Genome-wide RNA interference in Drosophila cells identifies G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 as a conserved regulator of NF-kappaB signaling

J Immunol. 2010 Jun 1;184(11):6188-98. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1000261. Epub 2010 Apr 26.

Abstract

Because NF-kappaB signaling pathways are highly conserved in evolution, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster provides a good model to study these cascades. We carried out an RNA interference (RNAi)-based genome-wide in vitro reporter assay screen in Drosophila for components of NF-kappaB pathways. We analyzed 16,025 dsRNA-treatments and identified 10 novel NF-kappaB regulators. Of these, nine dsRNA-treatments affect primarily the Toll pathway. G protein-coupled receptor kinase (Gprk)2, CG15737/Toll pathway activation mediating protein, and u-shaped were required for normal Drosomycin response in vivo. Interaction studies revealed that Gprk2 interacts with the Drosophila IkappaB homolog Cactus, but is not required in Cactus degradation, indicating a novel mechanism for NF-kappaB regulation. Morpholino silencing of the zebrafish ortholog of Gprk2 in fish embryos caused impaired cytokine expression after Escherichia coli infection, indicating a conserved role in NF-kappaB signaling. Moreover, small interfering RNA silencing of the human ortholog GRK5 in HeLa cells impaired NF-kappaB reporter activity. Gprk2 RNAi flies are susceptible to infection with Enterococcus faecalis and Gprk2 RNAi rescues Toll(10b)-induced blood cell activation in Drosophila larvae in vivo. We conclude that Gprk2/GRK5 has an evolutionarily conserved role in regulating NF-kappaB signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Drosophila
  • Drosophila Proteins / immunology*
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
  • G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2 / immunology*
  • G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2 / metabolism
  • G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 5 / immunology
  • G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 5 / metabolism*
  • Gram-Negative Chemolithotrophic Bacteria / immunology
  • Gram-Negative Chemolithotrophic Bacteria / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • NF-kappa B / immunology*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Zebrafish

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • NF-kappa B
  • G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2
  • G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 5
  • Gprk2 protein, Drosophila