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Activation of the IκB kinase (IKK) is central to NF-κB signaling. However, the precise activation mechanism by which catalytic IKK subunits gain the ability to induce NF-κB transcriptional activity is not well understood. Here we report a 4 Å x-ray crystal structure of human IKK2 (hIKK2) in its catalytically active conformation. The hIKK2 domain architecture closely resembles that of Xenopus IKK2 (xIKK2). However, whereas inactivated xIKK2 displays a closed dimeric structure, hIKK2 dimers adopt open conformations that permit higher order oligomerization within the crystal. Reversible oligomerization of hIKK2 dimers is observed in solution. Mutagenesis confirms that two of the surfaces that mediate oligomerization within the crystal are also critical for the process of hIKK2 activation in cells. We propose that IKK2 dimers transiently associate with one another through these interaction surfaces to promote trans auto-phosphorylation as part of their mechanism of activation. This structure-based model supports recently published structural data that implicate strand exchange as part of a mechanism for IKK2 activation via trans auto-phosphorylation. Moreover, oligomerization through the interfaces identified in this study and subsequent trans auto-phosphorylation account for the rapid amplification of IKK2 phosphorylation observed even in the absence of any upstream kinase.

Cardiac ventricular pressure overload affects patients with congenital heart defects and can cause cardiac insufficiency. Grafts of stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes are proposed as a complementary treatment to surgical repair of the cardiac defect, aiming to support ventricular function. Here, we report successful engraftment of human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiac lineage cells into the heart of immunosuppressed rhesus macaques with a novel surgical model of right ventricular pressure overload. The human troponin+ grafts were detected in low-dose (2 × 106 cells/kg) and high-dose (10 × 106 cells/kg) treatment groups up to 12 weeks post-injection. Transplanted cells integrated and progressively matched the organization of the surrounding host myocardium. Ventricular tachycardia occurred in five out of 16 animals receiving cells, with episodes of incessant tachycardia observed in two animals; ventricular tachycardia events resolved within 19 days. Our results demonstrate that grafted cardiomyocytes mature and integrate into the myocardium of nonhuman primates modeling right ventricular pressure overload.

We have recently identified an RNA aptamer for the transcription factor NF-κB p50 homodimer [(p50) 2 ], which exhibits little sequence resemblance to the consensus DNA target for (p50) 2 , but binds (p50) 2 with an affinity similar to that of the optimal DNA target. We describe here the 2.45-Å resolution x-ray crystal structure of the p50 RHR/RNA aptamer complex. The structure reveals that two RNA molecules bind independent of each other to the p50 N-terminal Ig-like domains. The RNA secondary structure is comprised of a stem and a stem–loop separated by an internal loop folded into a kinked helix because of the cross-strand stacking of three internal loop guanines. These guanines, placed at the edge of the 3′ helix, together with the major groove of the irregular 3′ helix, form the binding surface for p50. Each p50 monomer uses the same surface to recognize the distorted RNA major groove as observed in the κB DNA/p50 RHR complex, resulting in strikingly similar interfaces. The structure reveals how the aptamer specifically selects p50 and discriminates against p65. We also discuss the physiological implications of RNA binding by (p50) 2 .

Polymorphism of genes encoding components of the vitamin D pathway including vitamin D receptor (VDR) and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP), have been widely explored due to the complex role played by vitamin D in renal transplant outcomes. In this study, we investigated whether polymorphisms of genes encoding VDR and VDBP were associated with allograft survival or acute rejection (AR) among a Hispanic kidney transplant population. A total of 502 Hispanic renal allograft recipients at the St. Vincent Medical Center between 2001 and 2010 were genotyped for four different single nucleotide polymorphisms of VDR: FokI C>T (rs2228570), BsmI G>A (rs1544410), ApaI T>G (rs7975232), and TaqI T>C (rs731236). We also performed genotyping for one common polymorphism in the VDBP gene (rs4588). Survival was significantly improved for patients who were homozygous GG for the rs4588 G>T allele in the VDBP gene (GG vs. GT + TT, OR = 0.63, p  = 0.02) while GT genotype was associated with a higher risk of graft loss (GT vs. GG + TT, OR = 1.67, p  = 0.01). We found no association for polymorphic markers in VDR with allograft survival and AR. The frequency of the haplotype GTCG (in the order of VDR FokI C>T, BsmI G>A, ApaI T>G, and TaqI T>C), was significantly different in the patients with graft rejection compared to the control ( p  = 0.007) while ACCA haplotype was found to be associated with graft loss ( p  = 0.02). Hence, the VDBP G>T polymorphism (rs4588) and two haplotypes (GTCG and ACCA) of VDR appear to be associated with renal allograft outcomes among Hispanic allograft recipients.

The NFκB family of dimeric transcription factors regulate inflammatory and immune responses. While the dynamic control of NFκB dimer activity via the IκB–NFκB signalling module is well understood, there is little information on how specific dimer repertoires are generated from Rel family polypeptides. Here we report the iterative construction—guided by in vitro and in vivo experimentation—of a mathematical model of the Rel-NFκB generation module. Our study reveals that IκBβ has essential functions within the Rel-NFκB generation module, specifically for the RelA:RelA homodimer, which controls a subset of NFκB target genes. Our findings revise the current dogma of the three classical, functionally related IκB proteins by distinguishing between a positive ‘licensing’ factor (IκBβ) that contributes to determining the available NFκB dimer repertoire in a cell’s steady state, and negative feedback regulators (IκBα and -ɛ) that determine the duration and dynamics of the cellular response to an inflammatory stimulus. The NFκB signalling pathway is regulated through the formation of transcription factor dimers but mechanisms controlling their formation are poorly understood. Here, Tsui et al . report that IκBb is a positive regulator of Rel-NFκB dimer formation, using in vitro and in vivo experiments and mathematical modelling.

IκB Kinase (IKK)α is required for activation of an alternative NF‐κB signaling pathway based on processing of the NF‐κB2/p100 precursor protein, which associates with RelB in the cytoplasm. This pathway, which activates RelB:p52 dimers, is required for induction of several chemokine genes needed for organization of secondary lymphoid organs. We investigated the basis for the IKKα dependence of the induction of these genes in response to engagement of the lymphotoxin β receptor (LTβR). Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we found that the promoters of organogenic chemokine genes are recognized by RelB:p52 dimers and not by RelA:p50 dimers, the ubiquitous target for the classical NF‐κB signaling pathway. We identified in the IKKα‐dependent promoters a novel type of NF‐κB‐binding site that is preferentially recognized by RelB:p52 dimers. This site links induction of organogenic chemokines and other important regulatory molecules to activation of the alternative pathway.

The NF‐κB p50 is the N‐terminal processed product of the precursor, p105. It has been suggested that p50 is generated not from full‐length p105 but cotranslationally from incompletely synthesized molecules by the proteasome. We show that the 20S proteasome endoproteolytically cleaves the fully synthesized p105 and selectively degrades the C‐terminus of p105, leading to p50 generation in a ubiquitin‐independent manner. As small as 25 residues C‐terminus to the site of processing are sufficient to promote processing in vivo . However, any p105 mutant that lacks complete ankyrin repeat domain (ARD) is processed aberrantly, suggesting that native processing must occur from a precursor, which extends beyond the ARD. Remarkably, the mutant p105 that lacks the internal region including the glycine‐rich region (GRR) is completely degraded by 20S proteasome in vitro. This suggests that the GRR impedes the complete degradation of the p105 precursor, thus contributing to p50 generation.

The X‐ray structure of the nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) p52:RelB:κB DNA complex reveals a new recognition feature not previously seen in other NF‐κB:κB DNA complexes. Arg 125 of RelB is in contact with an additional DNA base pair. Surprisingly, the p52:RelB R125A mutant heterodimer shows defects both in DNA binding and in transcriptional activity only to a subclass of κB sites. We found that the Arg 125‐sensitive κB sites contain more contiguous and centrally located A:T base pairs than do the insensitive sites. A protein‐induced kink observed in this complex, which used an AT‐rich κB site, might allow the DNA contact by Arg 125; such a kink might not be possible in complexes with non‐AT‐rich κB sites. Furthermore, we show that the p52:RelB heterodimer binds to a broader spectrum of κB sites when compared with the p50:RelA heterodimer. We suggest that the p52:RelB heterodimer is more adaptable to complement sequence and structural variations in κB sites when compared with other NF‐κB dimers.

Activation of the IκB kinase (IKK) is central to NF-κB signaling. However, the precise activation mechanism by which catalytic IKK subunits gain the ability to induce NF-κB transcriptional activity is not well understood. Here we report a 4 Å x-ray crystal structure of human IKK2 (hIKK2) in its catalytically active conformation. The hIKK2 domain architecture closely resembles that of Xenopus IKK2 (xIKK2). However, whereas inactivated xIKK2 displays a closed dimeric structure, hIKK2 dimers adopt open conformations that permit higher order oligomerization within the crystal. Reversible oligomerization of hIKK2 dimers is observed in solution. Mutagenesis confirms that two of the surfaces that mediate oligomerization within the crystal are also critical for the process of hIKK2 activation in cells. We propose that IKK2 dimers transiently associate with one another through these interaction surfaces to promote trans auto-phosphorylation as part of their mechanism of activation. This structure-based model supports recently published structural data that implicate strand exchange as part of a mechanism for IKK2 activation via trans auto-phosphorylation. Moreover, oligomerization through the interfaces identified in this study and subsequent trans auto-phosphorylation account for the rapid amplification of IKK2 phosphorylation observed even in the absence of any upstream kinase.

The X-ray structure of the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) p52:RelB:kappaB DNA complex reveals a new recognition feature not previously seen in other NF-kappaB:kappaB DNA complexes. Arg 125 of RelB is in contact with an additional DNA base pair. Surprisingly, the p52:RelB R125A mutant heterodimer shows defects both in DNA binding and in transcriptional activity only to a subclass of kappaB sites. We found that the Arg 125-sensitive kappaB sites contain more contiguous and centrally located A:T base pairs than do the insensitive sites. A protein-induced kink observed in this complex, which used an AT-rich kappaB site, might allow the DNA contact by Arg 125; such a kink might not be possible in complexes with non-AT-rich kappaB sites. Furthermore, we show that the p52:RelB heterodimer binds to a broader spectrum of kappaB sites when compared with the p50:RelA heterodimer. We suggest that the p52:RelB heterodimer is more adaptable to complement sequence and structural variations in kappaB sites when compared with other NF-kappaB dimers.