![]()
|
|
||||||||
J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 282, Issue 23, 17297-17305, June 8, 2007
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||







1
From the
Centre for Cutaneous Research and
Cancer Research UK Skin Tumour Laboratory, Institute of Cell and Molecular Sciences, Barts and the London, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, United Kingdom and the ¶University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
Received for publication, November 7, 2006 , and in revised form, April 5, 2007.
| ABSTRACT |
|---|
|
|
|---|
| INTRODUCTION |
|---|
|
|
|---|
The complexity of keratinocyte terminal differentiation and the importance of precisely timed and compartmentalized processing is illustrated by the maturation of the stratum corneum protein filaggrin. Filaggrin is synthesized as a high molecular mass precursor comprising multiple subunits that are sequentially processed and modified in temporally and spatially regulated steps by diverse proteases and enzymes to produce mature filaggrin subunits. Mature filaggrin is thought to be important in the aggregation and collapse of the keratin network leading to flattening of the keratinocyte and the destruction of the nucleus in granular layer (terminally differentiating) keratinocytes (2). Filaggrin is also incorporated into the cornified envelope (2). Premature or aberrant filaggrin processing can be catastrophic, leading to disruption of cornified envelope integrity and skin barrier function (3-5) and is far more damaging than reduced filaggrin levels that, in contrast, lead only to mild skin defects (6).
Possible regulators of protein processing and trafficking during terminal differentiation are heat shock proteins (Hsps).2 Hsps have diverse roles as cellular chaperones, anti-apoptotic factors, stress-protective proteins, and cytoskeletal stabilizers (7, 8). Human HspB1 (Hsp27) (9-11) and the mouse HspB1 homologue Hsp25 (12) are expressed in the upper epidermal strata. The function of epidermal HspB1 has not yet been determined, but HspB1 colocalizes histologically with cornified envelope constituents, including filaggrin (13). HspB1 can bind a large number of proteins including Akt.
AKT is a Ser/Thr kinase and downstream mediator of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway regulating cell survival, differentiation, and growth factor responsiveness (14). Mice doubly null for the Akt1 and 2 isoforms lack stratum corneum and die neonatally, probably from barrier defects (15), and Akt has been shown to have a role in keratinocyte survival and differentiation (16-18). HspB1 is a well established Akt substrate (19, 20).
While examining Akt activity during epidermal development, we discovered specific Akt activity associating with highly terminally differentiated keratinocytes. This activity is the dominant Akt activity in adult, barrier-forming epidermis. We propose that this activity is regulating the complex processes associated with keratinocyte late terminal differentiation. One way of doing this could be through modulating chaperone activities of HspB1, for example by modulating its interaction with keratinocyte terminal differentiation proteins, such as filaggrin. This would define a new, epidermal-specific function for Akt signaling.
| EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES |
|---|
|
|
|---|
Preparation of Protein Lysates and Western BlotsThe protein lysates were prepared from adult mouse skin by boiling minced skin in 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 5% SDS, and 20%
-mercaptoethanol for 10 min. Keratinocytes were lysed by incubation on ice for 10 min in standard radioimmunoprecipitation buffer (50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 150 mM NaCl, 1 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, 1 mM EDTA, 5 µg/ml aprotinin, 5 µg/ml leupeptin, 1% Nonidet-40).
For immunoprecipitation, the lysates were incubated overnight at 4 °C with 2.5 µg of agarose immobilized goat anti-Hsp27 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology). The complexed antibody conjugate was pelleted and washed five times in cold radioimmunoprecipitation buffer prior to loading on a gel. The lysates were separated on 7.5-10% SDS/polyacrylamide gels and transferred onto nitrocelluose filters (Hybond C+; Amersham Biosciences). Primary antibodies and concentrations were: anti-pAKT (Ser473), 1:1000; total AKT, 1:1000; AKT2, 1:500 (all Cell Signaling Technologies); anti-loricrin, 1:5000 (Covance); anti-mouse filaggrin, 1:1000 (Zymed Laboratories Inc.); mouse anti-actin, 1:2000 (clone AC13; Sigma-Aldrich); anti-mouse keratin 14, 1:4000 (Covance); pHsp25 (Ser86), 1:1000 (Zymed Laboratories Inc.); and Hsp25, 1:200 (Abcam). Primary antibody incubations were in TBST (100 mM Tris-HCl, 0.2 M NaCl, 0.1% Tween 20 (v/v) containing 5% bovine serum albumin (Sigma) either overnight at 4 °C or for 1-2 h at room temperature, whereas secondary antibody incubations were in 5% skimmed milk powder for 1 h at room temperature. The following concentrations were used: goat anti-rabbit horseradish peroxidase (Jackson Immunoresearch), 1:5000; and rabbit anti-mouse horseradish peroxidase (DakoCytomation), 1:2000. The protein was visualized using an ECL kit (Amersham Biosciences).
Constructs, Transfections, Cell and Organotypic CultureThe SureSilencing shRNA plasmid to rat HspB1 (insert sequence: GAAGAAAGGCAGGATGAACAT in pSuperNeo) was from Tebu-bio. Full-length rat HspB1 was cloned from rat epidermal keratinocyte (REK; Ref. 22) cDNA into pcDNA-HA (Invitrogen), and mutagenesis of serine 86 to aspartate or alanine was performed using the QuikChange kit (Stratagene) with the following primers: (Ser86
AlaF, GCGCTCAACCGGCAACTCGCCAGCGGTGTGTCAGAGATC; Ser86
AlaR, ATCTCTGACACACCGCTGGCGAGTTGCCGGTTGAGCGC; Ser86
AspF, GCGCTCAACCGGCAACTCGACAGCGGTGTGTCAGAGATC; and Ser86
AspR, GATCTCTGACACACCGCTGTCGAGTTGCCGGTTGAGCGC). A 4-hydroxytamoxifen-inducible, constitutively active (myristylated) Akt1 expression construct under the cytomegalovirus promoter (myrAkt1-ER) was from S. Basu (21). REKs (22) were transfected with Lipofectamine Plus (Invitrogen). Selection in 100 µM G418 (Invitrogen) was for 2 weeks. REK cells were passaged in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with 10% fetal calf serum. 4-Hydroxytamoxifen in ethanol was added at 10 µM. Keratinocyte organotypic cultures were generated as described (22) and treated with 4-hydroxytamoxifen or vehicle (ethanol) for 24 h.
Cornified Envelope ExtractionCornified envelopes were extracted from whole adult skin by boiling for 10 min. in (50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 2% SDS, 5 mM EDTA). Next cornified envelopes were pelleted by centrifugation and washed in cornified envelope washing buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl in 0.1% SDS).
| RESULTS |
|---|
|
|
|---|
Following recent reports of Akt involvement with keratinocyte differentiation (16-18) Ser473 phosphorylated Akt (pSerAkt) expression was monitored over this critical period because it has been shown to accurately indicate keratinocyte Akt activity (18). pSerAkt was expressed in the lower epidermal strata at E16.5 (parabasal, post-mitotic cells; Fig. 1A, pSerAkt) and then from E17.5 in the upper granular layer. Lower pSerAkt is down-regulated from E18.5 (Fig. 1A) and although still detectable in neonatal epidermis is down-regulated in adult mature skin. Lower Akt activity has been noted in keratinocyte culture models (23-25); however, this lower activity is substantially reduced or undetectable in most postnatal skin (Fig. 2A). It is the upper activity that persists and is the dominant Akt activity in most adult skin (Fig. 2A). Hence, Akt signaling in adult skin differs from keratinocyte culture models.
|
Multiple authors have shown that HspB1 is an Akt substrate, phosphorylated on Ser82 (Ser86 in mouse) (19, 20). Although unphosphorylated HspB1 is widely expressed in fetal skin (Fig. 1C), the Ser86 phosphorylated form (pSerHspB1) has a changing expression pattern during the fetal barrier formation period. There is multistrata expression from E15.5, most prominent by E16-17.5 (Fig. 1A). However, by E18.5 pSerHspB1 expression associates more strongly with the terminally differentiating cells in upper epidermis and in the granular layer cells in adult (see Fig. 4). In addition, by E17.5 and E18.5 expression is less prominent in the nucleus (Fig. 1A) and appears to be associating with the forming granules of the granular layer (later confirmed in adult skin; see Fig. 4). Hence, both Akt and its phosphorylated HspB1 substrate coexpress in the granular layer of epidermis by late development and in adult skin.
Western analysis of total HspB1 expression during development reveals the 25-kDa monomer form (Fig. 1C, closed arrowhead) and a series of covalently linked high molecular mass forms (Fig. 1C, asterisks, open arrowhead). Heat shock proteins are known to aggregate, and these higher molecular mass forms must represent either aggregated HspB1 (possible trimeric 75 kDa and tetrameric 100 kDa; Fig. 1C) or HspB1 covalently cross-linked to additional proteins. pSerHspB1 is present as monomer (Fig. 1C, closed arrowhead) and 75-kDa forms (Fig. 1C, asterisk). Developmentally the pSerHspB1 monomer downregulates to be replaced in mouse by the phosphorylated 75-kDa forms.
HspB1 Phosphorylation at Ser86 in Upper Epidermis Correlates with Adult Akt ExpressionUpper granular layer pSerAkt expression predominates in adult skin (Fig. 2A, dorsal skin). One exception is the highly specialized and thickened palmar/plantar (footpad) epidermis. Here the parabasal, lower Akt activity is retained, and there is much reduced upper Akt activity. Akt1 is undetectable in footpad (Fig. 2B), although Akt2 is maintained (Fig. 2C). This finding strengthens the proposal that upper pSerAkt is largely Akt1, whereas lower pSerAkt is largely Akt2. In addition, it suggests that upper pSerAkt may regulate the distinct patterns of terminal differentiation leading to physiologically different stratum corneums.
|
|
Akt1 and Akt2 Null Mice Have Reduced Phosphorylation of HspB1 at Ser86 and Reduced FilaggrinAlthough the double Akt1 and 2 null mouse dies soon after birth with a major stratum corneum defect (15), single Akt1 and 2 null mice survive and appear phenotypically normal (Refs. 24-26 and Fig. 3A), although the late terminal differentiation marker filaggrin is reduced (Fig. 3A). To demonstrate that epidermal Akt isoforms regulate epidermal HspB1, we examined dorsal skin from Akt1 and Akt2 single null mice. Total HspB1 levels did not vary in the wild type and null mice (Fig. 3B, closed arrowhead). In adult wild type murine epidermis, the higher molecular mass 75-kDa pSerHspB1 (Fig. 3B, asterisk) predominates, consistent with the demonstration that as epidermis develops the phosphorylated lower form is down-regulated (Fig. 1C). There was much reduced phosphorylation of HspB1 at Ser86 in both the Akt1 and Akt2 null mice (Fig. 3B). These data show that both Akt isoforms regulate phosphorylation of HspB1 at Ser86 in adult skin.
Although the single Akt1 and 2 null mice survive and have apparently phenotypically normal skin, the reduction in phosphorylated HspB1 led us to question whether there were subtle stratum corneum defects. We assay cornified envelope integrity by resistance to sonication (27). We show that isolated cornified envelopes from the Akt1 and 2 null mice are more susceptible to sonication (i.e. more fragile) than wild type (Fig. 3C), with the Akt1 null cornified envelopes showing significantly (p = 0.0086) more fragility.
|
|
Loss of HspB1 Leads to a Thickened Cornified Layer and Alterations in Filaggrin ProcessingTo determine whether HspB1 affects epidermal terminal differentiation and filaggrin processing, we used siRNA to reduce HspB1 expression in cultured keratinocytes (REKs; Ref. 22) and a REK-derived keratinocyte organotypic culture model that mimics the three-dimensional structure of skin and undergoes authentic terminal differentiation and barrier formation (Ref. 22 and Fig. 5). In differentiated cell culture the siRNA-containing cells expressed more filaggrin than the scrambled oligonucleotide controls, but the filaggrin was incorrectly processed because there was a reduction in the expression of the mature subunit of filaggrin (Fig. 5A, asterisk). Expression of keratin 10 was unchanged, suggesting that early epidermal differentiation was unaffected. Expression of loricrin, an unrelated cornified envelope protein, was increased in the siRNA-expressing culture. In the REK keratinocyte organotypic model, reduction in HspB1 expression led to production of an abnormal thickened stratum corneum (Fig. 5B). The overexpression of loricrin was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. These data suggest that HspB1 plays an important role in controlling late terminal differentiation processes involving filaggrin and additional stratum corneum proteins.
Phosphorylation of HspB1 at Serine 86 Leads to Colocalization of Filaggrin and HspB1The immunoelectron microscopy (Fig. 4) revealed that filaggrin and pSerHspB1 were coexpressed in the keratohyalin granules in the uppermost epidermis. To investigate further the interaction between filaggrin and HspB1, we transfected REK cells with hemagglutinin (HA)-tagged constructs containing wild type HspB1, an HspB1Ser86
Asp mutant mimicking phosphorylation by Akt, and an HspB1Ser86
Ala preventing phosphorylation at this site (Fig. 6). Coimmunofluorescence of highly differentiated cells with decomposing nuclei (Fig. 6, arrowheads) showed partial colocalization of filaggrin and HA in the cells expressing wild type HspB1 (Fig. 6). There was complete colocalization of the Ser
Asp mutant with filaggrin, whereas the alanine mutant showed complete segregation between the HA tag and filaggrin. This shows that phosphorylation of HspB1 at Ser86 by Akt is required for the interaction between HspB1 and filaggrin.
|
Immunoprecipitation with anti-HspB1 antibody revealed that, compared with vehicle-treated cells, inducing Akt1 activity resulted in a rapid association between filaggrin and HspB1 (Fig. 7B). This association was strongest at 2 h, followed by reduced association at 8 h (the apparent increased association at 24 h also occurs in the control). Note that the pattern of filaggrin intermediates associating with HspB1 differs from the pattern unassociated with HspB1 (Fig. 7, compare A and B), suggesting an HspB1-specific association with a subset of filaggrin intermediates. Akt1 activation was marked by the rapid appearance of high molecular mass pSerHspB1 (Fig. 7C), confirming that epidermal Akt phosphorylates HspB1 at the equivalent serine (Ser87 in rat).
Akt induced HspB1-filaggrin interaction appears down-regulated 8 h after experimental Akt activation (Fig. 7B), suggesting that the interaction is transitory. In the REK cell line, filaggrin can be detected associating with the nucleii of late terminally differentiating cells in monolayer culture, probably reflecting its in vivo role in nuclear degradation (28). Coimmunofluorescence experiments showed that Akt-induced filaggrin and phosphorylated HspB1 express in both the cytoplasm and nucleus 2 h after Akt induction, permissive for the physical binding revealed by immunoprecipitation (Fig. 7E). However, by 8 h filaggrin and phosphorylated HspB1 are segregating (Fig. 7F) in many of the cells. In these cells nuclear filaggrin is non-homogenous, and pSerHspB1 is excluded from the nucleus. These data confirm that the Akt-induced-SerHspB1 interaction with filaggrin is transitory, at least in the nuclei, and that following the interaction the two proteins segregate.
AKT Phosphorylation of HspB1 Is Followed by Intracellular RedistributionDevelopmentally, pSerHspB1 appears to move from nucleus to cytoplasm or keratohyalin granules during the barrier formation period (Fig. 1A). In addition, there have been previous reports of keratinocyte HspB1 shuttling between the cytoplasm and nucleus in response to stress (29-31). In the Akt-inducible monolayer culture model above (Fig. 7), we show nuclear-cytoplasmic redistribution of HspB1, which follows Ser phosphorylation and filaggrin interaction. To explore possible intracellular movement in a more authentic skin model and find whether it was linked to Akt activation, tamoxifen-inducible, myristylated AKT (constitutively active) was induced for 24 h in a the REK keratinocyte organotypic culture (22). Note that the addition of 4-hydroxytamoxifen to the organotypic culture without the Akt construct caused no change in either the expression of Akt1 or phosphorylation of Akt (data not shown).
Akt activation results in hyperkeratinization in the organotypic model, as previously reported (Refs. 16 and 32 and Fig. 8A) and increased and inappropriate expression of filaggrin (Fig. 8A). This culture system is a closer mimic of fetal/neonatal skin than mature adult skin, with pSerAkt expressed in both the parabasal cells and granular layers in control and induced cultures (Fig. 8A) and pSerHspB1 expressed throughout the epidermis as in fetal skin (Fig. 8B; cf. Fig. 1A). Induction of constitutively activated Akt in this system produces dramatic change in pSerHspB1 subcellular location with depletion of pSerHspB1 from the nuclei and a greater concentration of protein in the cytoplasm compared with vehicle-treated controls (Fig. 8B). This suggests that Akt activity is altering the balance of nuclear versus cytoplasmic pSerHspB1 in favor of concentration in the cytoplasm. Because this culture model is a closer analogue to fetal/neonatal than adult skin, these data suggest that the developmental movement of pSerHspB1 from nuclei to cytoplasm/granules could be driven by the newly induced fetal Akt activities.
| DISCUSSION |
|---|
|
|
|---|
|
We show that epidermal Akt activity leads to phosphorylation of HspB1 at Ser86, demonstrated both in Akt null mice and by overexpression. Phosphorylation of HspB1 induces rapid, reversible binding of HspB1 to filaggrin. Akt-induced HspB1 phosphorylation also changes the equilibrium between cytoplasmic and nuclear pSerHspB1, leading to greater concentration in the cytoplasm. Although HspB1 has been proposed as a chaperone of late terminal differentiation proteins (10, 33), this is the first example of direct, reversible binding to a cornified envelope protein. We also demonstrate that reduction in HspB1 leads to keratinization abnormality and changes not only to filaggrin processing but also changes to levels of an unrelated keratinization protein loricrin, underlying the probable pleiotropic effect of HspB1 on terminal differentiation. The demonstration that epidermal Akt is affecting the binding behavior and intracellular location of this important epidermal chaperone in cells undergoing cornification implies a new role for Akt.
Akt and HspB1 Developmental Change as Skin Barrier FormsDuring late development in mouse (E16.5-17.5) (23) and at
24-28 weeks of human gestation (34), skin rapidly acquires barrier activity. We demonstrate complex and changing Akt activities over this period. We infer that the fetal, parabasal pulse of Akt activity is equivalent to that reported in cultured keratinocytes because (i) it reappears in organotypic cultures (this work; Ref. 16) and (ii) it associates with early differentiation in cultured keratinocytes (17, 18) where it has been linked to keratinocyte differentiation and survival. In adult skin it is likely that this lower form is still present, although the lower levels are usually below or just bordering the limits of detection histologically. It may be this lower Akt activity that is reactivated during wound healing (35).
We show that the HspB1 intracellular location changes during this crucial developmental period from a cytoplasmic/nuclear pattern to a cytoplasmic/granular pattern. Because experimental Akt activation in a skin organotypic model mimicking fetal skin results in similar change, it is tempting to infer that Akt activation is prerequisite for, or is driving, HspB1 intracellular relocation. HspB1 transport to the keratohyalin granules and its association with keratin filaments is probably necessary for processing of critical stratum corneum proteins like filaggrin and correct stratum corneum formation during development.
|
The Significance of AKT-dependent Interaction between HspB1 and FilaggrinWe show Akt-dependent interaction of HspB1 with filaggrin, although we predict interaction with multiple stratum corneum proteins. Filaggrin is the best characterized member of the fused type S100 multi-protein family, including hornerin and trichohyalin. These proteins are produced as high molecular mass, insoluble precursors consisting of repeated monomer units with an N-terminal S100 homology region. Filaggrin was originally described as involved in keratin aggregation (38) but later shown to have an additional role in nuclear destruction (2). Therefore, free processed filaggrin is a dangerous protein, and sequestration in keratohyalin granules is thought to prevent premature action. Our data suggest that an important role for HspB1 in the epidermis is to bind filaggrin and probably other fused group proteins to regulate correct temporal and spatial processing.
Akt, HspB1, and Environmental StressEpidermal stratum corneum is the primary barrier against environmental insults such as UV light, in particular genotoxic UVB. Although keratinocytes from the lower strata undergo apoptosis in response to UV-induced DNA damage, such a response in granular layer keratinocytes needed for stratum corneum assembly would be catastrophic, leaving underlying cells without protection (39). In addition, it may not be necessary to remove cells harboring UV-induced DNA damage if they are soon to be "cornified" and shed into the environment. Our demonstration of granular layer Akt and HspB1 is significant because these are known anti-apoptotic proteins (14, 40), and others have proposed that keratinocyte Akt has an antiapoptotic role (17, 18). In addition to their role in the regulation of normal cornification demonstrated here, granular Akt and HspB1 may play an apoptotic protective role for granular layer keratinocytes.
We show that upper epidermal phosphorylation at Ser86 in mouse is regulated by Akt 1 and Akt2. However, HspB1 is also a substrate of the stress-induced p38 MAPK/MAPKAPK2 pathway, resulting in phosphorylation at the same serine residue in human and mouse, as well as additional serine residues (36). Additional kinases are also known to regulate HspB1 (reviewed in Ref. 41), and we suspect that these kinases are active developmentally and in adult epidermis. The p38 MAPK pathway resulting in HspB1 phosphorylation is active in keratinocytes subject to stress (31, 42). In neither the Akt1 null or Akt2 null mouse is there complete dephosphorylation of HspB1 at Ser86 (Fig. 3B), probably because of redundant action from the other Akt isoforms, although possibly by phosphorylation via MAPKAPK2 or other epidermal kinases.
We demonstrate here redistribution of pSerHspB1 from nucleus to the cytoplasm as a response to Akt signaling and interpret this as evidence for a chaperone role for Akt-phosphorylated HspB1 during normal differentiation. Phosphorylation and redistribution of HspB1 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus after heat shock (30) and UVB exposure (29, 31) has been demonstrated in cultured keratinocytes, with UVB-mediated cytoplasmic to nuclear shuttling downstream of p38 MAPK signaling (31). Hence, the stress-responsive phosphorylation of HspB1 and Akt-mediated phosphorylation produce opposite cellular localization effects.
Roles of Akt Isoforms in Skin BarrierAlthough the Akt1 and 2 double null mouse fails to form stratum corneum and has an apparent major barrier defect (15), the single isoform null mice (Akt1, 2 and 3) (24-26, 43, 44) survive postnatally with no apparent epidermal defect. However, we show significant cornified envelope defects in the Akt1 null (Fig. 3). The importance of stratum corneum and barrier activity to mammalian survival has lead to the proposal that there are multiple redundant pathways for barrier maintenance (45). Knock-out of many key stratum corneum proteins has failed to produce significant barrier defect (45). We believe that there is compensation by other Akt isoforms or pathways that prevent severe pathology in the Akt single null animals. Nevertheless, the Akt1 null animals fail to thrive (25, 26), which is a feature of human patients with subtle barrier defects (46). This suggests that knock-out of single Akt isoforms may affect epidermal physiology.
| FOOTNOTES |
|---|
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed: Centre for Cutaneous Research, Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, United Kingdom. Tel.: 44-207-882-7165; Fax: 44-207-882-7171; E-mail: c.r.byrne{at}qmul.ac.uk.
2 The abbreviations used are: Hsp, heat shock protein; REK, rat epidermal keratinocyte; En, embryonic day(s); siRNA, small interfering RNA; HA, hemagglutinin; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; MAPKAPK2, MAPK-activated protein kinase 2. ![]()
| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
|---|
| REFERENCES |
|---|
|
|
|---|
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
R. F.L. O'Shaughnessy, B. Akgul, A. Storey, H. Pfister, C. A. Harwood, and C. Byrne Cutaneous Human Papillomaviruses Down-regulate AKT1, whereas AKT2 Up-regulation and Activation Associates with Tumors Cancer Res., September 1, 2007; 67(17): 8207 - 8215. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||