluded.
|
During inflammation, myeloid cells become primed (i.e., hyper-responsive) with respect to a number of proinflammatory mediators. The priming effect of bacterial LPS has been shown to lie at the level of granule mobilization [63 ]. Thus, LPS-induced priming mobilizes the tertiary granules, which store a considerable pool of FPRL1, thereby up-regulating FPRL1 expression at the cell surface [63 ]. As we show in this work that VIP mobilizes the tertiary granules, it is quite possible that the FPRL1-dependent, proinflammatory effects of VIP are partially dependent on VIP-induced priming of a FPRL1-mediated response at the level of tertiary granule mobilization (Fig. 9) . Thus, GPCR-induced exocytosis of granules containing preformed membrane receptors expands considerably the concept of crosstalk between GPCRs and between GPCR and non-GPCR receptors.
Received May 25, 2007; revised November 19, 2007; accepted December 3, 2007.
|
|
|---|
B and Ets activation J. Biol. Chem. 274,31930-31940
Mβ2 by LPS and other inflammatory mediators Curr. Biol. 10,974-978[CrossRef][Medline]
B Blood 102,662-671
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||