Lectures 1-3 Flashcards
What are autoinflammatory diseases caused by? Give two examples.
dysregulation of the innate immune system
e.g. loss of function or gain of function mutation
Where do mutations occur in relation to the innate immune response?
within a single gene encoding a component of this response
How does the adaptive immune system behave in the case of autoinflammatory disease?
behaves normally, although prolonged strong stimulation from the innate immune system may lead to abnormalities such as autoantibody production
What does excessive signalling from innate immune components stimulate?
stimulates to innate and adaptive effectors to cause the pathology of the disease
What are inflammasopathies the result of?
overproduction of IL-1β and IL-18 due to unnecessary inflammasome activation
What is the commonality of all inflammasomes? Why?
produce IL-1β and IL-18
this is because the pathways of all inflammasomes converge to activate caspase 1 which cleaves pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18
Why do activating mutations in the different inflammasomes cause different diseases?
different inflammasomes may be dominant in different types of innate immune cells + variable amounts of pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18
What domains are found in pyrin, NLRP3, NLRC4, NLRP1 and ASC respectively?
pyrin: PYD-(coil-coil)-(B-boxes) NLRP3: PYD-NACHT-LRR NLRC4: CARD-NACHT-LRR NLRP1: PYD-NACHT-LRR-FIIND-CARD ASC: CARD-PYD
What is the NLRP3 inflammasome activated by?
mitochondrial DNA, T3SS system components, bacterial toxins, ROS, disruption of lysosomes
What type of mutation is a PAAND mutation?
dominant mutation in the gene for pyrin
What did the PAAND mutation teach us about pyrin?
pyrin detects pathogens as bacterial toxins inactivate RhoGTPases such as RhoA -> decreased phosphorylation of S242R on pyrin -> decreased binding of 14-3-3 to pyrin results in activation -> activated pyrin stimulates the inflammasome
Why does the PAAND mutation cause pathology?
this mutation leads to a loss of 14-3-3 binding meaning that an individual does not even need to have an infection in order for there to be inflammation without any benefits of getting rid of the pathogen
What is gout caused by?
an immune response to monosodium urate crystals deposited in the joints
How does gout cause inflammation?
MSU crystals activate the NLRP3 inflammasome
What condition are cholesterol crystals associated with?
atherosclerosis
What is the indirect signal which encompasses many triggers of the NLRP3 inflammasome?
K+ efflux
What was NLRP3 originally called?
cryopyrin
What can loss of function mutations in the pyrin domain of NLRP1 lead to?
the development of cancer
How do mutations in NLRP1 lead to cancer?
the NLRP1 P1214R mutation prevents DPP9 binding -> DPP9 can no longer carry out its function of binding both sides of the FIIND domain (ZU5/UPA) -> C-terminus is able to become active (unbound) -> CARD domain is released and the inflammasome is formed
What is functional degradation of NLRP1?
cleavage of the N-terminus by pathogen effectors which leads to activation of NLRP1 (dominant destabilising mutations in the pyrin domain increase this form of degradation)
What is the role of the CARD domain?
activates the inflammasome
What do mutations in NLRC4 cause?
enterocolitis and high serum ferritin levels
How is the NLRC4 inflammasome activated by pathogens?
NLRC4 detects bacteria with T3SS through NAIP (which recognises the needle of the T3SS)
How do mutations in NLRC4 cause high serum ferritin levels?
overactivation of the inflammasome results in chronically activated macrophages, cells which phagocytose healthy cells and red blood cells resulting in the release of ferritin
How do mutations in NLRC4 cause high serum ferritin levels?
overactivation of the inflammasome results in chronically activated macrophages, cells which phagocytose healthy cells and red blood cells resulting in the release of ferritin
How are NLRC4 mutations treated?
by blocking IL-18
What is NLRP3?
an example of a protein that is able to activate the inflammasome under certain conditions
How are NLRP3 mutations such as cryopyrin associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) treated?
by blocking IL-1b
What is the potential unifying hypothesis of NLRP3 activation?
disruption of the trans-Golgi-network -> exposure of negatively charged lipids which are attracted to positively charged lysines within NLRP3 -> formation of the speck
Why is potassium efflux important before formation of the inflammasome?
otherwise NLRP3 proteins would not bind to the negatively charged lipids on the destabilised trans-Golgi-network
Why is FMF common in the Mediterranean?
these mutations provide protection against Yersinia pestis infections (the plague) as they promote activation of the inflammasome (positively selected)
Why does Yersinia and C. difficile inactivate RhoA?
in order to take over the cell’s machinery to use for their own purposes of proliferation
How is PAAND and FMF treated?
by blocking IL-1b
How does Yersinia interact with pyrin?
YoE or YopT modulate RhoA to stop phagocytosis by host cells -> pyrin can sense loss of RhoA and defend against pathogen -> YopM turns on PKN1/2 to inhibit pyrin -> pyrin FMF mutants can’t be inhibited by PKN1/2
What is the mechanism of FMF mutations?
pyrin is rendered insensitive to PKN1/2 (recruited by YopM to phosphorylate pryin) and, therefore, becomes activated much more easily
What is the main role of DPP9?
prevents separation of the NLRP1 N-terminus from the C-terminus in the steady state (so that cleavage of NLRP1 only occurs in the presence of pathogen effectors)
How are NLRP1 mutations such as NAIAD treated?
by blocking IL-1b
What is the primary inflammatory defect that triggers disease in patients with DPP9 loss of function mutations?
NLRP1 activation
What are symptoms of DPP9 loss of function mutations?
immune-associated defects, poor growth, pancytopenia and skin pigmentation abnormalities
What are interferonopathies caused by?
the overactivation of pathways that lead to the expression of interferons
How is type I interferon production induced?
different stimuli are detected by various cells sensors which activate members of the IRF transcription factor family
How are cell sensors involved in interferonopathies?
mutations in these sensors can cause disease due to excess production and activity of interferons and/or by loss of immune function
Interferonopathies can be caused by mutations in…
STING, RNASEH2A, β1i of the immunoproteasome and RIG-I
How is STING involved in the detection of RNA in the cytoplasm?
cGAS detects DNA in the cytoplasm and produces cGAMP which activates STING -> STING activation leads to the activation of IRF3
What are the consequences of mutations in Samdh1 and Trex1?
no longer able to degrade and clear host DNA -> activation of cGAS and STING