Quantification of Efferocytosis by Single-cell Fluorescence Microscopy

Studying the regulation of efferocytosis requires methods that are able to accurately quantify the uptake of apoptotic cells and to probe the signaling ...

University of Western Ontario

Retention of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol beneath the arterial endothelium initiates an inflammatory response culminating in atherosclerosis. Since the overlying endothelium is healthy and intact early on, it is likely that LDL passes through endothelial cells by transcytosis. However, technical challenges have made confirming this notion and elucidating the mechanisms of transcytosis difficult. We developed a novel assay for measuring LDL transcytosis in real time across coronary endothelial cell monolayers; we used this approach to identify the receptor involved.

A novel assay uncovers an unexpected role for SR-BI in LDL transcytosis.

Efferocytosis, the phagocytic removal of apoptotic cells, is a dynamic process requiring recruitment of numerous regulatory proteins to forming efferosomes in a tightly regulated manner. Herein we describe microscopy-based methods for the enumeration of efferocytic events and characterization of the spatiotemporal dynamics of signaling molecule recruitment to efferosomes, using genetically encoded probes and immunofluorescent labeling. While these methods are illustrated using macrophages, they are applicable to any efferocytic cell type.

Quantitative Efferocytosis Assays.

Macrophages engulf and destroy pathogens (phagocytosis) and apoptotic cells (efferocytosis), and can subsequently initiate adaptive immune responses by presenting antigens derived from engulfed materials. Both phagocytosis and efferocytosis share a common degradative pathway in which the target is engulfed into a membrane-bound vesicle, respectively, termed the phagosome and efferosome, where they are degraded by sequential fusion with endosomes and lysosomes. Despite this shared maturation pathway, macrophages are immunogenic following phagocytosis but not efferocytosis, indicating that differential processing or trafficking of antigens must occur. Mass spectrometry and immunofluorescence microscopy of efferosomes and phagosomes in macrophages demonstrated that efferosomes lacked the proteins required for antigen presentation and instead recruited the recycling regulator Rab17. As a result, degraded materials from efferosomes bypassed the MHC class II loading compartment via the recycling endosome - a process not observed in phagosomes. Combined, these results indicate that macrophages prevent presentation of apoptotic cell-derived antigens by preferentially trafficking efferocytosed, but not phagocytosed, materials away from the MHC class II loading compartment via the recycling endosome pathway.

Rab17 mediates differential antigen sorting following efferocytosis and phagocytosis.

Clinician-scientists are physicians with training in both clinical medicine and research that enables them to occupy a unique niche as specialists in basic and translational biomedical research. While there is widespread acknowledgement of the importance of clinician-scientists in today's landscape of evidence-based medical practice, training of clinician-scientists in Canada has been on the decline, with fewer opportunities to obtain funding. With the increasing length of training and lower financial compensation, fewer medical graduates are choosing to pursue such a career. MD-PhD programs, in which trainees receive both medical and research training, have the potential to be an important tool in training the next generation of clinician-scientists; however, MD-PhD trainees in Canada face barriers that include an increase in medical school tuition and a decrease in the amount of financial support. We examined the available data on MD-PhD training in Canada and identified a lack of oversight, a lack of funding and poor mentorship as barriers experienced by MD-PhD trainees. Specific recommendations are provided to begin the process of addressing these challenges, starting with the establishment of an overseeing national body that would track long-term outcome data for MD-PhD trainees. This national body could then function to implement best practices from individual programs across the country and to provide further mentorship and support for early-career physician-scientists. MD-PhD programs have the potential to address Canada's growing shortage of clinician-scientists, and strengthening MD-PhD programs will help to effect positive change.

Training the next generation of Canadian Clinician-Scientists: charting a path to success.

Efferocytosis-the phagocytic removal of apoptotic cells-is required for preventing the presentation of apoptotic cell-derived antigens. This process is regulated by Rab17-dependent sorting of efferocytosed cargos from the phagolysosome to recycling endosomes. In this study we demonstrate that Rab17 is rapidly recruited to efferosomes, followed by migration of the efferosome to the cell center where it intermixes with lysosomes and undergoes Rab17-dependent vesiculation. These efferosome-derived vesicles then traffic in a Rab17-dependent manner to the cell periphery, where they transfer cargo to recycling endosomes. Combined, our observations support a model wherein efferosomes migrate to the cell center to acquire degradative enzymes, followed by peripheral migration to prevent further phagolysosome maturation and to enable cargo transfer to recycling endosomes.

Rab17 mediates intermixing of phagocytosed apoptotic cells with recycling endosomes.

Macrophage Receptor with COllagenous structure (MARCO) is a class A scavenger receptor that binds, phagocytoses, and modifies inflammatory responses to bacterial pathogens. Multiple candidate gene approach studies have shown that polymorphisms in MARCO are associated with susceptibility or resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, but how these variants alter function is not known. To complement candidate gene approach studies, we previously used phylogenetic analyses to identify a residue, glutamine 452 (Q452), within the ligand-binding Scavenger Receptor Cysteine Rich domain as undergoing positive selection in humans. Herein, we show that Q452 is found in Denisovans, Neanderthals, and extant humans, but all other nonprimate, terrestrial, and aquatic mammals possess an aspartic acid (D452) residue. Further analysis of hominoid sequences of MARCO identified an additional human-specific mutation, phenylalanine 282 (F282), within the collagenous domain. We show that residue 282 is polymorphic in humans, but only 17% of individuals (rs6761637) possess the ancestral serine residue at position 282. We show that rs6761637 is in linkage disequilibrium with MARCO polymorphisms that have been previously linked to susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis. To assess the functional importance of sites Q452 and F282 in humans, we cloned the ancestral residues and loss-of-function mutations and investigated the role of these residues in binding and internalizing polystyrene microspheres and Escherichia coli. Herein, we show that the residues at sites 452 and 282 enhance receptor function.

Human-Specific Mutations and Positively Selected Sites in MARCO Confer Functional Changes.

Neutrophils respond nearly instantly to infection, rapidly deploying a potent enzymatic and chemical arsenal immediately upon entering an infected site. This capacity for rapid and potent responses is endowed by stores of antimicrobial proteins contained in readily mobilizable granules. These granules contain the proteins necessary to mediate the recruitment, chemotaxis, antimicrobial function and NET formation of neutrophils. Four granule types exist, and are sequentially deployed as neutrophils enter infected sites. Secretory vesicles are released first, enabling recruitment of neutrophils out of the blood. Next, specific and gelatinase granules are released to enable neutrophil migration and begin the formation of an antimicrobial environment. Finally, azurophilic granules release potent antimicrobial proteins at the site of infection and into phagosomes. The step-wise mobilization of these granules is regulated by calcium signaling, while specific trafficking regulators and membrane fusion complexes ensure the delivery of granules to the correct subcellular site. In this review, we describe neutrophil granules from their formation through to their deployment at the site of infection, focusing on recent developments in our understanding of the signaling pathways and vesicular trafficking mechanisms which mediate neutrophil degranulation.

Charles Yin

Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Human Immunology

University of Western Ontario

Quantification of Efferocytosis by Single-cell Fluorescence Microscopy

Charles Yin

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Human Immunology

University of Western Ontario

Quantification of Efferocytosis by Single-cell Fluorescence Microscopy

Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Human Immunology