Phospholipid scramblase 1 regulates Toll-like receptor 9-mediated type I interferon production in plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Cell Res. 2012 Jul;22(7):1129-39. doi: 10.1038/cr.2012.45. Epub 2012 Mar 27.

Abstract

Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) senses microbial DNA in the endosomes of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and triggers MyD88-dependent type I interferon (IFN) responses. To better understand TLR9 biology in pDCs, we established a yeast two-hybrid library for the identification of TLR9-interacting proteins. Here, we report that an IFN-inducible protein, phospholipid scramblase 1 (PLSCR1), interacts with TLR9 in pDCs. Knockdown of PLSCR1 expression by siRNA in human pDC cell line led to a 60-70% reduction of IFN-α responses following CpG-ODN (oligodeoxynucleotide) stimulation. Primary pDCs from PLSCR1-deficient mice produced lower amount of type 1 IFN than pDCs from the wild-type mice in response to CpG-ODN, herpes simplex virus and influenza A virus. Following CpG-A stimulation, there were much lower amounts of TLR9 in the early endosomes together with CpG-A in pDCs from PLSCR1-deficient mice. Our study demonstrates that PLSCR1 is a TLR9-interacting protein that plays an important role in pDC's type 1 IFN responses by regulating TLR9 trafficking to the endosomal compartment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-7 / metabolism
  • Interferon Type I / metabolism*
  • Interferon-alpha / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / pharmacology
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / genetics
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / metabolism*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 9 / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptor 9 / metabolism*
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques

Substances

  • CPG-oligonucleotide
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-7
  • Interferon Type I
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Irf7 protein, mouse
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins
  • Plscr1 protein, mouse
  • Toll-Like Receptor 9