Proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses of Jurkat T-cell treated with 2'3' cGAMP reveals various signaling axes impacted by cyclic dinucleotides

Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs), such as 2' 3'-cGAMP, bind to STING to trigger the production of cytokines and interferons, mainly via activation of TBK1. STING activation by CDN also leads to the release and activation of Nuclear Factor Kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappa B) via the phosphorylation of Inhibitor of NF-kappa B (I kappa B)-alpha (I kappa B alpha) by I.B Kinase (IKK). Beyond the canonical TBK1 or IKK phosphorylations, little is known about how CDNs broadly affect the phosphoproteome and/or other signaling axes. To fill this gap, we performed an unbiased proteome and phosphoproteome analysis of Jurkat T-cell treated with 2' 3'-cGAMP or vehicle control to identify proteins and phosphorylation sites that are differentially modulated by 2'3'-cGAMP. We uncovered different classes of kinase signatures associated with cell response to 2'3'-cGAMP. 2'3'-cGAMP upregulated Arginase 2 (Arg2) and the antiviral innate immune response receptor RIG-I as well as proteins involved in ISGylation, E3 ISG15-protein ligase HERC5 and ubiquitin-like protein ISG15, while downregulating ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBE2C. Kinases that play a role in DNA double strand break repair, apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation were differentially phosphorylated. Overall, this work demonstrates that 2' 3'-cGAMP has a much broader effects on global phosphorylation events than currently appreciated, beyond the canonical TBK1/ IKK signaling. Significance: The host cyclic dinucleotide, 2' 3'-cGAMP is known to bind to Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) to trigger the production of cytokines and interferons in immune cells via STING-TBK1-IRF3 pathway. Beyond the canonical phosphorelay via the STING-TBK1-IRF3 pathway, little is known about how this second messenger broadly affects the global proteome. Using an unbiased phosphoproteomics, this study identifies several kinases and phosphosites that are modulated by cGAMP. The study expands our knowledge about how cGAMP modulates global proteome and also global phosphorylations.

Automated summary

CDNs such as 2' 3'-cGAMP activate TBK1 to bind with STING, triggering the production of cytokines and interferons. STING activation by CDN also leads to the release and activation of NF-kappa B via the phosphorylation of I kappa B alpha by IKK. This study reveals the broad effects of 2' 3'-cGAMP on global phosphorylation events and identifies different kinase signatures associated with cell response to this second messenger.