Tumor necrosis factor receptor I from patients with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome interacts with wild-type tumor necrosis factor receptor I and induces ligand-independent NF-κB activation

Objective To investigate the molecular consequences of expressing mutated forms of tumor necrosis factor receptor I (TNFRI) as found in patients with TNFR-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS). Methods We cloned and expressed full-length wild-type (WT) and T50K and P46L variants of TNFRI using a new tightly regulated doxycycline-dependent expression system. This system enabled the study of molecular interactions between these receptors at both physiologic and pathophysiologic levels of expression. Results We used chemical crosslinking on the cell surface to show that WT and mutant forms of TNFRI, derived from TRAPS patients, interact in the absence of TNF ligand. Doxycycline-controlled up-regulation of one TNFRI allele, either WT or mutant, caused down-regulation of the other allele, indicating dynamic control of cell surface assembly. We also demonstrated that increased expression of mutant TNFRI (T50K) was associated with a parallel increase in NF-κB p65 (RelA) subunit activation, which did not occur with increased expression of WT TNFRI. Conclusion The T50K TRAPS-related variant is capable of sustaining inappropriate NF-κB activation, resulting in persistent autoinflammation in target organs such as skin, synovial membrane, and the central nervous system. We conclude that some of the inflammatory processes seen in TRAPS do not involve direct interaction of TNF with its receptors, but that other proinflammatory mechanisms capable of up-regulating TNFRI expression may cause cellular activation through the NF-κB signaling pathway.