Flavin monooxygenase 3, the host hepatic enzyme in the metaorganismal trimethylamine N-oxide-generating pathway, modulates platelet responsiveness and thrombosis risk.

Essentials Microbe-dependent production of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) contributes to thrombosis risk. The impact of host flavin monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) modulation on platelet function is unknown. Genetic manipulation of FMO3 in mice alters systemic TMAO levels and thrombosis potential. Genetic manipulation of FMO3 is associated with alteration of gut microbial community structure. SUMMARY: Background Gut microbes play a critical role in the production of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), an atherogenic metabolite that impacts platelet responsiveness and thrombosis potential. Involving both microbe and host enzymatic machinery, TMAO generation utilizes a metaorganismal pathway, beginning with ingestion of trimethylamine (TMA)-containing dietary nutrients such as choline, phosphatidylcholine and carnitine, which are abundant in a Western diet. Gut microbial TMA lyases use these nutrients as substrates to produce TMA, which upon delivery to the liver via the portal circulation, is converted into TMAO by host hepatic flavin monooxygenases (FMOs). Gut microbial production of TMA is rate limiting in the metaorganismal TMAO pathway because hepatic FMO activity is typically in excess. Objectives FMO3 is the major FMO responsible for host generation of TMAO; however, a role for FMO3 in altering platelet responsiveness and thrombosis potential in vivo has not yet been explored. Methods The impact of FMO3 suppression (antisense oligonucleotide-targeting) and overexpression (as transgene) on plasma TMAO levels, platelet responsiveness and thrombosis potential was examined using a murine FeCl3 -induced carotid artery injury model. Cecal microbial composition was examined using 16S analyses. Results Modulation of FMO3 directly impacts systemic TMAO levels, platelet responsiveness and rate of thrombus formation in vivo. Microbial composition analyses reveal taxa whose proportions are associated with both plasma TMAO levels and in vivo thrombosis potential. Conclusions The present studies demonstrate that host hepatic FMO3, the terminal step in the metaorganismal TMAO pathway, participates in diet-dependent and gut microbiota-dependent changes in both platelet responsiveness and thrombosis potential in vivo.

IKK alpha on center stage.

Inhibitor of kappaB kinase alpha (IKK alpha) was originally identified as a component of a multiprotein kinase complex that regulates the activity of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) through phosphorylation of its inhibitor proteins, the IkappaBs. DiDonato discusses new roles that have been discovered for IKK alpha, focusing especially on its role in epidermal differentiation and on a new function of IKK alpha in B cell maturation. In epidermal differentiation, IKK alpha regulates the production of a secreted differentiation factor through a pathway that is independent of its role in activation of NF-kappaB. In B cell maturation, conventional NF-kappaB signal-induced activation of IKK alpha results in phosphorylation of p100 precursor proteins and increased proteolytic processing and constitutive NF-kappaB activation.

A role for NF-kappa B in the induction of beta-R1 by interferon-beta.

Previous experiments have suggested that induction of the beta-R1 gene by interferon (IFN)-beta required transcription factor ISGF-3 (IFN-stimulated gene factor-3) and an additional component. We now provide evidence that nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) can serve as this component. Site-directed mutagenesis of an NF-kappaB binding site in the beta-R1 promoter or over-expression of an IkappaBalpha super-repressor abrogated IFN-beta-mediated induction of a beta-R1 promoter-reporter. IFN-beta treatment did not augment abundance of NF-kappaB but did lead to phosphorylation of the p65 NF-kappaB subunit. It is proposed that IFN-beta-mediated enhancement of the transactivation competence of NF-kappaB components is required for inducible transcription of the beta-R1 promoter. These results provide a novel insight into the role of NF-kappaB in the transcriptional response to IFN-beta.

B lymphocytes and plasma cells express functional E-selectin by constitutive activation of NF-kappaB.

E-selectin (CD62E), a cell adhesion molecule for most leukocytes, is known to be expressed exclusively on the cytokine-stimulated endothelial cells mainly by inductive activation of NF-kappaB. Using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, we showed that B lymphocytes and plasma cells in the spleens and lymph nodes from nude mice (T-lymphocyte-deficient), but not from SCID mice (T- and B-lymphocyte-deficient), expressed E-selectin prior to cytokine stimulation. The expression of E-selectin was also confirmed on human B lymphocytes isolated from peripheral bloods. The mouse J774A.1 monocytes could adhere to the marginal zones of mouse spleens in an E-selectin Ab inhibitable manner, suggesting the functional activity of the expressed E-selectin. In addition, ARH-77 cells, a cell line derived from human plasma cells, were found to express E-selectin mRNA and protein and to have a NF-kappaB activity for an E-selectin promoter. NF-kappaB antagonists, such as TPCK (tosylsulfonyl phenylalanyl chloromethyl ketone), dexamethasone and a IkappaBalpha mutant plasmid could inhibit both the NF-kappaB activity and the expression of E-selectin. Transfection with an E-selectin promoter-driven reporter gene construct further verified the E-selectin promoter activity in ARH-77 cells. Again, TPCK, dexamethasone, and the IkappaBalpha mutant plasmid could neutralize this activity. These findings suggest that B lymphocytes and plasma cells can express E-selectin, which is functional for monocytic leukocytes, by a mechanism of constitutive activation of NF-kappaB.

Activation of NF-kappa B is required for hypertrophic growth of primary rat neonatal ventricular cardiomyocytes.

The transcription factor NF-kappaB regulates expression of genes that are involved in inflammation, immune response, viral infection, cell survival, and division. However, the role of NF-kappaB in hypertrophic growth of terminally differentiated cardiomyocytes is unknown. Here we report that NF-kappaB activation is required for hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes. In cultured rat primary neonatal ventricular cardiomyocytes, the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and its transcriptional activity were stimulated by several hypertrophic agonists, including phenylephrine, endothelin-1, and angiotensin II. The activation of NF-kappaB was inhibited by expression of a "supersuppressor" IkappaBalpha mutant that is resistant to stimulation-induced degradation and a dominant negative IkappaB kinase (IKKbeta) mutant that can no longer be activated by phosphorylation. Furthermore, treatment with phenylephrine induced IkappaBalpha degradation in an IKK-dependent manner, suggesting that NF-kappaB is a downstream target of the hypertrophic agonists. Importantly, expression of the supersuppressor IkappaBalpha mutant or the dominant negative IKKbeta mutant blocked the hypertrophic agonist-induced expression of the embryonic gene atrial natriuretic factor and enlargement of cardiomyocytes. Conversely, overexpression of NF-kappaB itself induced atrial natriuretic factor expression and cardiomyocyte enlargement. These findings suggest that NF-kappaB plays a critical role in the hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes and may serve as a potential target for the intervention of heart disease.

Activation of NF-kappaB by hepatitis B virus X protein through an IkappaB kinase-independent mechanism.

pX, the hepatitis B virus-encoded transcription coactivator, is involved in viral infection in vivo. pX stimulates the activity of several transcription factors including nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), but the mechanism of activation is poorly understood. The IkappaB kinase complex (IKK) mediates activation of NF-kappaB in response to various extracellular stimuli, including inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 1, human T cell lymphoma virus 1 Tax protein, and tumor promoters like phorbol esters. It is not known whether IKK also mediates activation of NF-kappaB by pX. Here we report that IKK was not essential for activation of NF-kappaB by pX. Expression of pX resulted in the degradation of IkappaBalpha in the absence of its phosphorylation at Ser(32) and Ser(36) residues. Although pX stimulated the activity of cotransfected IKK-beta when it was overexpressed, it failed to activate endogenous IKK. Furthermore, expression of pX stimulated NF-kappaB nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity in IKK-gamma-null fibroblast 5R cells. Our data indicate that pX stimulates NF-kappaB activity through a mechanism that is dependent on IkappaBalpha degradation but not on IKK activation.

NF-kappaB activation by double-stranded-RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) is mediated through NF-kappaB-inducing kinase and IkappaB kinase.

The interferon (IFN)-inducible double-stranded-RNA (dsRNA)-activated serine-threonine protein kinase (PKR) is a major mediator of the antiviral and antiproliferative activities of IFNs. PKR has been implicated in different stress-induced signaling pathways including dsRNA signaling to nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB). The mechanism by which PKR mediates activation of NF-kappaB is unknown. Here we show that in response to poly(rI). poly(rC) (pIC), PKR activates IkappaB kinase (IKK), leading to the degradation of the inhibitors IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta and the concomitant release of NF-kappaB. The results of kinetic studies revealed that pIC induced a slow and prolonged activation of IKK, which was preceded by PKR activation. In PKR null cell lines, pIC failed to stimulate IKK activity compared to cells from an isogenic background wild type for PKR in accord with the inability of PKR null cells to induce NF-kappaB in response to pIC. Moreover, PKR was required to establish a sustained response to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and to potentiate activation of NF-kappaB by cotreatment with TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. By coimmunoprecipitation, PKR was shown to be physically associated with the IKK complex. Transient expression of a dominant negative mutant of IKKbeta or the NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK) inhibited pIC-induced gene expression from an NF-kappaB-dependent reporter construct. Taken together, these results demonstrate that PKR-dependent dsRNA induction of NF-kappaB is mediated by NIK and IKK activation.

NF-kappa B is a central regulator of the intestinal epithelial cell innate immune response induced by infection with enteroinvasive bacteria.

Human intestinal epithelial cells up-regulate the expression of an inflammatory gene program in response to infection with a spectrum of different strains of enteroinvasive bacteria. The conserved nature of this program suggested that diverse signals, which are activated by enteroinvasive bacteria, can be integrated into a common signaling pathway that activates a set of proinflammatory genes in infected host cells. Human intestinal epithelial cell lines, HT-29, Caco-2, and T84, were infected with invasive bacteria that use different strategies to induce their uptake and have different intracellular localizations (i.e., Salmonella dublin, enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, or Yersinia enterocolitica). Infection with each of these bacteria resulted in the activation of TNF receptor associated factors, two recently described serine kinases, I kappa B kinase (IKK) alpha and IKK beta, and increased NF-kappa B DNA binding activity. This was paralleled by partial degradation of I kappa B alpha and I kappa B epsilon in bacteria-infected Caco-2 cells. Mutant proteins that act as superrepressors of IKK beta and I kappa B alpha inhibited the up-regulated transcription and expression of downstream targets genes of NF-kappa B that are key components of the epithelial inflammatory gene program (i.e., IL-8, growth-related oncogene-alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, TNF-alpha, cyclooxygenase-2, nitric oxide synthase-2, ICAM-1) activated by those enteroinvasive bacteria. These studies position NF-kappa B as a central regulator of the epithelial cell innate immune response to infection with enteroinvasive bacteria.

IKKgamma mediates the interaction of cellular IkappaB kinases with the tax transforming protein of human T cell leukemia virus type 1.

The Tax oncoprotein of human T cell leukemia virus type 1 constitutively activates transcription factor NF-kappaB by a mechanism involving Tax-induced phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha, a labile cytoplasmic inhibitor of NF-kappaB. To trigger this signaling cascade, Tax associates stably with and persistently activates a cellular IkappaB kinase (IKK) containing both catalytic (IKKalpha and IKKbeta) and noncatalytic (IKKgamma) subunits. We now demonstrate that IKKgamma enables Tax to dock with the IKKbeta catalytic subunit, resulting in chronic IkappaB kinase activation. Mutations in either IKKgamma or Tax that prevent formation of these higher order Tax.IKK complexes also interfere with the ability of Tax to induce IKKbeta catalytic function in vivo. Deletion mapping studies indicate that amino acids 1-100 of IKKgamma are required for this Tax targeting function. Together, these findings identify IKKgamma as an adaptor protein that directs the stable formation of pathologic Tax.IKK complexes in virally infected T cells.

An essential role for nuclear factor kappaB in promoting double positive thymocyte apoptosis.

To examine the role of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB in T cell development and activation in vivo, we produced transgenic mice that express a superinhibitory mutant form of inhibitor kappaB-alpha (IkappaB-alphaA32/36) under the control of the T cell-specific CD2 promoter and enhancer (mutant [m]IkappaB-alpha mice). Thymocyte development proceeded normally in the mIkappaB-alpha mice. However, the numbers of peripheral CD8(+) T cells were significantly reduced in these animals. The mIkappaB-alpha thymocytes displayed a marked proliferative defect and significant reductions in interleukin (IL)-2, IL-3, and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor production after cross-linking of the T cell antigen receptor. Perhaps more unexpectedly, double positive (CD4(+)CD8(+); DP) thymocytes from the mIkappaB-alpha mice were resistant to alpha-CD3-mediated apoptosis in vivo. In contrast, they remained sensitive to apoptosis induced by gamma-irradiation. Apoptosis of wild-type DP thymocytes after in vivo administration of alpha-CD3 mAb was preceded by a significant reduction in the level of expression of the antiapoptotic gene, bcl-xL. In contrast, the DP mIkappaB-alpha thymocytes maintained high level expression of bcl-xL after alpha-CD3 treatment. Taken together, these results demonstrated important roles for NF-kappaB in both inducible cytokine expression and T cell proliferation after TCR engagement. In addition, NF-kappaB is required for the alpha-CD3-mediated apoptosis of DP thymocytes through a pathway that involves the regulation of the antiapoptotic gene, bcl-xL.

Coordinate regulation of IkappaB kinases by mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 1 and NF-kappaB-inducing kinase.

IkappaB kinases (IKKalpha and IKKbeta) are key components of the IKK complex that mediates activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB in response to extracellular stimuli such as inflammatory cytokines, viral and bacterial infection, and UV irradiation. Although NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK) interacts with and activates the IKKs, the upstream kinases for the IKKs still remain obscure. We identified mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 1 (MEKK1) as an immediate upstream kinase of the IKK complex. MEKK1 is activated by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 and can potentiate the stimulatory effect of TNF-alpha on IKK and NF-kappaB activation. The dominant negative mutant of MEKK1, on the other hand, partially blocks activation of IKK by TNF-alpha. MEKK1 interacts with and stimulates the activities of both IKKalpha and IKKbeta in transfected HeLa and COS-1 cells and directly phosphorylates the IKKs in vitro. Furthermore, MEKK1 appears to act in parallel to NIK, leading to synergistic activation of the IKK complex. The formation of the MEKK1-IKK complex versus the NIK-IKK complex may provide a molecular basis for regulation of the IKK complex by various extracellular signals.

Suppression of steady-state, but not stimulus-induced NF-kappaB activity inhibits alphavirus-induced apoptosis.

Recent studies have established cell type- specific, proapoptotic, or antiapoptotic functions for the transcription factor NF-kappaB. In each of these studies, inhibitors of NF-kappaB activity have been present before the apoptotic stimulus, and so the role of stimulus- induced NF-kappaB activation in enhancing or inhibiting survival could not be directly assessed. Sindbis virus, an alphavirus, induces NF-kappaB activation and apoptosis in cultured cell lines. To address whether Sindbis virus- induced NF-kappaB activation is required for apoptosis, we used a chimeric Sindbis virus that expresses a superrepressor of NF-kappaB activity. Complete suppression of virus-induced NF-kappaB activity neither prevents nor potentiates Sindbis virus-induced apoptosis. In contrast, inhibition of NF-kappaB activity before infection inhibits Sindbis virus-induced apoptosis. Our results demonstrate that suppression of steady-state, but not stimulus-induced NF-kappaB activity, regulates expression of gene products required for Sindbis virus-induced death. Furthermore, we show that in the same cell line, NF-kappaB can be proapoptotic or antiapoptotic depending on the death stimulus. We propose that the role of NF-kappaB in regulating apoptosis is determined by the death stimulus and by the timing of modulating NF-kappaB activity relative to the death stimulus.

The tax oncoprotein of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 associates with and persistently activates IkappaB kinases containing IKKalpha and IKKbeta.

The Tax oncoprotein of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV1) chronically activates transcription factor NF-kappaB by a mechanism involving degradation of IkappaBalpha, an NF-kappaB-associated cytoplasmic inhibitor. Tax-induced breakdown of IkappaBalpha requires phosphorylation of the inhibitor at Ser-32 and Ser-36, which is also a prerequisite for the transient activation of NF-kappaB in cytokine-treated T lymphocytes. However, it remained unclear how Tax interfaces with the cellular NF-kappaB/IkappaB signaling machinery to generate a chronic rather than a transient NF-kappaB response. We now demonstrate that Tax associates with cytokine-inducible IkappaB kinase (IKK) complexes containing catalytic subunits IKKalpha and IKKbeta, which mediate phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha at Ser-32 and Ser-36. Unlike their transiently activated counterparts in cytokine-treated cells, Tax-associated forms of IKK are constitutively active in either Tax transfectants or HTLV1-infected T lymphocytes. Moreover, point mutations in Tax that ablate its IKK-binding function also prevent Tax-mediated activation of IKK and NF-kappaB. Together, these findings suggest that the persistent activation of NF-kappaB in HTLV1-infected T-cells is mediated by a direct Tax/IKK coupling mechanism.

Inhibition of proinflammatory molecule production by adenovirus-mediated expression of a nuclear factor kappaB super-repressor in human intestinal epithelial cells.

NF-kappaB plays a major role in the transcriptional regulation of many proinflammatory genes in multiple cell lineages, including intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). Activation of NF-kappaB requires both phosphorylation and degradation of its natural cytoplasmic inhibitor, IkappaB. We tested whether a super-repressor of NF-kappaB activity, which is a mutated nondegradable IkappaB alpha resistant to phosphorylation and degradation, could be delivered into IEC using an adenoviral vector (Ad5 IkappaB) and determined the antiinflammatory potential of this inhibitor following different stimuli. We showed for the first time that recombinant adenovirus efficiently infected (>80%) transformed as well as primary IEC. Cytoplasmic levels of the NF-kappaB super-repressor protein were more than 50-fold higher than those of endogenous IkappaB, and this mutated IkappaB was resistant to IL-1beta-induced degradation. Immunofluorescent RelA nuclear staining was strongly inhibited in Ad5 IkappaB-infected IEC compared with control Ad5LacZ and NF-kappaB, but not AP-1 binding activity, was reduced by more than 70% as measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Induction of inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-1beta, and IL-8 genes by IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, or PMA was blocked in Ad5 IkappaB-infected cells but not in Ad5 LacZ controls as assayed by RT-PCR and ELISA. In addition, IL-1beta-induced IL-8 secretion was totally inhibited by Ad5 IkappaB in primary colonic IEC. We conclude that an adenoviral vector efficiently transfers a nondegradable IkappaB in both transformed and native IEC. The strong inhibition of NF-kappaB activity and the resulting down-regulation of multiple proinflammatory molecules by Ad5 IkappaB suggests an exciting approach for in vivo intestinal gene therapy and illustrates the key role of NF-kappaB in transcriptional regulation of the inflammatory phenotype of IEC.

cAMP-induced NF-kappaB (p50/relB) binding to a c-myb intronic enhancer correlates with c-myb up-regulation and inhibition of erythroleukemia cell differentiation.

During hexamethylene bisactamide (HMBA)-induced differentiation of murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells erythroid genes are transcriptionally activated while c-myb and several other nuclear proto-oncogenes are down-regulated. Differentiation is inhibited by cAMP analogues and the adenyl cyclase-stimulating agent forskolin. We found that these drugs prevented the late down-regulation of c-myb which is known to be critical for MEL cell differentiation. Since the increase in c-myb mRNA levels was due to increased mRNA transcription, we examined the transcription factors NF-kappaB and AP-1 which have been implicated in the regulation of c-myb expression. Binding of MEL cell nuclear proteins to a NF-kappaB recognition sequence in c-myb intron I was strongly induced by 8-Br-cAMP or forskolin; induction was delayed and correlated with the up-regulation of c-myb. The cAMP-induced NF-kappaB complex contained p50 and RelB; in co-transfection assays, p50 and RelB transactivated a reporter construct containing the c-myb intronic NF-kappaB site upstream of a minimal promoter. 8-Br-cAMP and forskolin also increased the DNA binding activity of AP-1 complexes containing JunB, JunD and c-Fos in MEL cells which could cooperate with NF-kappaB. We conclude that inhibition of MEL cell differentiation by pharmacological doses of cAMP can be explained by the up-regulation of c-myb which is mediated, at least in part, by NF-kappaB p50/RelB heterodimers.

A cytokine-responsive IkappaB kinase that activates the transcription factor NF-kappaB.

Nuclear transcription factors of the NF-kappaB/Rel family are inhibited by IkappaB proteins, which inactivate NF-kappaB by trapping it in the cell cytoplasm. Phosphorylation of IkappaBs marks them out for destruction, thereby relieving their inhibitory effect on NF-kappaB. A cytokine-activated protein kinase complex, IKK (for IkappaB kinase), has now been purified that phosphorylates IkappaBs on the sites that trigger their degradation. A component of IKK was molecularly cloned and identified as a serine kinase. IKK turns out to be the long-sought-after protein kinase that mediates the critical regulatory step in NF-kappaB activation.

Mapping of the inducible IkappaB phosphorylation sites that signal its ubiquitination and degradation.

Extracellular stimuli that activate the transcription factor NF-kappaB cause rapid phosphorylation of the IkappaBalpha inhibitor, which retains NF-kappaB in the cytoplasm of nonstimulated cells. Phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha is followed by its rapid degradation, the inhibition of which prevents NF-kappaB activation. To determine the relationship between these events, we mapped the inducible phosphorylation sites of IkappaBalpha. We found that two residues, serines 32 and 36, were phosphorylated in response to either tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, or phorbol ester. Substitution of either serine blocks or slows down induction of IkappaBalpha degradation. Substitutions of the homologous sites in IkappaBbeta, serines 19 and 23, also prevent inducible IkappaBbeta degradation. We suggest that activation of a single IkappaB kinas e or closely related IkappaB kinases is the first cr itical step in NF-kappaB activation. Once phosphorylated, IkappaB is ubiquitinated. Unlike wild-type IkappaBalpha, the phosphorylation-defective mutants do not undergo inducible polyubiquitination. As substitution of a conserved lysine residue slows down the ubiquitination and degradation of IkappaBalpha without affecting its phosphorylation, polyubiquitination is required for inducible IkappaB degradation.