Regulation of protein secretion through chemical regulation of endoplasmic reticulum retention signal cleavage

• Published in: Nature communications 2022-03, Vol.13 (1), p.1323-1323, Article 1323
• Main Authors: Praznik, Arne, Fink, Tina, Franko, Nik, Lonzarić, Jan, Benčina, Mojca, Jerala, Nina, Plaper, Tjaša, Roškar, Samo, Jerala, Roman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 13/109; 14/35; 14/63; 631/61/2297; 631/92/552; 96/44; 96/95; Animals; Antigens; Chimeric antigen receptors; Cytokines; Endopeptidases - metabolism; Endoplasmic reticulum; Endoplasmic Reticulum - metabolism; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; Genetic code; Hormones; Humanities and Social Sciences; Logic circuits; Mammalian cells; Mammals - metabolism; Membrane proteins; Membranes; multidisciplinary; Peptide Hydrolases - metabolism; Protease; Protein Transport; Proteinase; Proteins; Proteolysis; Regulation; Retention; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Transcription; Translocation
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28971-9

Secreted proteins, such as hormones or cytokines, are key mediators in multicellular organisms. Response of protein secretion based on transcriptional control is rather slow, as it requires transcription, translation and transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the plasma membrane via the conventional protein secretion (CPS) pathway. An alternative regulation to provide faster response would be valuable. Here we present two genetically encoded orthogonal regulatory secretion systems, which rely on the retention of pre-synthesized proteins on the ER membrane (membER, released by a cytosolic protease) or inside the ER lumen (lumER, released by an ER-luminal protease), respectively, and their release by the chemical signal-regulated proteolytic removal of an ER-retention signal, without triggering ER stress due to protein aggregates. Design of orthogonal chemically-regulated split proteases enables the combination of signals into logic functions. Its application was demonstrated on a chemically regulated therapeutic protein secretion and regulated membrane translocation of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting cancer antigen. Regulation of the ER escape represents a platform for the design of fast-responsive and tightly-controlled modular and scalable protein secretion system for mammalian cells. Secreted proteins, such as hormones or cytokines, are key mediators in multicellular organisms. Here the authors present two genetically encoded orthogonal regulatory secretion systems that enables inducible protein release and construction of logic gates.