An immunogenic peptide in the A-box of HMGB1 protein reverses apoptosis-induced tolerance through RAGE receptor.
Apoptotic cells trigger immune tolerance in engulfing phagocytes. This poorly understood process is believed to contribute to the severe immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to nosocomial infections observed in critically ill sepsis patients. Extracellular high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is an important mediator of both sepsis lethality and the induction of immune tolerance by apoptotic cells. We have found that HMGB1 is sensitive to processing by caspase-1, resulting in the production of a fragment within its N-terminal DNA-binding domain (the A-box) that signals through the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) to reverse apoptosis-induced tolerance. In a two-hit mouse model of sepsis, we show that tolerance to a secondary infection and its associated mortality were effectively reversed by active immunization with dendritic cells treated with HMGB1 or the A-box fragment, but not a noncleavable form of HMGB1. These findings represent a novel link between caspase-1 and HMGB1, with potential therapeutic implications in infectious and inflammatory diseases.
From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, SPR Facility, Department of Biochemistry and Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 0B1, Canada.
Philippe M
PM
LeBlanc
Teresa Ann
TA
Doggett
Jayoung
J
Choi
Mark A
MA
Hancock
Yves
Y
Durocher
Filipp
F
Frank
Bhushan
B
Nagar
Thomas A
TA
Ferguson
Maya
M
Saleh
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002175:Candida / Q000378:metabolism; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000737:chemistry*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018805:Sepsis / Q000276:immunology; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance
D024243:HMGB1 Protein; C585491:HMGB1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D020170:Caspase 1
Apoptosis; Caspase; Inflammation; Innate Immunity; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE); Sepsis; Tolerance