iScience (Jul 2022)

Ubiquitylation of RIPK3 beyond-the-RHIM can limit RIPK3 activity and cell death

  • Daniel Frank,
  • Sarah E. Garnish,
  • Jarrod J. Sandow,
  • Ashley Weir,
  • Lin Liu,
  • Elise Clayer,
  • Lizeth Meza,
  • Maryam Rashidi,
  • Simon A. Cobbold,
  • Simon R. Scutts,
  • Marcel Doerflinger,
  • Holly Anderton,
  • Kate E. Lawlor,
  • Najoua Lalaoui,
  • Andrew J. Kueh,
  • Vik Ven Eng,
  • Rebecca L. Ambrose,
  • Marco J. Herold,
  • Andre L. Samson,
  • Rebecca Feltham,
  • James M. Murphy,
  • Gregor Ebert,
  • Jaclyn S. Pearson,
  • James E. Vince

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 25, no. 7
p. 104632

Abstract

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Summary: Pathogen recognition and TNF receptors signal via receptor interacting serine/threonine kinase-3 (RIPK3) to cause cell death, including MLKL-mediated necroptosis and caspase-8-dependent apoptosis. However, the post-translational control of RIPK3 is not fully understood. Using mass-spectrometry, we identified that RIPK3 is ubiquitylated on K469. The expression of mutant RIPK3 K469R demonstrated that RIPK3 ubiquitylation can limit both RIPK3-mediated apoptosis and necroptosis. The enhanced cell death of overexpressed RIPK3 K469R and activated endogenous RIPK3 correlated with an overall increase in RIPK3 ubiquitylation. Ripk3K469R/K469R mice challenged with Salmonella displayed enhanced bacterial loads and reduced serum IFNγ. However, Ripk3K469R/K469R macrophages and dermal fibroblasts were not sensitized to RIPK3-mediated apoptotic or necroptotic signaling suggesting that, in these cells, there is functional redundancy with alternate RIPK3 ubiquitin-modified sites. Consistent with this idea, the mutation of other ubiquitylated RIPK3 residues also increased RIPK3 hyper-ubiquitylation and cell death. Therefore, the targeted ubiquitylation of RIPK3 may act as either a brake or accelerator of RIPK3-dependent killing.

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