The paracaspase MALT1 cleaves the LUBAC subunit HOIL1 during antigen receptor signaling

Antigen-receptor-mediated activation of lymphocytes relies on a signalosome comprising CARMA1 (also known as CARD11), BCL10 and MALT1 (the CBM complex). The CBM activates nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) transcription factors by recruiting the 'linear ubiquitin assembly complex' (LUBAC), and unleashes MALT1 paracaspase activity. Although MALT1 enzyme shapes NF-κB signaling, lymphocyte activation and contributes to lymphoma growth, the identity of its substrates continues to be elucidated. Here, we report that the LUBAC subunit HOIL1 (also known as RBCK1) is cleaved by MALT1 following antigen receptor engagement. HOIL1 is also constitutively processed in the 'activated B-cell-like' (ABC) subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), which exhibits aberrant MALT1 activity. We further show that the overexpression of MALT1-insensitive HOIL1 mitigates T-cell-receptor-mediated NF-κB activation and subsequent cytokine production in lymphocytes. Thus, our results unveil HOIL1 as a negative regulator of lymphocyte activation cleaved by MALT1. This cleavage could therefore constitute an appealing therapeutic target for modulating immune responses.