Occhigrossi Luca, D'Eletto Manuela, Vecchio Alessio, Piacentini Mauro, Rossin Federica
Department of Biology, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy.
National Institute for Infectious Diseases IRCCS 'L. Spallanzani', Rome, Italy.
Cell Death Discov. 2022 Dec 26;8(1):498. doi: 10.1038/s41420-022-01278-w.
cGAS/STING axis is the major executor of cytosolic dsDNA sensing that leads to the production of type I interferon (IFNI) not only upon bacterial infection, but also in cancer cells, upon DNA damage. In fact, DNA damage caused by ionizing radiations and/or topoisomerase inhibitors leads to a release of free DNA into the cytosol, which activates the cGAS/STING pathway and the induction of IFNI expression. Doxorubicin-induced apoptotic cancer cells release damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), including IFNI, which are able to stimulate the immune system. Our results indicate that Transglutaminase type 2 (TG2) is directly involved in the formation of a covalent cross-linked IRF3 (Interferon regulatory factor 3) dimers, thereby limiting the production of IFNI. Indeed, we demonstrated that upon doxorubicin treatment TG2 translocates into the nucleus of apoptotic melanoma cells interacting with IRF3 dimers. Interestingly, we show that both the knockdown of the enzyme as well as the inhibition of its transamidating activity lead to a decrease in the dimerization of IRF3 correlated with an increase in the IFNI mRNA levels. Taken together, these data demonstrate that TG2 negatively regulates the IRF3 pathway in human melanoma cells suggesting a so far unknown TG2-dependent mechanism by which cancer cells reduce the IFNI production after DNA damage to limit the immune system response.
cGAS/STING轴是胞质双链DNA感应的主要执行者,不仅在细菌感染时,而且在癌细胞中,DNA损伤时都会导致I型干扰素(IFNⅠ)的产生。事实上,电离辐射和/或拓扑异构酶抑制剂引起的DNA损伤会导致游离DNA释放到细胞质中,从而激活cGAS/STING途径并诱导IFNⅠ表达。阿霉素诱导的凋亡癌细胞释放损伤相关分子模式(DAMPs),包括IFNⅠ,它们能够刺激免疫系统。我们的结果表明,转谷氨酰胺酶2(TG2)直接参与共价交联的IRF3(干扰素调节因子3)二聚体的形成,从而限制IFNⅠ的产生。事实上,我们证明,在阿霉素处理后,TG2易位到凋亡黑素瘤细胞的细胞核中,与IRF3二聚体相互作用。有趣的是,我们发现该酶的敲低以及其转酰胺活性的抑制都会导致IRF3二聚化减少,同时IFNⅠ mRNA水平增加。综上所述,这些数据表明TG2在人黑素瘤细胞中负调节IRF3途径,提示了一种迄今为止未知的TG2依赖性机制,癌细胞通过该机制在DNA损伤后减少IFNⅠ的产生,以限制免疫系统反应。