Project description:Aberrant activation of innate immune receptors can cause a spectrum of immune disorders, such as Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS). One such receptor is MDA5, a viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) sensor that induces antiviral immune response. We here demonstrate that constitutive activation of MDA5 in AGS results from the loss of tolerance to cellular dsRNAs formed by Alu retroelements. While wild-type MDA5 cannot efficiently recognize Alu-dsRNA because its filament formation on dsRNA is impaired by the imperfect duplex structure, AGS-variants of MDA5 display reduced sensitivity to duplex structural irregularities, assembling signaling-competent filaments on Alu-dsRNA. Moreover, we identified an unexpected role of RNA-rich cellular environment in suppressing aberrant MDA5 oligomerization, highlighting context-dependence of self vs. non-self discrimination. Overall, our work demonstrates that the increased efficiency of MDA5 to recognize dsRNA comes at a cost of self-recognition, and implicates a unique role of Alu RNAs as virus-like elements that shape the primate immune system.
Project description:Aberrant activation of innate immune receptors can cause a spectrum of immune disorders, such as Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS). One such receptor is MDA5, a viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) sensor that induces antiviral immune response. We here demonstrate that constitutive activation of MDA5 in AGS results from the loss of tolerance to cellular dsRNAs formed by Alu retroelements. While wild-type MDA5 cannot efficiently recognize Alu-dsRNA because its filament formation on dsRNA is impaired by the imperfect duplex structure, AGS-variants of MDA5 display reduced sensitivity to duplex structural irregularities, assembling signaling-competent filaments on Alu-dsRNA. Moreover, we identified an unexpected role of RNA-rich cellular environment in suppressing aberrant MDA5 oligomerization, highlighting context-dependence of self vs. non-self discrimination. Overall, our work demonstrates that the increased efficiency of MDA5 to recognize dsRNA comes at a cost of self-recognition, and implicates a unique role of Alu RNAs as virus-like elements that shape the primate immune system.
Project description:An extrachromosomal replication system was established to examine the perturbation of Alu-carrying genes in response to elevated Alu RNAs in the opposite direction. The null hypothesis is that the Alu-carrying RNA duplex cannot trigger subsequent post-transcriptional regulation, manifesting a random perturbation of expression levels. Comparing HEK293 cells transfected and not-transfected with pDR2-Alu vectors.
Project description:An extrachromosomal replication system was established to examine the perturbation of Alu-carrying genes in response to elevated Alu RNAs in the opposite direction. The null hypothesis is that the Alu-carrying RNA duplex cannot trigger subsequent post-transcriptional regulation, manifesting a random perturbation of expression levels.
Project description:Loss of RNA homeostasis underlies numerous neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms that trigger neuroinflammation are poorly understood. Viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) triggers innate immune responses when sensed by host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) present in all cell types. Here, we report that human neurons intrinsically carry exceptionally high levels of immunostimulatory dsRNAs and identify long 3'UTRs as giving rise to neuronal dsRNA structures. We found that the neuron-enriched ELAVL family of genes (ELAVL2, -3, -4) can increase 1) 3'UTR length, 2) dsRNA load, and 3) activation of dsRNA-sensing PRRs such as MDA5, PKR, and TLR3. In wild-type neurons, neuronal dsRNAs signaled through PRRs to induce tonic production of the antiviral type I interferon. Depleting ELAVL2 in WT neurons led to global shortening of 3'UTR length, reduced immunostimulatory dsRNA levels, and rendered WT neurons susceptible to herpes simplex virus and Zika virus infection. Neurons deficient in ADAR1, a dsRNA-editing enzyme mutated in the neuroinflammatory disorder Aicardi-Goutières syndrome, exhibited intolerably high levels of dsRNA that triggered PRR mediated toxic inflammation and neuronal death. Depleting ELAVL2 in ADAR1 knockout neurons led to prolonged neuron survival by reducing immunostimulatory dsRNA levels. In summary, neurons are specialized cells where PRRs constantly sense ‘self’ dsRNAs to pre-emptively induce protective antiviral immunity, but maintaining RNA homeostasis is paramount to prevent pathological neuroinflammation.
Project description:MDA5 is an innate immune RNA sensor that detects a range of viruses. MDA5’s RNA agonists are not well defined. We used individual-nucleotide resolution crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (iCLIP) to study its ligands. Surprisingly, upon infection with SARS-CoV-2 or encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), MDA5 bound overwhelmingly to cellular RNAs. Many binding sites were intronic and proximal to Alu elements. MDA5-bound RNA was enriched in Poly(A) and Poly(U) motifs, some of which may form double-stranded RNA. In EMCV-infected cells, cytoplasmic levels of intron-containing unspliced transcripts were increased, suggesting dysregulation of splicing. Concomitantly, MDA5 iCLIP peaks were enriched in introns accumulating in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Moreover, rescue of splicing abrogated MDA5 activation. Finally, depletion of viral RNA from RNA extracted from infected cells did not diminish its MDA5-stimulatory potential. Taken together, MDA5 surveys RNA processing fidelity and detects splicing perturbation during infection, establishing a paradigm of innate immune ‘guarding’ for RNA sensors.
Project description:MDA5 is an innate immune RNA sensor that detects a range of viruses. MDA5’s RNA agonists are not well defined. We used individual-nucleotide resolution crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (iCLIP) to study its ligands. Surprisingly, upon infection with SARS-CoV-2 or encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), MDA5 bound overwhelmingly to cellular RNAs. Many binding sites were intronic and proximal to Alu elements. MDA5-bound RNA was enriched in Poly(A) and Poly(U) motifs, some of which may form double-stranded RNA. In EMCV-infected cells, cytoplasmic levels of intron-containing unspliced transcripts were increased, suggesting dysregulation of splicing. Concomitantly, MDA5 iCLIP peaks were enriched in introns accumulating in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Moreover, rescue of splicing abrogated MDA5 activation. Finally, depletion of viral RNA from RNA extracted from infected cells did not diminish its MDA5-stimulatory potential. Taken together, MDA5 surveys RNA processing fidelity and detects splicing perturbation during infection, establishing a paradigm of innate immune ‘guarding’ for RNA sensors.
Project description:The RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs: RIG-I, MDA5 and LGP2) trigger inflammatory and antiviral responses by sensing non-self RNA molecules produced during viral replication. LGP2 regulation of RIG-I and MDA5-dependant type-I interferon signaling is a matter of controversy. Here we show that LGP2 interacts with different components of the RNA silencing machinery. Particularly, we identified a direct protein-protein interaction between LGP2 and interferon-inducible double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase activator A (PACT). The LGP2-PACT interaction is mediated by the regulatory C-terminal domain of LGP2 and is necessary for inhibiting the RIG-I- and amplifying the MDA5-responses. We describe a point mutation within LGP2 that disrupts LGP2-PACT interaction and leads to the loss of LGP2 regulatory activity over RIG-I and MDA5. These results provide a model in which PACT-LGP2 interaction regulates RIG-I and MDA5 inflammatory response and allows cellular RNA silencing machinery to coordinate the innate immune response.