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Becker, Christine E.

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Becker

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Christine E.

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Becker, Christine E.

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2013 - 20153

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Author's Publications: search.filters.isAuthorOfPublication.f3de97c5-db9a-41dc-bf22-946e506612a5

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    CD36 coordinates NLRP3 inflammasome activation by facilitating the intracellular nucleation from soluble to particulate ligands in sterile inflammation
    (2013) Sheedy, Frederick J.; Grebe, Alena; Rayner, Katey J.; Kalantari, Parisa; Ramkhelawon, Bhama; Carpenter, Susan B.; Becker, Christine E.; Ediriweera, Hasini N.; Mullick, Adam E.; Golenbock, Douglas T.; Stuart, Lynda; Latz, Eicke; Fitzgerald, Katherine A.; Moore, Kathryn J.
    Particulate ligands including cholesterol crystals and amyloid fibrils induce NLRP3-dependent production of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. Soluble endogenous ligands including oxidized-LDL, amyloid-β and amylin peptides accumulate in these diseases. Here we identify a CD36-mediated endocytic pathway that coordinates the intracellular conversion of these soluble ligands to crystals or fibrils, resulting in lysosomal disruption and NLRP3-inflammasome activation. Consequently, macrophages lacking CD36 failed to elicit IL-1β production in response to these ligands and targeting CD36 in atherosclerotic mice reduced serum IL-1β and plaque cholesterol crystal accumulation. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of CD36 in the accrual and nucleation of NLRP3 ligands from within the macrophage and position CD36 as a central regulator of inflammasome activation in sterile inflammation.
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    Activation of caspase-1 by the NLRP3 inflammasome regulates the NADPH oxidase NOX2 to control phagosome function
    (2013) Sokolovska, Anna; Becker, Christine E.; Eddie Ip, WK; Rathinam, Vijay A.K.; Brudner, Matthew; Paquette, Nicholas; Tanne, Antoine; Vanaja, Sivapriya K.; Moore, Kathryn J.; Fitzgerald, Katherine A.; Lacy-Hulbert, Adam; Stuart, Lynda
    Phagocytosis is a fundamental cellular process that is pivotal for immunity as it coordinates microbial killing, innate immune activation and antigen presentation. An essential step in this process is phagosome acidification, which regulates a number of functions of these organelles that allow them to participate in processes essential to both innate and adaptive immunity. Here we report that acidification of phagosomes containing Gram-positive bacteria is regulated by the NLRP3-inflammasome and caspase-1. Active caspase-1 accumulates on phagosomes and acts locally to control the pH by modulating buffering by the NADPH oxidase NOX2. These data provide insight into a mechanism by which innate immune signals can modify cellular defenses and establish a new function for the NLRP3-inflammasome and caspase-1 in host defense.
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    Functional genomics identifies negative regulatory nodes controlling phagocyte oxidative burst
    (Nature Pub. Group, 2015) Graham, Daniel; Becker, Christine E.; Doan, Aivi; Goel, Gautam; Villablanca, Eduardo J.; Knights, Dan; Mok, Amanda; Ng, Aylwin C.Y.; Doench, John G.; Root, David E.; Clish, Clary B.; Xavier, Ramnik
    The phagocyte oxidative burst, mediated by Nox2 NADPH oxidase-derived reactive oxygen species, confers host defense against a broad spectrum of bacterial and fungal pathogens. Loss-of-function mutations that impair function of the Nox2 complex result in a life-threatening immunodeficiency, and genetic variants of Nox2 subunits have been implicated in pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Thus, alterations in the oxidative burst can profoundly impact host defense, yet little is known about regulatory mechanisms that fine-tune this response. Here we report the discovery of regulatory nodes controlling oxidative burst by functional screening of genes within loci linked to human inflammatory disease. Implementing a multi-omics approach, we define transcriptional, metabolic and ubiquitin-cycling nodes controlled by Rbpj, Pfkl and Rnf145, respectively. Furthermore, we implicate Rnf145 in proteostasis of the Nox2 complex by endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. Consequently, ablation of Rnf145 in murine macrophages enhances bacterial clearance, and rescues the oxidative burst defects associated with Ncf4 haploinsufficiency.