ADAR1 (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA-1) is widely expressed in mammals, but its biological role is unknown. We show here by gene targeting that ADAR1 selectively edits in vivo two of five closely spaced adenosines in the serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine subtype 2C receptor pre-mRNA of nervous tissue; and hence, site-selective adenosine-to-inosine editing is indeed a function of ADAR1. Remarkably, homozygosity for two different null alleles of ADAR1 caused a consistent embryonic phenotype appearing early at embryonic day 11 and leading to death between embryonic days 11.5 and 12.5. This phenotype manifests a rapidly disintegrating liver structure, along with severe defects in definitive hematopoiesis, encompassing both erythroid and myeloid/granuloid progenitors as well as spleen colonyforming activity from the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region and fetal liver. Probably as a consequence of these developmental impairments, ADAR1-deficient embryonic stem cells failed to contribute to liver, bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and blood in adult chimeric mice. Thus, ADAR1 subserves critical steps in developing nonnervous tissue, which are likely to include transcript editing.

Changes in cytoplasmic Ca 2+ levels regulate a variety of fundamental cellular functions in virtually all cells. In nonexcitable cells, a major pathway of Ca 2+ entry involves receptor-mediated depletion of intracellular Ca 2+ stores followed by the activation of store-operated calcium channels in the plasma membrane. We have established a mouse line expressing an activating EF hand motif mutant of stromal interaction molecule 1 (Stim1), an ER receptor recently identified as the Ca 2+ sensor responsible for activation of Ca 2+ releaseactivated (CRAC) channels in T cells, whose function in mammalian physiology is not well understood. Mice expressing mutant Stim1 had macrothrombocytopenia and an associated bleeding disorder. Basal intracellular Ca 2+ levels were increased in platelets, which resulted in a preactivation state, a selective unresponsiveness to immunoreceptor tyrosine activation motif-coupled agonists, and increased platelet consumption. In contrast, basal Ca 2+ levels, but not receptor-mediated responses, were affected in mutant T cells. These findings identify Stim1 as a central regulator of platelet function and suggest a cell type-specific activation or composition of the CRAC complex. IntroductionThe regulation of intracellular Ca 2+ ([Ca 2+ ] i ) is essentially involved in signaling processes in virtually all cells. In nonexcitable cells, including hematopoietic cells, Ca 2+ is released from the ER via inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate-mediated (IP 3 -mediated) receptor activation triggered by ligand-activated plasma membrane receptors. If the limited Ca 2+ reservoir of the ER becomes exhausted, extracellular Ca 2+ enters the cytoplasm by a mechanism known as store-operated Ca 2+ entry (SOCE) (1, 2). Although electrophysiologically well defined for more than a decade, the molecular identity of the pivotal proteins undoubtedly involved in SOCE has been discovered only recently. Stromal interaction molecule 1 (Stim1) is an ER resident protein necessary for the detection of ER Ca 2+ depletion (3-6). The 4-transmembrane domain protein Orai1, or CRACM, was reported recently to confer SOC activity (4,(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). In T cells, Orai1 appears to be the predominant SOC (9), despite the fact that the C-terminal region of Stim1 has been shown to also interact with other SOC candidates such as transient receptor potential channels (TRPCs) 1,

The identification of specific genetic loci that contribute to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases has proved difficult due to the contribution of multiple interacting genes, the inherent genetic heterogeneity present in human populations, and a lack of new mouse mutants. By using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis to discover new immune regulators, we identified a point mutation in the murine phospholipase Cg2 (Plcg2) gene that leads to severe spontaneous inflammation and autoimmunity. The disease is composed of an autoimmune component mediated by autoantibody immune complexes and B and T cell independent inflammation. The underlying mechanism is a gain-of-function mutation in Plcg2, which leads to hyperreactive external calcium entry in B cells and expansion of innate inflammatory cells. This mutant identifies Plcg2 as a key regulator in an autoimmune and inflammatory disease mediated by B cells and non-B, non-T haematopoietic cells and emphasizes that by distinct genetic modulation, a single point mutation can lead to a complex immunological phenotype.

IntroductionAutoinflammatory diseases are systemic conditions involving apparently unprovoked inflammation in the absence of autoantibody-and antigenic-specific T cells. A significant proportion of these diseases is caused by single gene mutations. Furthermore, the mutated gene remains to be discovered in a number of Mendelian inherited autoinflammatory diseases. 1 Identifying the genes involved is a first step toward elucidating the pathways involved in the inflammatory processes underlying these diseases. Among the genes recently identified as causal is the gene encoding the TNF receptor, which has long been recognized for its role in inflammation and immunity. TNF receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) is caused by mutations in the extracellular domain of the 55-kDa TNF receptor that lead to a dominantly inherited periodic fever. 2 Leukocytes from some, but not all, of these patients have increased membrane TNFRS1A and impaired receptor ectodomain cleavage on in vitro stimulation, consistent with a deficiency in a normal negative homeostatic process. 3 Two autoinflammatory periodic fever syndromes in which the mutated gene has been identified recently point to a common pathway. 4 Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting from mutations in the gene encoding pyrin, which normally inhibits pro-IL-1␤ cytokine processing to the active form. It has recently been shown that mutations in the structural gene encoding Pombe Cdc15 homology (PCH) family protein, proline serine threonine phosphatase-interacting protein 1/CD2 binding protein 1 (PSTPIP1/ CD2BP1), 5 lead to an autosomal-dominant autoinflammatory disease called pyogenic arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and acne (PAPA) syndrome. 6 These mutations lead to decreased binding of PSTPIP1 to a protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTP-PEST, that specifically dephosphorylates PSTPIP1. 6,7 Subsequent studies by Shoham et al 8 showed that pyrin, the protein involved in FMF, interacts with PSTPIP1, thus establishing an important biochemical link between the proteins involved in these 2 diseases. Clearly, identification of the genes mutated in autoinflammatory diseases such as TRAPS, FMF, and PAPA, coupled with increased understanding of the functions of the proteins encoded by them, promises to greatly increase our knowledge of the mechanisms that mediate leukocyte inflammatory responses.PCH proteins constitute an extensive protein family involved in the regulation of actin polymerization and actin-based processes, including membrane ruffling, formation of filopodia, cell adhesion, and cytokinesis. [9][10][11][12][13][14][15] The PCH protein, macrophage actin-associated tyrosine phosphorylated protein (MAYP), 11 closely related to PSTPIP1 and also known as PSTPIP2, 12 is expressed in macrophages and macrophage-containing tissues. 11 Like that of PSTPIP1 and the other PCH family members, its domain organization includes an amino-terminal Fes-CIP4 homology (FCH) domain For personal use only. on May 9, 2018. by guest www.bloodjournal.or...