Plasmid-encoded NP73-102 modulates atrial natriuretic peptide receptor signaling and plays a critical role in inducing tolerogenic dendritic cells.

Background: Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is an important endogenous hormone that controls inflammation and immunity by acting on dendritic cells (DCs); however, the mechanism remains unclear.

Objective: We analyzed the downstream signaling events resulting from the binding of ANP to its receptor, NPRA, and sought to determine what aspects of this signaling modulate DC function.

Methods: We utilized the inhibitory peptide, NP73-102, to block NPRA signaling in human monocyte-derived DCs (hmDCs) and examined the effect on DC maturation and induced immune responses. The potential downstream molecules and interactions among these molecules involved in NPRA signaling were identified by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting. Changes in T cell phenotype and function were determined by flow cytometry and BrdU proliferation ELISA. To determine if adoptively transferred DCs could alter the in vivo immune response, bone marrow-derived DCs from wild-type C57BL/6 mice were incubated with ovalbumin (OVA) and injected i.v. into C57BL/6 NPRA-/- knockout mice sensitized and challenged with OVA. Lung sections were stained and examined for inflammation and cytokines were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid collected from parallel groups of mice.

Results: Inhibition of NPRA signaling in DCs primes them to induce regulatory T cells. Adoptive transfer of wild type DCs into NPRA-/- mice reverses the attenuation of lung inflammation seen in the NPRA-knockout model. NPRA is associated with TLR-2, SOCS3 and STAT3, and inhibiting NPRA alters expression of IL-6, IL-10 and TGF-β, but not IL-12.

Conclusions: Modulation of NPRA signaling in DCs leads to immune tolerance and TLR2 and SOCS3 are involved in this induction.