Filamin B serves as a molecular scaffold for type I interferon-induced c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase signaling pathway

Mol Biol Cell. 2008 Dec;19(12):5116-30. doi: 10.1091/mbc.e08-06-0576. Epub 2008 Sep 24.

Abstract

Type I interferons (IFNs) activate Janus tyrosine kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway for exerting pleiotropic biological effects, including antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory responses. Here, we demonstrate that filamin B functions as a scaffold that links between activated Rac1 and a c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) cascade module for mediating type I IFN signaling. Filamin B interacted with Rac1, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 1, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4, and JNK. Filamin B markedly enhanced IFNalpha-dependent Rac1 activation and the sequential activation of the JNK cascade members. Complementation assays using M2 melanoma cells revealed that filamin B, but not filamin A, is required for IFNalpha-dependent activation of JNK. Furthermore, filamin B promoted IFNalpha-induced apoptosis, whereas short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of filamin B prevented it. These results establish a novel function of filamin B as a molecular scaffold in the JNK signaling pathway for type I IFN-induced apoptosis, thus providing the biological basis for antitumor and antiviral functions of type I IFNs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / physiology
  • Cell Surface Extensions / metabolism
  • Contractile Proteins / genetics
  • Contractile Proteins / metabolism*
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Filamins
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Interferon Type I / genetics
  • Interferon Type I / metabolism*
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / physiology*
  • Microfilament Proteins / genetics
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • RNA Interference
  • rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Contractile Proteins
  • Filamins
  • Interferon Type I
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • rac1 GTP-Binding Protein