Differential functions of WAVE regulatory complex subunits in the regulation of actin-driven processes.

The WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) links upstream Rho-family GTPase signaling to the activation of the ARP2/3 complex in different organisms. WRC-induced and ARP2/3 complex-mediated actin nucleation beneath the plasma membrane is critical for actin assembly in the leading edge to drive efficient cell migration. The WRC is a stable heteropentamer composed of SCAR/WAVE, Abi, Nap, Pir and the small polypeptide Brk1/Hspc300. Functional interference with individual subunits of the complex frequently results in diminished amounts of the remaining polypeptides of the WRC complex, implying the complex to act as molecular entity. However, Abi was also found to associate with mammalian N-WASP, formins, Eps8/SOS1 or VASP, indicating additional functions of individual WRC subunits in eukaryotic cells. To address this issue systematically, we inactivated all WRC subunits, either alone or in combination with VASP in Dictyostelium cells and quantified the protein content of the remaining subunits in respective WRC knockouts. The individual mutants displayed highly differential phenotypes concerning various parameters, including cell morphology, motility, cytokinesis or multicellular development, corroborating the view of additional roles for individual subunits, beyond their established function in WRC-mediated Arp2/3 complex activation. Finally, our data uncover the interaction of the actin polymerase VASP with WRC-embedded Abi to mediate VASP accumulation in cell protrusions, driving efficient cell migration.

First insight into the kinome of human regulatory T cells.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for controlling peripheral tolerance by the active suppression of various immune cells including conventional T effector cells (Teffs). Downstream of the T cell receptor (TCR), more than 500 protein kinases encoded by the human genome have to be considered in signaling cascades regulating the activation of Tregs and Teffs, respectively. Following TCR engagement, Tregs posses a number of unique attributes, such as constitutive expression of Foxp3, hyporesponsiveness and poor cytokine production. Furthermore, recent studies showed that altered regulation of protein kinases is important for Treg function. These data indicate that signaling pathways in Tregs are distinctly organized and alterations at the level of protein kinases contribute to the unique Treg phenotype. However, kinase-based signaling networks in Tregs are poorly understood and necessitate further systematic characterization. In this study, we analyzed the differential expression of kinases in Tregs and Teffs by using a kinase-selective proteome strategy. In total, we revealed quantitative information on 185 kinases expressed in the human CD4(+) T cell subsets. The majority of kinases was equally abundant in both T cell subsets, but 11 kinases were differentially expressed in Tregs. Most strikingly, Tregs showed an altered expression of cell cycle kinases including CDK6. Quantitative proteomics generates first comparative insight into the kinase complements of the CD4(+) Teff and Treg subset. Treg-specific expression pattern of 11 protein kinases substantiate the current opinion that TCR-mediated signaling cascades are altered in Tregs and further suggests that Tregs exhibit significant specificities in cell-cycle control and progression.

High-resolution mass spectrometric analysis of the secretome from mouse lung endothelial progenitor cells.

Recently, we isolated and characterized resident endothelial progenitor cells from the lungs of adult mice. These cells have a high proliferation potential, are not transformed and can differentiate into blood- and lymph-vascular endothelial cells under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Here we studied the secretome of these cells by nanoflow liquid chromatographic mass spectrometry (LC-MS). For analysis, 3-day conditioned serum-free media were used. We found 133 proteins belonging to the categories of membrane-bound or secreted proteins. Thereby, several of the membrane-bound proteins also existed as released variants. Thirty-five proteins from this group are well known as endothelial cell- or angiogenesis-related proteins. The MS analysis of the secretome was supplemented and confirmed by fluorescence activated cell sorting analyses, ELISA measurements and immunocytological studies of selected proteins. The secretome data presented in this study provides a platform for the in-depth analysis of endothelial progenitor cells and characterizes potential cellular markers and signaling components in hem- and lymphangiogenesis.

Quantitative phosphokinome analysis of the Met pathway activated by the invasin internalin B from Listeria monocytogenes.

Stimulated by its physiological ligand, hepatocyte growth factor, the transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase Met activates a signaling machinery that leads to mitogenic, motogenic, and morphogenic responses. Remarkably, the food-borne human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes also promotes autophosphorylation of Met through its virulence factor internalin B (InlB) and subsequently exploits Met signaling to induce phagocytosis into a broad range of host cells. Although the interaction between InlB and Met has been studied in detail, the signaling specificity of components involved in InlB-triggered cellular responses remains poorly characterized. The analysis of regulated phosphorylation events on protein kinases is therefore of particular relevance, although this could not as yet be characterized systematically by proteomics. Here, we implemented a new pyridopyrimidine-based strategy that enabled the efficient capture of a considerable subset of the human kinome in a robust one-step affinity chromatographic procedure. Additionally, and to gain functional insights into the InlB/Met-induced bacterial invasion process, a quantitative survey of the phosphorylation pattern of these protein kinases was accomplished. In total, the experimental design of this study comprises affinity chromatographic procedures for the systematic enrichment of kinases, as well as phosphopeptides; the quantification of all peptides based on the iTRAQ reporter system; and a rational statistical strategy to evaluate the quality of phosphosite regulations. With this improved chemical proteomics strategy, we determined and relatively quantified 143 phosphorylation sites detected on 94 human protein kinases. Interestingly, InlB-mediated signaling shows striking similarities compared with the natural ligand hepatocyte growth factor that was intensively studied in the past. In addition, this systematic approach suggests a new subset of protein kinases including Nek9, which are differentially phosphorylated after short time (4-min) treatment of cells with the Met-activating InlB(321). Thus, this quantitative phosphokinome study suggests a general, hypothesis-free concept for the detection of dynamically regulated protein kinases as novel signaling components involved in host-pathogen interactions.

Direct mass spectrometric peptide profiling and fragmentation of larval peptide hormone release sites in Drosophila melanogaster reveals tagma-specific peptide expression and differential processing.

Regulatory peptides represent a diverse group of messenger molecules. In insects, they are produced by endocrine cells as well as secretory neurones within the CNS. Many regulatory peptides are released as hormones into the haemolymph to regulate, for example, diuresis, heartbeat or ecdysis behaviour. Hormonal release of neuropeptides takes place at specialized organs, so-called neurohaemal organs. We have performed a mass spectrometric characterization of the peptide complement of the main neurohaemal organs and endocrine cells of the Drosophila melanogaster larva to gain insight into the hormonal communication possibilities of the fruit fly. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) and MALDI-TOF-TOF tandem mass spectrometry, we detected 23 different peptides of which five were unpredicted by previous genome screenings. We also found a hitherto unknown peptide product of the capa gene in the ring gland and transverse nerves, suggesting that it might be released as hormone. Our results show that the peptidome of the neurohaemal organs is tagma-specific and does not change during metamorphosis. We also provide evidence for the first case of differential prohormone processing in Drosophila.