Résumé : Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases belong to a family of proteins with 17 members in human beings. PARP1, the founding member of the family is a protein that synthesizes linear or branched polymers of ADP-ribose on itself or on target proteins. Different members of this family, that do not all possess ADP-ribosyl polymerase activity, are involved in the regulation of various cellular mechanisms. Some members of the family are particularly involved in the positive or negative control of the immune response. PARP1 is a key player in the regulation of inflammation, through its positive control of cell death and of proinflammatory cytokine production. On the other hand, the tankyrases (PARP5a and PARP5b) and PARP14 seem to regulate inflammatory responses in a negative fashion. PARP12 is a poorly characterized member of the family, whose expression is greatly increase following stimulation with type-I interferons, cytokines mainly involved in antiviral defences.

PARP12 is a protein that possesses three main domains: A putative RNA binding N-terminal domain composed of tandem CCCH zinc-fingers, a central WWE domain and a C-terminal PARP catalytic domain. In this work, we have shown that the expression of PARP12 is strictly-dependent on type-I interferons, that it possesses ADP-ribosyl transferase activity and that in can regulate the translation of messenger RNA into proteins. PARP12 can be found in stress granules, sites of storage of untranslated mRNAs, and is capable of directly inhibiting the translation of a reporter mRNA when tethered to it, in a manner dependent on its catalytic activity. Furthermore overexpression of wild-type PARP12, in contrast to overexpression of a mutant with no detectable catalytic activity (PARP12-G575W), leads to a general arrest of most cellular translation.

On the other hand, we have shown that PARP12 can activate the transcription of genes under the control of an NFκB-dependent promoter, especially when its zinc-fingers are deleted or mutated (PARP12ΔZnF). PARP12ΔZnF is located in structures that can enclose TRIF, RIP1, NEMO, p62/SQSTM1 and ubiquitin. These proteins have all possess an important role in the activation of NFκB signalling cascades. Moreover, we have shown that endogenous PARP12 is situated in ALIS (Aggresome-Like Induced Structures) in LPS-stimulated macrophages. These structures have a possible role in the presentation of antigens on class I major histocompatibility complexes, implying that PARP12 may be involved in the regulation of antigen presentation.