bioRxiv Science⌕ Search

Biology subjects

Stearns, T.

Publications and source records attributed to Stearns, T..

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Redundant γc cytokines license IL-1-driven neutrophil inflammation through MEK/ERK convergence

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a central driver of autoinflammatory disease, yet IL-1 blockade often provides incomplete benefit in complex, neutrophil-driven conditions. Here we identify a licensing circuit in which common {gamma}-chain ({gamma}c) cytokines provide a redundant signal required for maximal IL-1-driven neutrophil inflammation. IL-1 and {gamma}c cytokines synergize to drive inflammatory cytokine production exceeding either stimulus alone, and these signals engage the MEK/ERK pathway, an effect substantially suppressed by pharmacological MEK inhibition. We validated this circuit in vivo in a mouse model of IL-1-driven neutrophil-dominant autoinflammation. Ablation of the shared {gamma}c receptor markedly prolonged survival and attenuated pathology, whereas deletion of individual {gamma}c cytokine pathways had no major effect--demonstrating in vivo necessity and functional redundancy. Analysis of public phospho-proteomic and transcriptomic datasets confirms MEK/ERK as a conserved neutrophil response to diverse inflammatory stimuli and coordinated IL-1, {gamma}c, and MEK/ERK activation in neutrophils from patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and in lesional skin from hidradenitis suppurativa. Together, these findings define a signaling architecture in which redundant {gamma}c inputs enhance MEK/ERK-dependent inflammatory output, identify the {gamma}c receptor as an in vivo disease-modifying node, and position MEK/ERK as a mechanistically grounded therapeutic target. eTOC SummaryLorenzo et al. show that common {gamma}-chain ({gamma}c) cytokines provide redundant licensing signals that amplify IL-1-driven neutrophil inflammation through MEK/ERK convergence. Blocking any single {gamma}c cytokine fails to suppress disease, but ablating the shared {gamma}c receptor or inhibiting MEK/ERK markedly attenuates pathology, identifying these nodes as therapeutic targets in autoinflammatory disease.

immunology↗

Molecular architecture of the ciliary base in mammalian multiciliated cells

Multiciliated epithelial cells (MCCs) generate tens to hundreds of motile cilia to drive fluid flow in diverse physiological contexts. While the axonemal structure of motile cilia has been described extensively in recent years, the molecular architecture of the transition zone, basal body, and surrounding ciliary environment of MCCs remain more elusive. Here, we use cryo-focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) milling and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to obtain in situ 3D views of the ciliary base within intact MCCs from mammalian trachea, complemented by in situ cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL/MS) and ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) for molecular identification. Our data reveal spatially-defined modifications of microtubule architecture from the proximal centriole to the early axoneme, including transition zone-specific features such as an A-B linker bridging microtubule doublets and a helical assembly of microtubule inner proteins (MIPs). We show that the ciliary necklace, a feature observed in many motile cilia, is spatially aligned with the transition zone and quantify its regular organization within the membrane. Our in situ data capture rarely observed events, including intraflagellar transport (IFT) trains connecting to ciliary vesicles tethered to undocked centrioles. The surrounding ciliary environment contains intermediate filaments that encircle the basal bodies and bundled actin filaments that elaborate microvilli structures between the cilia. Integration of XL/MS and U-ExM identified novel microtubule associated proteins (MAPs), MIPs, and membrane-associated proteins localized to these distinct subdomains. This work provides a molecular and structural map of the mammalian MCC ciliary base, revealing architectural principles that underlie its assembly, organization, and function.

cell biology↗

Centriole biogenesis is seeded by CEP152-CEP63-PCNT aggregates propagating outside the centriole through the Alstrom syndrome protein ALMS1

Biogenesis of subcellular structures like centrioles is viewed as a physical transformation wherein elementary constituents form order without preexisting templates. Centrioles grow with precision from a composite scaffold known as the cartwheel, which is thought to self-assemble without templates and disassemble following centriole growth; however, the mechanism governing cartwheel assembly-disassembly dynamics remains obscure. Here, we identify ALMS1, a disease-linked, intrinsically disordered protein (IDP), as an external mediator of cartwheel dynamics that causes a seed for cartwheel--and thus centriole--formation without itself incorporating into the seed structure. The cartwheel seed (CS), characterized as a dense composite of CEP152/CEP63 protein complexes, forms in interphase and adopts a nanoscale, concentric ring from which the cartwheel grows. Upon mitotic entry, CSs recruit ALMS1 while disassembling into constituents associating with ALMS1 in proximity, correlating with cartwheel assembly-disassembly cycles. Hypomorph, disease-linked ALMS1 mutations trigger cartwheel expansion and shedding by its own grown procentriole, in turn forming ectopic centrioles, leading to perpetual reciprocal amplification. Without ALMS1, CS formation fails, negating centriole biogenesis, whereas reintroducing ALMS1 initializes biogenesis anew, creating diverse yet heritable architectures that evolve through selection, instead of generating a single canonical form. These results suggest that centriole biogenesis is grounded on adaptable transformation cues extrinsic to its constituents, propagating via IDP-mediated CS assembly-disassembly cycles, a process we conjecture involves memory.

cell biology↗

The Luminal Ring Protein C2CD3 Acts as a Radial In-to-Out Organizer of the Distal Centriole and Appendages

Centrioles are polarized microtubule-based structures with appendages at their distal end that are essential for cilia formation and function. The protein C2CD3 is critical for distal appendage assembly, with mutations linked to orofaciodigital syndrome and other ciliopathies. However, its precise molecular role in appendage recruitment remains unclear. Using Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy (U-ExM), iterative U-ExM, and in situ cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), we reveal that C2CD3 adopts a radially symmetric 9-fold organization within the centrioles distal lumen. We show that the C-terminal region of C2CD3 localizes close to a [~]100 nm luminal ring structure consisting of [~]27 nodes, while its N-terminal region localizes close to a hook-like structure that attaches to the A-microtubule as it extends from the centriole interior to exterior. This hook structure is adjacent to the DISCO complex (MNR/CEP90/OFD1), which marks future appendage sites. C2CD3 depletion disrupts not only the recruitment of the DISCO complex via direct interaction with MNR but also destabilizes the luminal ring network composed of C2CD3/SFI1/centrin-2/CEP135/NA14, as well as the distal microtubule tip protein CEP162. This reveals an intricate "in-to-out" molecular hub connecting the centriolar lumen, distal microtubule cap, and appendages. Although C2CD3 loss results in shorter centrioles and appendage defects, key structural elements remain intact, permitting continued centriole duplication. We propose that C2CD3 forms the luminal ring structure and extends radially to the space between triplet microtubules, functioning as an architectural hub that scaffolds the distal end of the centriole, orchestrating its assembly and directing appendage formation.

cell biology↗

Dynamic remodeling of centrioles and the microtubule cytoskeleton in the lifecycle of chytrid fungi

Cells reorganize in space and time to move and divide - complex behaviors driven by their internal cytoskeleton. While we have substantial knowledge of the molecular parts and rules of cytoskeletal assembly, we know less about how structures are remodeled, for example to interconvert centrioles from the ciliary base to the centrosome. To study this in an evolutionary context we use the chytrid fungus, Rhizoclosmatium globosum, a member of the zoosporic fungi which have centrioles and cilia, lost in other fungal lineages. Chytrids undergo reorganization of their microtubule cytoskeleton as they cycle from zoospore to multinucleated coenocyte. We use comparative bioinformatics, RNA sequencing, and expansion microscopy to map the microtubule cytoskeleton over the chytrid lifecycle. We find that when zoospores encyst, cilia are retracted into the cytoplasm and degraded, and centrioles detach but are protected from degradation. A shortened proximal centriole then forms the mitotic centrosome and ultimately elongates to form cilia at the end of the mitotic cycles, driven by a conserved transcriptional program. Thus, structural remodeling of the chytrid centriole is coupled temporally to ciliated stages rather than mitotic cycles, which may serve as a mechanism to tune microtubule organization to meet the needs of different lifecycle stages.

cell biology↗

A delta-tubulin/epsilon-tubulin/Ted protein complex is required for centriole architecture

Centrioles have a unique, conserved architecture formed by three linked "triplet" microtubules arranged in nine-fold symmetry. The mechanisms by which these triplet microtubules are formed are not understood and likely involve the noncanonical tubulins delta-tubulin and epsilon-tubulin. Previously, we found that human cells deficient in delta-tubulin or epsilon-tubulin form abnormal centrioles, characterized by an absence of triplet microtubules, lack of central core protein POC5, and a futile cycle of centriole formation and disintegration (Wang et al., 2017). Here, we show that human cells lacking either of the associated proteins TEDC1 and TEDC2 have these same phenotypes. Using ultrastructure expansion microscopy, we find that mutant centrioles elongate to the same length as control centrioles in G2-phase. These mutants fail to recruit inner scaffold proteins of the central core and have an expanded proximal region. During mitosis, the mutant centrioles elongate further before fragmenting and disintegrating. All four proteins physically interact and TEDC1 and TEDC2 are capable forming a subcomplex in the absence of the tubulins. These results support an AlphaFold Multimer model of the tetramer in which delta-tubulin and epsilon-tubulin are predicted to form a heterodimer. TEDC1 and TEDC2 localize to centrosomes and are mutually dependent on each other and on delta-tubulin and epsilon-tubulin for localization. Our results demonstrate that delta-tubulin, epsilon-tubulin, TEDC1, and TEDC2 function together to promote robust centriole architecture. This work also lays the groundwork for future molecular studies of this complex, providing a basis for determining the mechanisms that underlie the assembly and interplay between the triplet microtubules and inner centriole structure.

cell biology↗

Characterization of an Osmr Conditional Knockout Mouse Model

Oncostatin M (OSM) is a member of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) family of cytokines and has been found to have distinct anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory properties in various cellular and disease contexts. OSM signals through two receptor complexes, one of which includes OSMR{beta}. To investigate OSM-OSMR{beta} signaling in adult hematopoiesis, we utilized the readily available conditional Osmrfl/fl mouse model B6;129-Osmrtm1.1Nat/J, which is poorly characterized in the literature. This model contains loxP sites flanking exon 2 of the Osmr gene. We crossed Osmrfl/fl mice to interferon-inducible Mx1-Cre, which is robustly induced in adult hematopoietic cells. We observed complete recombination of the Osmrfl allele and loss of exon 2 in hematopoietic (bone marrow) as well as non-hematopoietic (liver, lung, kidney) tissues. Using a TaqMan assay with probes downstream of exon 2, Osmr transcript was lower in the kidney but equivalent in bone marrow, lung, and liver from Osmrfl/fl Mx1-Cre versus Mx1-Cre control mice, suggesting that transcript is being produced despite loss of this exon. Western blots show that liver cells from Osmrfl/fl Mx1-Cre mice had complete loss of OSMR protein, while bone marrow, kidney, and lung cells had reduced OSMR protein at varying levels. RNA-seq analysis of a subpopulation of bone marrow cells (hematopoietic stem cells) finds that some OSM-stimulated genes, but not all, are suppressed in Osmrfl/fl Mx1-Cre cells. Together, our data suggest that the B6;129-Osmrtm1.1Nat/J model should be utilized with caution as loss of Osmr exon 2 has variable and tissue-dependent impact on mRNA and protein expression.

genetics↗

MAP9/MAPH-9 supports axonemal microtubule doublets and modulates motor movement

Microtubule doublets (MTDs) are a well conserved compound microtubule structure found primarily in cilia. However, the mechanisms by which MTDs form and are maintained in vivo remain poorly understood. Here, we characterize microtubule-associated protein 9 (MAP9) as a novel MTD-associated protein. We demonstrate that C. elegans MAPH-9, a MAP9 homolog, is present during MTD assembly and localizes exclusively to MTDs, a preference that is in part mediated by tubulin polyglutamylation. Loss of MAPH-9 caused ultrastructural MTD defects, dysregulated axonemal motor velocity, and perturbed cilia function. As we found that the mammalian ortholog MAP9 localized to axonemes in cultured mammalian cells and mouse tissues, we propose that MAP9/MAPH-9 plays a conserved role in supporting the structure of axonemal MTDs and regulating ciliary motors.

cell biology↗

Spindle assembly checkpoint-dependent mitotic delay is required for cell division in absence of centrosomes

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) temporally regulates mitosis by preventing progression from metaphase to anaphase until all chromosomes are correctly attached to the mitotic spindle. Centrosomes refine the spatial organization of the mitotic spindle at the spindle poles. However, centrosome loss leads to elongated mitosis, suggesting that centrosomes also inform the temporal organization of mitosis in mammalian cells. Here we find that the mitotic delay in acentrosomal cells is enforced by the SAC in a MPS1-dependent manner, and that a SAC-dependent mitotic delay is required for bipolar cell division to occur in acentrosomal cells. Although acentrosomal cells become polyploid, polyploidy is not sufficient to cause dependency on a SAC-mediated delay to complete cell division. Rather, the division failure in absence of MPS1 activity results from mitotic exit occurring before acentrosomal spindles can become bipolar. Furthermore, prevention of centrosome separation suffices to make cell division reliant on a SAC-dependent mitotic delay. Thus, centrosomes and their definition of two spindle poles early in mitosis provide a "timely two-ness" that allows cell division to occur in absence of a SAC-dependent mitotic delay.

cell biology↗

Distinct Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Receptors Dictate Stem Cell Fitness Versus Lineage Output in Dnmt3a-Mutant Clonal Hematopoiesis

Clonal hematopoiesis resulting from enhanced fitness of mutant hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) associates with both favorable and unfavorable health outcomes related to the types of mature mutant blood cells produced, but how this lineage output is regulated is unclear. Using a mouse model of a clonal hematopoiesis-associated mutation, DNMT3AR882/+ (Dnmt3aR878H/+), we found that aging-induced TNF signaling promoted the selective advantage of mutant HSCs as well as stimulated mutant B lymphoid cell production. Genetic loss of TNF receptor TNFR1 impaired mutant HSC fitness without altering lineage output, while loss of TNFR2 reduced lymphoid cell production and favored myeloid cell production from mutant HSCs without altering overall fitness. These results support a model where clone size and mature blood lineage production can be independently controlled to harness potential beneficial aspects of clonal hematopoiesis. Statement of SignificanceThrough identification and dissection of TNF signaling as a key driver of murine Dnmt3a-mutant hematopoiesis, we report the discovery that clone size and production of specific mature blood cell types can be independently regulated.

cell biology↗

Calcineurin associates with centrosomes and regulates cilia length maintenance

Calcineurin, or PP2B, the Ca2+ and calmodulin-activated phosphatase and target of immunosuppressants, has many substrates and functions that remain undiscovered. By combining rapid proximity-dependent labeling with cell cycle synchronization, we mapped calcineurins spatial distribution in different cell cycle stages. While calcineurin-proximal proteins did not vary significantly between interphase and mitosis, calcineurin consistently associated with multiple centrosomal/ciliary proteins. These include POC5, which binds centrin in a Ca2+-dependent manner and is a component of the luminal scaffold that stabilizes centrioles. We show that POC5 contains a calcineurin substrate motif (PxIxIT-type) that mediates calcineurin binding in vivo and in vitro. Using indirect immunofluorescence and expansion microscopy, we demonstrate that calcineurin co-localizes with POC5 at the centrosome, and further show that calcineurin inhibitors alter POC5 distribution within the centriole lumen. Our discovery that calcineurin directly associates with centrosomal proteins highlights a role for Ca2+ and calcineurin signaling at these organelles. Calcineurin inhibition promotes primary cilia elongation without affecting ciliogenesis. Thus, Ca2+ signaling within cilia includes previously unknown functions for calcineurin in cilia length maintenance, a process frequently disrupted in ciliopathies. Summary statementCalcineurin phosphatase participates in centrosome and cilia regulation. Calcineurin localizes to centrosomes, where it interacts with partner POC5, and its inhibition promotes cilia elongation.

cell biology↗

Post-mitotic centriole disengagement and maturation leads to centrosome amplification in polyploid trophoblast giant cells

DNA replication is normally coupled with centriole duplication in the cell cycle. Trophoblast giant cells (TGCs) of the placenta undergo endocycles resulting in polyploidy but their centriole state is not known. We used a cell culture model for TGC differentiation to examine centriole and centrosome number and properties. Prior to differentiation, trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) have either two centrioles before duplication, or four centrioles after. We find that average nuclear area increases approximately 8-fold over differentiation, but most TGCs do not have more than four centrioles. However, these centrioles become disengaged, acquire centrosome proteins, and can nucleate microtubules. In addition, some TGCs undergo further duplication and disengagement of centrioles, resulting in substantially higher numbers. Live imaging revealed that disengagement and separation are centriole autonomous and can occur asynchronously. Centriole amplification, when present, occurs by the standard mechanism of one centriole generating one procentriole. PLK4 inihibition blocks centriole formation in differentiating TGCs but does not affect endocycle progression. In summary, centrioles in TGC endocycles undergo disengagement and conversion to centrosomes. This increases centrosome number, but to a limited extent compared with DNA reduplication.

cell biology↗

Long-range migration of centrioles to the apical surface of the olfactory epithelium

Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in vertebrates detect odorants using multiple cilia, which protrude from the end of the dendrite and require centrioles for their formation. In mouse olfactory epithelium, the centrioles originate in progenitor cells near the basal lamina, often 50 to 100 m from the apical surface. It is unknown how centrioles traverse this distance or mature to form cilia. Using high-resolution expansion microscopy, we found that centrioles migrate together, with multiple centrioles per group and multiple groups per OSN, during dendrite outgrowth. Centrioles were found by live imaging to migrate slowly, with a maximum rate of 0.18 m/min. Centrioles in migrating groups were associated with microtubule nucleation factors, but acquired rootletin and appendages only in mature OSNs. The parental centriole had preexisting appendages, formed a single cilium prior to other centrioles, and retained its unique appendage configuration in the mature OSN. We developed an air-liquid interface explant culture system for OSNs and used it to show that centriole migration can be perturbed ex vivo by stabilizing microtubules. We consider these results in the context of a comprehensive model for centriole formation, migration, and maturation in this important sensory cell type.

cell biology↗

The nucleus serves as the pacemaker for the cell cycle

Mitosis is a dramatic cellular process that affects all parts of the cell. In Xenopus embryos and extracts it is driven by the activation of a bistable trigger circuit, whose various components are localized in the nucleus, centrosome, and cytoplasm. In principle, whichever cellular location has the fastest intrinsic rhythm should act as a pacemaker for the process. Here we followed tubulin polymerization and depolymerization in Xenopus egg extracts supplemented with demembranated sperm, and thereby identified locations where mitosis first occurred. We found that mitosis was commonly first initiated at sperm-derived nuclei and their accompanying centrosomes, and then spread outward in circular trigger waves. The cell cycle was [~]20% more rapid at the nucleus/centrosome-associated trigger wave sources than in the regions of the extract that appeared not to be entrained by trigger waves. Nuclei produced from phage DNA, which did not possess centrosomes, also acted as trigger wave sources, but purified centrosomes in the absence of nuclei did not. We conclude that the nucleus accelerates mitotic entry and propose that it acts as a pacemaker for cell cycle. One Sentence SummaryStudies in cycling Xenopus egg extracts show that mitosis first occurs in the nucleus and then spreads outward through the cytoplasm in circular trigger waves.

cell biology↗

A novel mouse model expressing human forms for complement receptors CR1 and CR2

The complement cascade is increasingly implicated in development of a variety of diseases with strong immune contributions such as Alzheimers disease and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Mouse models have been used to determine function of central components of the complement cascade such as C1q and C3. However, species differences in their gene structures mean that mice do not adequately replicate human complement regulators, including CR1 and CR2. Genetic variation in CR1 and CR2 have been implicated in modifying disease states but the mechanisms are not known. To decipher the roles of human CR1 and CR2 in health and disease, we engineered C57BL/6J (B6) mice to replace endogenous murine Cr2 with human complement receptors, CR1 and CR2 (B6.CR2CR1). CR1 has an array of allotypes in human populations and using traditional recombination methods (Flp-frt and Cre-loxP) two of the most common alleles (referred to as CR1long and CR1short) are replicated within this mouse model, along with a CR1 knockout allele (CR1KO). Transcriptional profiling of spleens and brains identifies genes and pathways differentially expressed between mice homozygous for either CR1long, CR1short or CR1KO. Gene set enrichment analysis predicts hematopoietic cell number and cell infiltration are modulated by CR1long, but not CR1short or CR1KO. Therefore, this mouse model provides a novel tool for determining the relationship between human-relevant CR1 alleles and disease. Summary StatementWe present the creation and validation of a novel mouse model that expresses human forms of complement cascade regulators CR1 and CR2.

genetics↗

Transient primary cilia mediate robust Hedgehog pathway-dependent cell cycle control

The regulation of proliferation is one of the primary functions of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in development. Transduction of Hh signaling requires the primary cilium, a microtubule-based organelle that is necessary for several steps in the pathway (Corbit et al., 2005; Huangfu and Anderson, 2005; Huangfu et al., 2003; Liu et al., 2005; Rohatgi et al., 2007). Many cells only build a primary cilium upon cell cycle arrest in G0. In those proliferating cells that do make a cilium, it is a transient organelle, being assembled in G1 and disassembled sometime after, although exactly when is not well-characterized (Ford et al., 2018; Pugacheva et al., 2007; Wang and Dynlacht, 2018). Thus the requirement for primary cilia presents a conundrum: how are proliferative signals conveyed through an organelle that is present for only part of the cell cycle? Here we investigate this question in a mouse medulloblastoma cell line, SMB55, that requires cilium-mediated Hh pathway activity for proliferation (Zhao et al., 2015). We show that SMB55 cells are often ciliated beyond G1 into S phase, and the presence of the cilium determines the periods of Hh pathway activity. Using live imaging over multiple cell cycles, we define two windows of opportunity for Hh pathway activity, either of which is sufficient to effect cell cycle entry. The first is in the ciliated phase of the previous cell cycle, and the second is in G1 of the cell cycle in which the decision is made. We propose that the ability of cells to integrate Hh pathway activity from more than one cell cycle imparts robustness on Hh pathway control of proliferation and may have implications for other Hh-mediated events in development.

cell biology↗

Centrioles are amplified via rosette formation in cycling progenitors of olfactory sensory neurons

Olfaction in most animals is mediated by neurons bearing cilia that are accessible to the environment. Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in chordates usually have multiple cilia, each with a centriole at its base. OSNs differentiate from stem cells in the olfactory epithelium, and how the epithelium generates cells with many centrioles--about 16 in mouse--is not yet understood. We show that centrioles are amplified via centriole rosette formation in both embryonic development and turnover of the olfactory epithelium in adults, and rosette-bearing cells often have free centrioles in addition. Cells with amplified centrioles can go on to divide, with centrioles clustered at each pole. Additionally, we found that immediate neuronal precursors amplify centrioles concomitantly with elevation of mRNA for Plk4 and Stil, key regulators of centriole duplication. Our findings highlight the importance of accounting for centriole amplification in neuron regeneration therapies derived from olfactory epithelia.

cell biology↗

Aging-Associated Decrease in the Histone Acetyltransferase KAT6B Causes Myeloid-Biased Hematopoietic Stem Cell Differentiation

Aged hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) undergo biased lineage priming and differentiation toward production of myeloid cells. A comprehensive understanding of gene regulatory mechanisms causing HSC aging is needed to devise new strategies to sustainably improve immune function in aged individuals. Here, a focused shRNA screen of epigenetic factors reveals that the histone acetyltransferase Kat6b regulates myeloid cell production from hematopoietic progenitor cells. Within the stem and progenitor cell compartment, Kat6b is most highly expressed in long-term (LT)-HSCs and is significantly decreased with aging at the transcript and protein levels. Knockdown of Kat6b in young LT-HSCs causes skewed production of myeloid cells both in vitro and in vivo. Transcriptome analysis identifies enrichment of aging and macrophage-associated gene signatures alongside reduced expression of self-renewal and multilineage priming signatures. Together, our work identifies KAT6B as an epigenetic regulator of LT-HSC aging and a novel target to improve aged immune function.

cell biology↗