Biology subjects

Magaziner, S. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Magaziner, S. J..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Cell autonomous inflammation in VEXAS is mediated by cGAS-STING

VEXAS (vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic) is a severe adult-onset inflammatory disease caused by somatic mutations that reduce cytoplasmic activity of UBA1, the primary initiating enzyme for ubiquitylation. How this hypomorphic state drives cell-intrinsic immune activation in mature myeloid cells is unknown. Using unbiased multi-omic, biochemical, and cell biological analyses of model systems and patient-derived cells, we show that loss of cytoplasmic UBA1 activity convergently disrupts endoplasmic reticulum- associated degradation (ERAD) and mitochondrial homeostasis. ERAD failure arises from preferential under-charging of ERAD E2 enzymes, explaining hallmark VEXAS features, including ER-derived vacuoles and unfolded protein response activation, and promotes accumulation of the ERAD substrate STING. Simultaneously, mitochondrial dysfunction drives cytosolic leakage of mitochondrial DNA, inducing cGAS-dependent STING signaling and inflammatory cytokine production. STING inhibition or reversal of mitochondrial DNA leakage resolves multi-cytokine inflammation in VEXAS models and patient myeloid cells, establishing the cGAS-STING pathway as a therapeutically actionable vulnerability.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2025

UBA1 Mutations Drive RIPK1-Mediated Cell Death and Monocyte Dysfunction in VEXAS Syndrome

VEXAS syndrome is a severe adult-onset autoinflammatory disease caused by somatic mutations in UBA1 gene, disrupting cytoplasmic ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1 function in hematopoietic progenitors. The pathogenesis remains poorly understood, particularly how UBA1 mutations perturb myeloid function. Here, we combine a genetically engineered THP-1 monocytic model with ex vivo analyses of blood and tissue samples from VEXAS patients to investigate the consequences of the canonical UBA1M41V mutation. We show that UBA1-mutated monocytes exhibit TNF--induced cell death, characterized by RIPK1 phosphorylation, and MLKL-and caspase-8-mediated cell death. This is associated with defective transcriptional induction of NF-{kappa}B target genes and reduced cFLIP(L) expression in response to TNF-. Monocytes also display blunted cytokine responses to multiple Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists despite preserved TLR expression, linked to an impaired NF-{kappa}B response. UBA1M41V-derived macrophages exhibit an inflammatory transcriptional profile and increased secretion of chemokines that promote monocyte recruitment. We demonstrate that these UBA1M41V macrophages display impaired efferocytosis due to lysosomal dysfunction. Together, these findings reveal a pathogenic axis in VEXAS syndrome linking UBA1 loss of function and defective ubiquitination to RIPK1-mediated inflammatory cell death, impaired antimicrobial signaling, and defective resolution mechanisms. Our study provides novel mechanistic insights into the myeloid dysfunction that drives inflammation and cytopenia in VEXAS and highlights the necroptosis and efferocytosis pathways as potential therapeutic targets. Key points1/ UBA1-mutated monocytes are susceptible to RIPK1 dependent cell death and display impaired NF-{kappa}B-mediated cytokine responses to TLR agonists. 2/ UBA1-mutated macrophages promote inflammation and chemokine-mediated monocyte recruitment, while exhibiting defective efferocytosis.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2023

Shared and Distinct Mechanisms of UBA1 Inactivation Across Different Diseases

Most cellular ubiquitin signaling is initiated by UBA1, which activates and transfers ubiquitin to tens of E2 enzymes. Clonally acquired UBA1 missense mutations cause an inflammatory-hematologic overlap disease called VEXAS (vacuoles, E1, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic) syndrome. Despite extensive clinical investigation into this lethal disease, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, by dissecting VEXAS-causing UBA1 mutations, we discovered that p.Met41 mutations alter cytoplasmic isoform expression, whereas other mutations reduce catalytic activity of nuclear and cytoplasmic isoforms by diverse mechanisms, including aberrant oxyester formation. Strikingly, non-p.Met41 mutations most prominently affect transthioesterification, revealing ubiquitin transfer to cytoplasmic E2 enzymes as a shared property of pathogenesis amongst different VEXAS syndrome genotypes. A similar E2 charging bottleneck exists in some lung cancer-associated UBA1 mutations, but not in spinal muscular atrophy-causing UBA1 mutations, which instead, render UBA1 thermolabile. Collectively, our results highlight the precision of conformational changes required for faithful ubiquitin transfer, define distinct and shared mechanisms of UBA1 inactivation in diverse diseases, and suggest that specific E1-E2 modules control different aspects of tissue differentiation and maintenance.

biochemistry↗