Hyaline fibromatosis syndrome inducing mutations in the ectodomain of anthrax toxin receptor 2 can be rescued by proteasome inhibitors.

Hyaline Fibromatosis Syndrome (HFS) is a human genetic disease caused by mutations in the anthrax toxin receptor 2 (or cmg2) gene, which encodes a membrane protein thought to be involved in the homeostasis of the extracellular matrix. Little is known about the structure and function of the protein or the genotype­phenotype relationship of the disease. Through the analysis of four patients, we identify three novel mutants and determine their effects at the cellular level. Altogether, we show that missense mutations that map to the extracellular von Willebrand domain or the here characterized Ig-like domain of CMG2 lead to folding defects and thereby to retention of the mutated protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Mutations in the Ig-like domain prevent proper disulphide bond formation and are more efficiently targeted to ER-associated degradation. Finally, we show that mutant CMG2 can be rescued in fibroblasts of some patients by treatment with proteasome inhibitors and that CMG2 is then properly transported to the plasma membrane and signalling competent, identifying the ER folding and degradation pathway components as promising drug targets for HFS.

Rafts can trigger contact-mediated secretion of bacterial effectors via a lipid-based mechanism.

Infection by the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen Shigella flexneri depends on its ability to invade host cells. Bacterial engulfment requires a functional type III secretion system (TTSS) allowing the translocation into host cells of bacterial effectors that activate cell-signaling cascades. We demonstrated previously that specialized lipid membrane domains enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids (rafts) are involved during early steps of invasion, namely in binding and host cell entry. In this study, we addressed the issue of contact-mediated secretion by the TTSS. We show that contact-mediated and TTSS-induced hemolysis depend on the presence of cholesterol on the host cell surface. We found that purified detergent resistant membranes were able to activate TTSS. Finally, we found that artificial liposomes, devoid of proteins, were able to activate the TTSS but only when their composition mimicked that of lipid rafts. Altogether, these data indicate that specific lipid packing can trigger contact-mediated secretion by S. flexneri.