New clues reveal how cells respond to stress
Inflammasome protein complexes form in response to signals associated with danger, such as an infection or environmental stress, and trigger the innate immune response. The serine protease dipeptidyl peptidase 9, or DPP9, forms a dimer in its active conformation and interacts with components of inflammasomes to prevent unnecessary activation. Scientists know that synthetic inhibitors of DPP9 activate certain inflammasomes. However, whether a cell-intrinsic molecule can inhibit this enzyme remains an open question. Therefore, Lydia Tsamouri, Jeffrey Hsiao and colleagues from the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center investigated DPP9 interaction partners. They examined a connection between DPP9 and redox sensor KEAP1 in their recent Journal of Biological Chemistry article.

Using a fluorogenic probe that functions as a DPP9 substrate, the authors established that KEAP1 inhibits DPP9 activity in cells. They also found that KEAP1 can only inhibit DPP9 when both are introduced into cells at the same time via transfection with complementary DNA, or cDNA, that encodes each protein, before DPP9 dimerizes; newly introduced KEAP1 could not inhibit DPP9 already present in cells. The researchers hypothesized that KEAP1 interacts with DPP9 in a state different from its folded dimeric structure and that a cellular event or biomolecule could force DPP9 to adopt this alternative conformation. They tested multiple compounds, including electron transport chain inhibitors and oxidants like hydrogen peroxide, but they have not yet found a condition that leads to KEAP1–DPP9 complex formation and DPP9 inactivation.
Future experiments will focus on identifying a signal or molecules that could change DPP9’s conformation and whether the DPP9–KEAP1 interaction directly initiates inflammasome activation. Outlining the full DPP9 pathway involving inflammasomes will help scientists understand how cells convert danger signals into immune action and restrain unnecessary activation.
Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?
Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.
Learn moreGet the latest from ASBMB Today
Enter your email address, and we’ll send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.
Latest in Science
Science highlights or most popular articles

Receptor antagonist reduces age-related bone loss in mice
Receptor antagonist reduces bone loss and promotes osteoblast activity in aging mice, highlighting its potential to treat osteoporosis. Read more about this recent JBC paper.

Engineered fusion protein targets kiwifruit pathogen
Synthetic protein selectively kills kiwifruit pathogen, offering a promising biocontrol strategy for agriculture. Read more about this recent JBC paper.

Pathogen-derived enzyme engineered for antibiotic design
Engineered variants of a bacterial enzyme developed at the University at Buffalo accept larger substrates, paving the way for new acinetobactin-based antimicrobials. Read more about this recent JBC paper.

Omega-3 fats linked to healthy aging and improved heart metabolism
Scientists from the University of Iowa find that a diet high in polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish oil increases cardiac triglyceride uptake and improves insulin sensitivity. Read more about this recent JLR study.

RA patient blood reveals joint innerworkings
Researchers in the Netherlands use mass spectrometry to compare the proteome of plasma and synovial fluid in rheumatoid arthritis patients and find a correlation. Read more about this recent paper in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics.

Hope for a cure hangs on research
Amid drastic proposed cuts to biomedical research, rare disease families like Hailey Adkisson’s fight for survival and hope. Without funding, science can’t “catch up” to help the patients who need it most.