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Williams E, Seib KL, Fairley CK, Pollock GL, Hocking JS, McCarthy JS, Williamson DA. Neisseria gonorrhoeae vaccines: a contemporary overview. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0009423. [PMID: 38226640 PMCID: PMC10938898 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00094-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection is an important public health issue, with an annual global incidence of 87 million. N. gonorrhoeae infection causes significant morbidity and can have serious long-term impacts on reproductive and neonatal health and may rarely cause life-threatening disease. Global rates of N. gonorrhoeae infection have increased over the past 20 years. Importantly, rates of antimicrobial resistance to key antimicrobials also continue to increase, with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifying drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae as an urgent threat to public health. This review summarizes the current evidence for N. gonorrhoeae vaccines, including historical clinical trials, key N. gonorrhoeae vaccine preclinical studies, and studies of the impact of Neisseria meningitidis vaccines on N. gonorrhoeae infection. A comprehensive survey of potential vaccine antigens, including those identified through traditional vaccine immunogenicity approaches, as well as those identified using more contemporary reverse vaccinology approaches, are also described. Finally, the potential epidemiological impacts of a N. gonorrhoeae vaccine and research priorities for further vaccine development are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise Williams
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate L. Seib
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christopher K. Fairley
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Georgina L. Pollock
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jane S. Hocking
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - James S. McCarthy
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Deborah A. Williamson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Roberts A, Johnson S, Lee BC. Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Infection Caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae: An Unusual Complication of Pharyngeal Gonorrhea. Sex Transm Dis 2024; 51:132-134. [PMID: 38290157 DOI: 10.1097/olq.0000000000001903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a human obligate pathogen whose clinical expression of disease ranges from localized genital infection to involvement of extragenital sites such as the conjunctiva and throat. We describe the second case of a thyroglossal duct abscess due to N. gonorrhoeae, an uncommon complication of pharyngeal gonococcal infection. The fortuitous occurrence in the same individual of these 2 conditions that both exhibit an occult clinical presentation likely accounts for rarity of this infection. We discuss the pertinent gonococcal and host factors that underlie the clinical manifestations of this infection. A particular focus is the fundamental role that the binding of the gonococcal opacity-associated protein to the ubiquitous human carcinoembryonic cell adhesion molecule plays in the pathogenesis of pharyngeal gonorrhea.
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Smirnov A, Daily KP, Gray MC, Ragland SA, Werner LM, Brittany Johnson M, Eby JC, Hewlett EL, Taylor RP, Criss AK. Phagocytosis via complement receptor 3 enables microbes to evade killing by neutrophils. J Leukoc Biol 2023; 114:1-20. [PMID: 36882066 PMCID: PMC10949953 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiad028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
CR3 (CD11b/CD18; αmβ2 integrin) is a conserved phagocytic receptor. The active conformation of CR3 binds the iC3b fragment of complement C3 as well as many host and microbial ligands, leading to actin-dependent phagocytosis. There are conflicting reports about how CR3 engagement affects the fate of phagocytosed substrates. Using imaging flow cytometry, we confirmed that binding and internalization of iC3b-opsonized polystyrene beads by primary human neutrophils was CR3-dependent. iC3b-opsonized beads did not stimulate neutrophil reactive oxygen species, and most beads were found in primary granule-negative phagosomes. Similarly, Neisseria gonorrhoeae that does not express phase-variable Opa proteins suppresses neutrophil reactive oxygen species and delays phagolysosome formation. Here, binding and internalization of Opa-deleted (Δopa) N. gonorrhoeae by adherent human neutrophils was inhibited using blocking antibodies against CR3 and by adding neutrophil inhibitory factor, which targets the CD11b I-domain. No detectable C3 was deposited on N. gonorrhoeae in the presence of neutrophils alone. Conversely, overexpressing CD11b in HL-60 promyelocytes enhanced Δopa N. gonorrhoeae phagocytosis, which required the CD11b I-domain. Phagocytosis of N. gonorrhoeae was also inhibited in mouse neutrophils that were CD11b-deficient or treated with anti-CD11b. Phorbol ester treatment upregulated surface CR3 on neutrophils in suspension, enabling CR3-dependent phagocytosis of Δopa N. gonorrhoeae. Neutrophils exposed to Δopa N. gonorrhoeae had limited phosphorylation of Erk1/2, p38, and JNK. Neutrophil phagocytosis of unopsonized Mycobacterium smegmatis, which also resides in immature phagosomes, was CR3-dependent and did not elicit reactive oxygen species. We suggest that CR3-mediated phagocytosis is a silent mode of entry into neutrophils, which is appropriated by diverse pathogens to subvert phagocytic killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asya Smirnov
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology
| | | | - Mary C. Gray
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology
| | | | | | | | - Joshua C. Eby
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine
| | - Erik L. Hewlett
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine
| | - Ronald P. Taylor
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine
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Werner LM, Alcott A, Mohlin F, Ray JC, Belcher Dufrisne M, Smirnov A, Columbus L, Blom AM, Criss AK. Neisseria gonorrhoeae co-opts C4b-binding protein to enhance complement-independent survival from neutrophils. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011055. [PMID: 36862761 PMCID: PMC10013916 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Gc) is a human-specific pathogen that causes the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. Gc survives in neutrophil-rich gonorrheal secretions, and recovered bacteria predominantly express phase-variable, surface-expressed opacity-associated (Opa) proteins (Opa+). However, expression of Opa proteins like OpaD decreases Gc survival when exposed to human neutrophils ex vivo. Here, we made the unexpected observation that incubation with normal human serum, which is found in inflamed mucosal secretions, enhances survival of Opa+ Gc from primary human neutrophils. We directly linked this phenomenon to a novel complement-independent function for C4b-binding protein (C4BP). When bound to the bacteria, C4BP was necessary and sufficient to suppress Gc-induced neutrophil reactive oxygen species production and prevent neutrophil phagocytosis of Opa+ Gc. This research identifies for the first time a complement-independent role for C4BP in enhancing the survival of a pathogenic bacterium from phagocytes, thereby revealing how Gc exploits inflammatory conditions to persist at human mucosal surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lacie M. Werner
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Allison Alcott
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Frida Mohlin
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmo, Sweden
| | - Jocelyn C. Ray
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Meagan Belcher Dufrisne
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Asya Smirnov
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Linda Columbus
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Anna M. Blom
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmo, Sweden
| | - Alison K. Criss
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
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Li Q, Ye C, Zhao F, Li W, Zhu S, Lv Y, Park CG, Zhang Y, Jiang LY, Yang K, He Y, Cai H, Zhang S, Ding HH, Njiri OA, Tembo JM, Alkraiem AA, Li AY, Sun ZY, Li W, Yan MY, Kan B, Huo X, Klena JD, Skurnik M, Anisimov AP, Gao X, Han Y, Yang RF, Xiamu X, Wang Y, Chen H, Chai B, Sun Y, Yuan J, Chen T. PgtE Enzyme of Salmonella enterica Shares the Similar Biological Roles to Plasminogen Activator (Pla) in Interacting With DEC-205 (CD205), and Enhancing Host Dissemination and Infectivity by Yersinia pestis. Front Immunol 2022; 13:791799. [PMID: 35401532 PMCID: PMC8986990 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.791799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague, is a newly evolved Gram-negative bacterium. Through the acquisition of the plasminogen activator (Pla), Y. pestis gained the means to rapidly disseminate throughout its mammalian hosts. It was suggested that Y. pestis utilizes Pla to interact with the DEC-205 (CD205) receptor on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to initiate host dissemination and infection. However, the evolutionary origin of Pla has not been fully elucidated. The PgtE enzyme of Salmonella enterica, involved in host dissemination, shows sequence similarity with the Y. pestis Pla. In this study, we demonstrated that both Escherichia coli K-12 and Y. pestis bacteria expressing the PgtE-protein were able to interact with primary alveolar macrophages and DEC-205-transfected CHO cells. The interaction between PgtE-expressing bacteria and DEC-205-expressing transfectants could be inhibited by the application of an anti-DEC-205 antibody. Moreover, PgtE-expressing Y. pestis partially re-gained the ability to promote host dissemination and infection. In conclusion, the DEC-205-PgtE interaction plays a role in promoting the dissemination and infection of Y. pestis, suggesting that Pla and the PgtE of S. enterica might share a common evolutionary origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Li
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chenglin Ye
- Department of Pathology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Zhao
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenjin Li
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sizhe Zhu
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yin Lv
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chae Gyu Park
- Therapeutic Antibody Research Center, Genuv Inc., Seoul, South Korea
- Immune and Vascular Cell Network Research Center, National Creative Initiatives, Department of Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yingmiao Zhang
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ling-Yu Jiang
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kun Yang
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yingxia He
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huahua Cai
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Song Zhang
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong-Hui Ding
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Olivia Adhiambo Njiri
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - John Mambwe Tembo
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ayman Ahmad Alkraiem
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - An-Yi Li
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zi-Yong Sun
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Li
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Mei-Ying Yan
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Biao Kan
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xixiang Huo
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Hubei Provincial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Wuhan, China
| | - John D. Klena
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Mikael Skurnik
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andrey P. Anisimov
- Laboratory for Plague Microbiology, State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Russia
| | - Xiaofang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yanping Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Rui-Fu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiding Xiamu
- Division of Disease Control and Prevention for Endemic Diseases , Wenquan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wenquan, China
| | - Yuanzhi Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Hongxiang Chen
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bao Chai
- Department of Dermatology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Dermatology, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yicheng Sun
- Ministry of Health (MOH) Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Tie Chen,, ; Jingping Yuan,; Yicheng Sun,
| | - Jingping Yuan
- Department of Pathology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Tie Chen,, ; Jingping Yuan,; Yicheng Sun,
| | - Tie Chen
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Tie Chen,, ; Jingping Yuan,; Yicheng Sun,
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Waltmann A, Duncan JA, Pier GB, Cywes-Bentley C, Cohen MS, Hobbs MM. Experimental Urethral Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2022:10.1007/82_2021_250. [PMID: 35246736 PMCID: PMC9441470 DOI: 10.1007/82_2021_250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Gonorrhea rates and antibiotic resistance are both increasing. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) is an exclusively human pathogen and is exquisitely adapted to its natural host. Ng can subvert immune responses and undergoes frequent antigenic variation, resulting in limited immunity and protection from reinfection. Previous gonococcal vaccine efforts have been largely unsuccessful, and the last vaccine to be tested in humans was more than 35 years ago. Advancing technologies and the threat of untreatable gonorrhea have fueled renewed pursuit of a vaccine as a long-term sustainable solution for gonorrhea control. Despite the development of a female mouse model of genital gonococcal infection two decades ago, correlates of immunity or protection remain largely unknown, making the gonococcus a challenging vaccine target. The controlled human urethral infection model of gonorrhea (Ng CHIM) has been used to study gonococcal pathogenesis and the basis of anti-gonococcal immunity. Over 200 participants have been inoculated without serious adverse events. The Ng CHIM replicates the early natural course of urethral infection. We are now at an inflexion point to pivot the use of the model for vaccine testing to address the urgency of improved gonorrhea control. Herein we discuss the need for gonorrhea vaccines, and the advantages and limitations of the Ng CHIM in accelerating the development of gonorrhea vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea Waltmann
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Joseph A Duncan
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Gerald B Pier
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | | | - Myron S Cohen
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Marcia M Hobbs
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
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In Vitro Analysis of Matched Isolates from Localized and Disseminated Gonococcal Infections Suggests That Opa Expression Impacts Clinical Outcome. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11020217. [PMID: 35215160 PMCID: PMC8880309 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11020217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Gonorrhea is the second most common sexually transmitted infection, which is primarily localized but can be disseminated systemically. The mechanisms by which a localized infection becomes a disseminated infection are unknown. We used five pairs of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from the cervix/urethra (localized) and the blood (disseminated) of patients with disseminated gonococcal infection to examine the mechanisms that confine gonococci to the genital tract or enable them to disseminate to the blood. Multilocus sequence analysis found that the local and disseminated isolates from the same patients were isogenic. When culturing in vitro, disseminated isolates aggregated significantly less and transmigrated across a polarized epithelial monolayer more efficiently than localized isolates. While localized cervical isolates transmigrated across epithelial monolayers inefficiently, those transmigrated bacteria self-aggregated less and transmigrated more than cervical isolates but comparably to disseminating isolates. The local cervical isolates recruited the host receptors of gonococcal Opa proteins carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) on epithelial cells. However, the transmigrated cervical isolate and the disseminated blood isolates recruit CEACAMs significantly less often. Our results collectively suggest that switching off the expression of CEACAM-binding Opa(s), which reduces self-aggregation, promotes gonococcal dissemination.
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Ivanov SS, Castore R, Juarez Rodriguez MD, Circu M, Dragoi AM. Neisseria gonorrhoeae subverts formin-dependent actin polymerization to colonize human macrophages. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010184. [PMID: 34962968 PMCID: PMC8746766 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton dictates plasma membrane morphogenesis and is frequently subverted by bacterial pathogens for entry and colonization of host cells. The human-adapted bacterial pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae can colonize and replicate when cultured with human macrophages, however the basic understanding of how this process occurs is incomplete. N. gonorrhoeae is the etiological agent of the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea and tissue resident macrophages are present in the urogenital mucosa, which is colonized by the bacteria. We uncovered that when gonococci colonize macrophages, they can establish an intracellular or a cell surface-associated niche that support bacterial replication independently. Unlike other intracellular bacterial pathogens, which enter host cells as single bacterium, establish an intracellular niche and then replicate, gonococci invade human macrophages as a colony. Individual diplococci are rapidly phagocytosed by macrophages and transported to lysosomes for degradation. However, we found that surface-associated gonococcal colonies of various sizes can invade macrophages by triggering actin skeleton rearrangement resulting in plasma membrane invaginations that slowly engulf the colony. The resulting intracellular membrane-bound organelle supports robust bacterial replication. The gonococci-occupied vacuoles evaded fusion with the endosomal compartment and were enveloped by a network of actin filaments. We demonstrate that gonococcal colonies invade macrophages via a process mechanistically distinct from phagocytosis that is regulated by the actin nucleating factor FMNL3 and is independent of the Arp2/3 complex. Our work provides insights into the gonococci life-cycle in association with human macrophages and defines key host determinants for macrophage colonization. During infection, the human-adapted bacterial pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae and causative agent of gonorrhea can invade the submucosa of the urogenital tract where it encounters tissue-resident innate immune sentinels, such as macrophages and neutrophils. Instead of eliminating gonococci, macrophages support robust bacterial replication. Here, we detail the life cycle of N. gonorrhoeae in association with macrophages and define key regulators that govern the colonization processes. We uncovered that N. gonorrhoeae establishes two distinct subcellular niches that support bacterial replication autonomously–one niche was on the macrophage surface and another one was intracellular. Gonococci subverted the host actin cytoskeleton through the actin nucleating factor FMNL3 to invade colonized macrophages and occupy a membrane-bound intracellular organelle. We propose that N. gonorrhoeae ability to occupy distinct subcellular niches when colonizing macrophages likely confers broad protection against multiple host defense responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanimir S. Ivanov
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center—Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SSI); (AMD)
| | - Reneau Castore
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center—Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Maria Dolores Juarez Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center—Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Magdalena Circu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center—Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Ana-Maria Dragoi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center—Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center—Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SSI); (AMD)
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9
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Haese EC, Thai VC, Kahler CM. Vaccine Candidates for the Control and Prevention of the Sexually Transmitted Disease Gonorrhea. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9070804. [PMID: 34358218 PMCID: PMC8310131 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO) has placed N. gonorrhoeae on the global priority list of antimicrobial resistant pathogens and is urgently seeking the development of new intervention strategies. N. gonorrhoeae causes 86.9 million cases globally per annum. The effects of gonococcal disease are seen predominantly in women and children and especially in the Australian Indigenous community. While economic modelling suggests that this infection alone may directly cost the USA health care system USD 11.0–20.6 billion, indirect costs associated with adverse disease and pregnancy outcomes, disease prevention, and productivity loss, mean that the overall effect of the disease is far greater still. In this review, we summate the current progress towards the development of a gonorrhea vaccine and describe the clinical trials being undertaken in Australia to assess the efficacy of the current formulation of Bexsero® in controlling disease.
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Wu BC, Olivia NA, Tembo JM, He YX, Zhang YM, Xue Y, Ye CL, Lv Y, Li WJ, Jiang LY, Huo XX, Sun ZY, Chen ZJ, Qin JC, Li AY, Park CG, Klena JD, Ding HH, Chen T. Loss of the virulence plasmid by Shigella sonnei promotes its interactions with CD207 and CD209 receptors. J Med Microbiol 2021; 70:001297. [PMID: 33591245 PMCID: PMC8346720 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Shigella sonnei, the cause of bacillary dysentery, belongs to Gram-negative enteropathogenic bacteria. S. sonnei contains a 210 kb virulence plasmid that encodes an O-antigen gene cluster of LPSs. However, this virulence plasmid is frequently lost during replication. It is well-documented that after losing the O-antigen and becoming rough strains, the Gram-negative bacteria may express an LPS core on its surface. Previous studies have suggested that by using the LPS core, Gram-negative bacteria can interact with several C-type lectin receptors that are expressed on antigen-presenting cells (APCs).Hypothesis/Gap Statement. S. sonnei by losing the virulence plasmid may hijack APCs via the interactions of LPS-CD209/CD207.Aim. This study aimed to investigate if the S. sonnei rough strain, by losing the virulence plasmid, interacted with APCs that express C-type lectins of human CD207, human CD209a and mouse CD209b.Methodology. SDS-PAGE silver staining was used to examine the O-antigen expression of S. sonnei WT and its rough strain. Invasion assays and inhibition assays were used to examine the ability of S. sonnei WT and its rough strain to invade APCs and investigate whether CD209 and CD207 are receptors for phagocytosis of rough S. sonnei. Animal assays were used to observe the dissemination of S. sonnei.Results. S. sonnei did not express O-antigens after losing the virulence plasmid. The S. sonnei rough strain invades with APCs, including human dendritic cells (DCs) and mouse macrophages. CD209 and CD207 are receptors for phagocytosis of rough S. sonnei. Expression of the O-antigen reduces the ability of the S. sonnei rough strain to be disseminated to mesenteric lymph nodes and spleens.Conclusion. This work demonstrated that S. sonnei rough strains - by losing the virulence plasmid - invaded APCs through interactions with CD209 and CD207 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bi-cong Wu
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
- Henan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China
| | - Njiri A. Olivia
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Chuka University, 109-60400, Kenya
| | - John Mambwe Tembo
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, the University of Zambia – University College London Medical School at Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Ying-xia He
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
- Clinical Research Center, Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Ying-miao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Ying Xue
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Cheng-lin Ye
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Yin Lv
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Wen-jin Li
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Ling-Yu Jiang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Xi-xiang Huo
- Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Zi-yong Sun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Zhong-ju Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Ji-chao Qin
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - An-yi Li
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Chae Gyu Park
- Laboratory of Immunology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - John D. Klena
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GE, USA
| | - Hong-hui Ding
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Tie Chen
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
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11
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Jefferson A, Smith A, Fasinu PS, Thompson DK. Sexually Transmitted Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infections-Update on Drug Treatment and Vaccine Development. MEDICINES 2021; 8:medicines8020011. [PMID: 33562607 PMCID: PMC7914478 DOI: 10.3390/medicines8020011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Sexually transmitted gonorrhea, caused by the Gram-negative diplococcus Neisseria gonorrhoeae, continues to be a serious global health challenge despite efforts to eradicate it. Multidrug resistance among clinical N. gonorrhoeae isolates has limited treatment options, and attempts to develop vaccines have not been successful. Methods: A search of published literature was conducted, and information extracted to provide an update on the status of therapeutics and vaccine development for gonorrheal infection. Results: Recommended pharmacological treatment for gonorrhea has changed multiple times due to increasing acquisition of resistance to existing antibiotics by N. gonorrhoeae. Only broad-spectrum cephalosporin-based combination therapies are currently recommended for treatment of uncomplicated urogenital and anorectal gonococcal infections. With the reported emergence of ceftriaxone resistance, successful strategies addressing the global burden of gonorrhea must include vaccination. Century-old efforts at developing an effective vaccine against gonorrhea, leading to only four clinical trials, have not yielded any successful vaccine. Conclusions: While it is important to continue to explore new drugs for the treatment of gonorrhea, the historical trend of resistance acquisition suggests that any long-term strategy should include vaccine development. Advanced technologies in proteomics and in silico approaches to vaccine target identification may provide templates for future success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber Jefferson
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA; (A.J.); (A.S.)
| | - Amanda Smith
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA; (A.J.); (A.S.)
| | - Pius S. Fasinu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA;
| | - Dorothea K. Thompson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-910-893-7463
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12
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Xue Y, Li Q, Park CG, Klena JD, Anisimov AP, Sun Z, Wei X, Chen T. Proteus mirabilis Targets Atherosclerosis Plaques in Human Coronary Arteries via DC-SIGN (CD209). Front Immunol 2021; 11:579010. [PMID: 33488579 PMCID: PMC7820866 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.579010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial DNAs are constantly detected in atherosclerotic plaques (APs), suggesting that a combination of chronic infection and inflammation may have roles in AP formation. A series of studies suggested that certain Gram-negative bacteria were able to interact with dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin [DC-SIGN; cluster of differentiation (CD) 209] or langerin (CD207), thereby resulting in deposition of CD209s at infection sites. We wondered if Proteus mirabilis (a member of Proteobacteria family) could interact with APs through CD209/CD207. In this study, we first demonstrated that CD209/CD207 were also receptors for P. mirabilis that mediated adherence and phagocytosis by macrophages. P. mirabilis interacted with fresh and CD209s/CD207-expressing APs cut from human coronary arteries, rather than in healthy and smooth arteries. These interactions were inhibited by addition of a ligand-mimic oligosaccharide and the coverage of the ligand, as well as by anti-CD209 antibody. Finally, the hearts from an atherosclerotic mouse model contained higher numbers of P. mirabilis than that of control mice during infection-challenging. We therefore concluded that the P. mirabilis interacts with APs in human coronary arteries via CD209s/CD207. It may be possible to slow down the progress of atherosclerosis by blocking the interactions between CD209s/CD207 and certain atherosclerosis-involved bacteria with ligand-mimic oligosaccharides.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Aged
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/pharmacology
- Antigens, CD/metabolism
- Bacterial Adhesion/drug effects
- CHO Cells
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/antagonists & inhibitors
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism
- Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy
- Coronary Artery Disease/metabolism
- Coronary Artery Disease/microbiology
- Coronary Artery Disease/pathology
- Coronary Vessels/drug effects
- Coronary Vessels/metabolism
- Coronary Vessels/microbiology
- Coronary Vessels/pathology
- Cricetulus
- Disease Models, Animal
- Female
- Host-Pathogen Interactions
- Humans
- Lectins, C-Type/antagonists & inhibitors
- Lectins, C-Type/metabolism
- Ligands
- Macrophages/drug effects
- Macrophages/metabolism
- Macrophages/microbiology
- Male
- Mannose-Binding Lectins/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout, ApoE
- Middle Aged
- Oligosaccharides/pharmacology
- Plaque, Atherosclerotic
- Proteus mirabilis/growth & development
- Proteus mirabilis/metabolism
- RAW 264.7 Cells
- Receptors, Cell Surface/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xue
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiao Li
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chae Gyu Park
- Laboratory of Immunology, Brain Korea 21 FOUR Project for Medical Science, Institute for Immunology and Immunological Diseases, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - John D. Klena
- Division of Global Health Protection, Center for Global Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Andrey P. Anisimov
- Laboratory for Plague Microbiology, State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Especially Dangerous Infections Department, Obolensk, Russia
| | - Ziyong Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiang Wei
- Division of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tie Chen
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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13
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Microscale communication between bacterial pathogens and the host epithelium. Genes Immun 2021; 22:247-254. [PMID: 34588625 PMCID: PMC8497271 DOI: 10.1038/s41435-021-00149-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria have evolved a variety of highly selective adhesins allowing these microbes to engage specific surface determinants of their eukaryotic host cells. Receptor clustering induced by the multivalent microorganisms will not only anchor the bacteria to the tissue, but will inevitably trigger host cell signaling. It has become clear, that these bacteria-initiated signaling events can be seen as a form of localized communication with host epithelial cells. Such a microscale communication can have immediate consequences in the form of changes in host cell membrane morphology or cytoskeletal organization, but can also lead to transcriptional responses and medium- and long-term alterations in cellular physiology. In this review, we will discuss several examples of this form of microscale communication between bacterial pathogens and mammalian host cells and try to delineate their downstream ramifications in the infection process. Furthermore, we will highlight recent findings that specialized pathogenic bacteria utilize the adhesin-based interaction to diffuse the short-range messenger molecule nitric oxide into the host tissue. While anti-adhesive strategies to disrupt the initial bacterial attachment have not yet translated into medical applications, the ability to interfere with the microscale communication emanating on the host side provides an unconventional approach for preventing infectious diseases.
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14
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Dillard JP. Hold It Right There! Gonococci Preserve Epithelium Integrity during Intimate Adherence. Cell Host Microbe 2020; 27:685-686. [PMID: 32407703 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2020.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Exfoliation is used as a mechanism to remove bacterially infected cells from the body. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Muenzner and Hauck (2020) find that Neisseria gonorrhoeae blocks exfoliation by producing nitric oxide at the bacterial-host cell interface to promote tissue integrity. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli stimulates the same pathway, suggesting a common mechanism among bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Dillard
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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15
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Werner LM, Palmer A, Smirnov A, Belcher Dufrisne M, Columbus L, Criss AK. Imaging Flow Cytometry Analysis of CEACAM Binding to Opa-Expressing Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Cytometry A 2020; 97:1081-1089. [PMID: 32484607 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) are a family of receptors that mediate intercellular interactions. Pathogenic bacteria have ligands that bind CEACAMs on human cells. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Gc) encodes numerous unique outer membrane opacity-associated (Opa) proteins that are ligands for one or more CEACAMs. CEACAMs that are expressed on epithelial cells facilitate Gc colonization, while those expressed on neutrophils affect phagocytosis and consequent intracellular survival of Gc. Since Opa protein expression is phase-variable, variations in receptor tropism affect how individual bacteria within a population interact with host cells. Here we report the development of a rapid, quantitative method for collecting and analyzing fluorescence intensity data from thousands of cells in a population using imaging flow cytometry to detect N-CEACAM bound to the surface of Opa-expressing Gc. We use this method to confirm previous findings regarding Opa-CEACAM interactions and to examine the receptor-ligand interactions of Gc expressing other Opa proteins, as well as for other N-CEACAM proteins. © 2020 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lacie M Werner
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, USA
| | - Allison Palmer
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, USA
| | - Asya Smirnov
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, USA
| | | | - Linda Columbus
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, USA
| | - Alison K Criss
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, USA
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16
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Muenzner P, Hauck CR. Neisseria gonorrhoeae Blocks Epithelial Exfoliation by Nitric-Oxide-Mediated Metabolic Cross Talk to Promote Colonization in Mice. Cell Host Microbe 2020; 27:793-808.e5. [PMID: 32289262 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2020.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Several pathogens suppress exfoliation, a key defense of epithelia against microbial colonization. Common among these pathogens, exemplified by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is their ability to bind carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs). Gonococcal CEACAM engagement triggers the expression of CD105, which is necessary to block epithelial exfoliation, whereas homotypic CEACAM-CEACAM interactions or antibody-mediated CEACAM clustering does not lead to CD105 expression. Here, we show that CEACAM-associated bacteria release nitric oxide (NO) during anaerobic respiration, and membrane-permeable NO initiates a eukaryotic signaling pathway involving soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), protein kinase G, and the transcription factor CREB to upregulate CD105 expression. A murine vaginal infection model with N. gonorrhoeae reveals this metabolic cross communication allows bacterial suppression of epithelial exfoliation to facilitate mucosal colonization. Disrupting NO-initiated responses in host cells re-establishes epithelial exfoliation and inhibits mouse genital tract colonization by N. gonorrhoeae, suggesting a host-directed approach to prevent bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Muenzner
- Lehrstuhl Für Zellbiologie, Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Christof R Hauck
- Lehrstuhl Für Zellbiologie, Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany; Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, Universität Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
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17
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Hänske J, Hammacher T, Grenkowitz F, Mansfeld M, Dau TH, Maksimov P, Friedrich C, Zimmermann W, Kammerer R. Natural selection supports escape from concerted evolution of a recently duplicated CEACAM1 paralog in the ruminant CEA gene family. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3404. [PMID: 32099040 PMCID: PMC7042247 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60425-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Concerted evolution is often observed in multigene families such as the CEA gene family. As a result, sequence similarity of paralogous genes is significantly higher than expected from their evolutionary distance. Gene conversion, a “copy paste” DNA repair mechanism that transfers sequences from one gene to another and homologous recombination are drivers of concerted evolution. Nevertheless, some gene family members escape concerted evolution and acquire sufficient sequence differences that orthologous genes can be assigned in descendant species. Reasons why some gene family members can escape while others are captured by concerted evolution are poorly understood. By analyzing the entire CEA gene family in cattle (Bos taurus) we identified a member (CEACAM32) that was created by gene duplication and cooption of a unique transmembrane domain exon in the most recent ancestor of ruminants. CEACAM32 shows a unique, testis-specific expression pattern. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that CEACAM32 is not involved in concerted evolution of CEACAM1 paralogs in ruminants. However, analysis of gene conversion events revealed that CEACAM32 is subject to gene conversion but remarkably, these events are found in the leader exon and intron sequences but not in exons coding for the Ig-like domains. These findings suggest that natural selection hinders gene conversion affecting protein sequences of the mature protein and thereby support escape of CEACAM32 from concerted evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Hänske
- Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany.,Landesuntersuchungsanstalt für das Gesundheits- und Veterinärwesen Sachsen, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tim Hammacher
- Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Franziska Grenkowitz
- Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Mansfeld
- Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Tung Huy Dau
- Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Pavlo Maksimov
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Greifswald - InselRiems, Germany
| | - Christin Friedrich
- Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany.,Institute of Systems Immunology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Zimmermann
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, LIFE Center, Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Robert Kammerer
- Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany.
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18
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Zhang Y, Ying X, He Y, Jiang L, Zhang S, Bartra SS, Plano GV, Klena JD, Skurnik M, Chen H, Cai H, Chen T. Invasiveness of the Yersinia pestis ail protein contributes to host dissemination in pneumonic and oral plague. Microb Pathog 2020; 141:103993. [PMID: 31988008 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.103993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative bacterium, is the etiologic agent of plague. A hallmark of Y. pestis infection is the organism's ability to rapidly disseminate through an animal host. Y. pestis expresses the outer membrane protein, Ail (Attachment invasion locus), which is associated with host invasion and serum resistance. However, whether Ail plays a role in host dissemination remains unclear. In this study, C57BL/6J mice were challenged with a defined Y. pestis strain, KimD27, or an isogenic ail-deleted mutant derived from KimD27 via metacarpal paw pad inoculation, nasal drops, orogastric infection, or tail vein injection to mimic bubonic, pneumonic, oral, or septicemic plague, respectively. Our results showed that ail-deleted Y. pestis KimD27 lost the ability to invade host cells, leading to failed host dissemination in the pneumonic and oral plague models but not in the bubonic or septicemic plague models, which do not require invasiveness. Therefore, this study demonstrated that whether Ail plays a role in Y. pestis pathogenesis depends on the infection route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingmiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoling Ying
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China; Translational Medicine Conter, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510000, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingxia He
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Lingyu Jiang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Song Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sara Schesser Bartra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33101, USA
| | - Gregory V Plano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33101, USA
| | - John D Klena
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mikael Skurnik
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Medicum, Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Division of Clinical Microbiology, Helsinki University Hospital, HUSLAB, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hongxiang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huahua Cai
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
| | - Tie Chen
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
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19
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Zhang Y, Zhang S, He Y, Sun Z, Cai W, Lv Y, Jiang L, Li Q, Zhu S, Li W, Ye C, Wu B, Xue Y, Chen H, Cai H, Chen T. Murine SIGNR1 (CD209b) Contributes to the Clearance of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli During Urinary Tract Infections. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:457. [PMID: 31998663 PMCID: PMC6965063 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen, is a major causative agent of urinary tract infections (UTIs). However, the molecular mechanisms of how UPEC causes infections have not been determined. Recent studies indicated that certain enteric Gram-negative bacteria interact with and hijack innate immune receptors DC-SIGN (CD209a) and SIGNR1 (CD209b), often expressed by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), such as macrophages, leading to dissemination and infection. It was not known whether UPEC could utilize DC-SIGN receptors to promote its infection and dissemination similarly to the enteric pathogens. The results of this study reveal that UPEC interacts with CD209-expressing macrophages and transfectants. This interaction is inhibited by anti-CD209 antibody, indicating that CD209s are receptors for UPEC. Additionally, in contrast to the results of previous studies, mice lacking SIGNR1 are more susceptible to infection of this uropathogen, leading to prolonged bacterial persistence. Overall, the results of our study indicate that the innate immune receptor CD209s participate in the clearance of UPEC during UTIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingmiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Song Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yingxia He
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ziyong Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wentong Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Yin Lv
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lingyu Jiang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiao Li
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sizhe Zhu
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenjin Li
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chenglin Ye
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bicong Wu
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying Xue
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongxiang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huahua Cai
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tie Chen
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China
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20
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Yu Q, Wang LC, Di Benigno S, Gray-Owen SD, Stein DC, Song W. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infects the heterogeneous epithelia of the human cervix using distinct mechanisms. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1008136. [PMID: 31790511 PMCID: PMC6907876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually transmitted infections are a critical public health issue. However, the mechanisms underlying sexually transmitted infections in women and the link between the infection mechanism and the wide range of clinical outcomes remain elusive due to a lack of research models mimicking human infection in vivo. We established a human cervical tissue explant model to mimic local Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) infections. We found that GC preferentially colonize the ectocervix by activating integrin-β1, which inhibits epithelial shedding. GC selectively penetrate into the squamocolumnar junction (TZ) and endocervical epithelia by inducing β-catenin phosphorylation, which leads to E-cadherin junction disassembly. Epithelial cells in various cervical regions differentially express carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs), the host receptor for GC opacity-associated proteins (OpaCEA). Relatively high levels were detected on the luminal membrane of ecto/endocervical epithelial cells but very low levels intracellularly in TZ epithelial cells. CEACAM-OpaCEA interaction increased ecto/endocervical colonization and reduced endocervical penetration by increasing integrin-β1 activation and inhibiting β-catenin phosphorylation respectively, through CEACAM downstream signaling. Thus, the intrinsic properties of cervical epithelial cells and phase-variation of bacterial surface molecules both play a role in controlling GC infection mechanisms and infectivity, preferential colonization or penetration, potentially leading to asymptomatic or symptomatic infection. Gonorrhea, caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), is a common sexually transmitted infection and has become a public health crisis due to a steady increase in antibiotic-resistant cases. How GC infect the female reproductive tract (FRT) and cause various clinical outcomes is still unknown. This study used human cervical explants to examine the mechanism by which GC infect the heterogeneous mucosa of the human cervix, the gate of the FRT. We show that GC preferentially colonize stratified epithelial cells in the vaginal-cervical region by enhancing epithelial cell adherence. GC selectively penetrate into tissues of the squamocolumnar junction and cervical-endometrial regions but not the vaginal-cervical region by loosening epithelial cell-cell junctions. The expression of opacity-associated proteins on GC regulates the infection patterns depending on the expression of the host receptors on various types of epithelia and receptor downstream signaling. These data suggest that both intrinsic properties of cervical epithelial cells and phase-variation of bacterial surface molecules play a role in determining GC infectivity. Our findings can explain how GC infection leads to asymptomatic or symptomatic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Yu
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Liang-Chun Wang
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Sofia Di Benigno
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Scott D. Gray-Owen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel C. Stein
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Wenxia Song
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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21
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Russell MW, Jerse AE, Gray-Owen SD. Progress Toward a Gonococcal Vaccine: The Way Forward. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2417. [PMID: 31681305 PMCID: PMC6803597 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of immunizing against gonorrhea has received renewed interest because of the recent emergence of strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae that are resistant to most currently available antibiotics, an occurrence that threatens to render gonorrhea untreatable. However, despite efforts over many decades, no vaccine has yet been successfully developed for human use, leading to pessimism over whether this goal was actually attainable. Several factors have contributed to this situation, including extensive variation of the expression and specificity of many of the gonococcal surface antigens, and the ability of N. gonorrhoeae to resist destruction by complement and other innate immune defense mechanisms. The natural host restriction of N. gonorrhoeae for humans, coupled with the absence of any definable state of immunity arising from an episode of gonorrhea, have also complicated efforts to study gonococcal pathogenesis and the host's immune responses. However, recent findings have elucidated how the gonococcus exploits and manipulates the host's immune system for its own benefit, utilizing human-specific receptors for attachment to and invasion of tissues, and subverting adaptive immune responses that might otherwise be capable of eliminating it. While no single experimental model is capable of providing all the answers, experiments utilizing human cells and tissues in vitro, various in vivo animal models, including genetically modified strains of mice, and both experimental and observational human clinical studies, have combined to yield important new insight into the immuno-pathogenesis of gonococcal infection. In turn, these have now led to novel approaches for the development of a gonococcal vaccine. Ongoing investigations utilizing all available tools are now poised to make the development of an effective human vaccine against gonorrhea an achievable goal within a foreseeable time-frame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Russell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Ann E. Jerse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Scott D. Gray-Owen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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22
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Ye C, Li Q, Li X, Park CG, He Y, Zhang Y, Wu B, Xue Y, Yang K, Lv Y, Ying XL, Ding HH, Cai H, Alkraiem AA, Njiri O, Tembo J, Huang HP, Li AY, Gong J, Qin J, Cheng B, Wei X, Sun Z, Zhang SS, Zhang P, Zheng GX, Li W, Kan B, Yan M, Xiding X, Huo X, Zeng Y, Peng H, Fu Y, Klena JD, Skurnik M, Jiang LY, Chen T. Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Interacts with CD209 Receptors To Promote Host Dissemination and Infection. Infect Immun 2019; 87:e00100-19. [PMID: 31085704 PMCID: PMC6652768 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00100-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, a Gram-negative bacterium, can cause infectious diseases ranging from gastroenteritis to systemic dissemination and infection. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this bacterial dissemination have yet to be elucidated. A study indicated that using the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core as a ligand, S Typhimurium was able to bind human dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing nonintegrin (hCD209a), an HIV receptor that promotes viral dissemination by hijacking antigen-presenting cells (APCs). In this study, we showed that S Typhimurium interacted with CD209s, leading to the invasion of APCs and potentially the dissemination to regional lymph nodes, spleen, and liver in mice. Shielding of the exposed LPS core through the expression of O-antigen reduces dissemination and infection. Thus, we propose that similar to HIV, S Typhimurium may also utilize APCs via interactions with CD209s as a way to disseminate to the lymph nodes, spleen, and liver to initiate host infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglin Ye
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qiao Li
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xinyi Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jingmen No. 1 People's Hospital, Jingmen, China
| | - Chae Gyu Park
- Laboratory of Immunology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yingxia He
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yingmiao Zhang
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bicong Wu
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ying Xue
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kun Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yin Lv
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiao-Ling Ying
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hong-Hui Ding
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Huahua Cai
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ayman Ahmad Alkraiem
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taibah University, Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Olivia Njiri
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - John Tembo
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hong-Ping Huang
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - An-Yi Li
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jianping Gong
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jichao Qin
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bing Cheng
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiang Wei
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ziyong Sun
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shu-Sheng Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine-Rockford, University of Illinois at Chicago, Rockford, Illinois, USA
| | - Pei Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine-Rockford, University of Illinois at Chicago, Rockford, Illinois, USA
| | - Guo-Xing Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine-Rockford, University of Illinois at Chicago, Rockford, Illinois, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Diarrheal Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Biao Kan
- Department of Diarrheal Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Meiying Yan
- Department of Diarrheal Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xiamu Xiding
- Division of Disease Control and Prevention for Endemic Diseases, Wenquan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xinjiang, China
| | - Xixiang Huo
- Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yingchun Zeng
- Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hua Peng
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yangxin Fu
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - John D Klena
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mikael Skurnik
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ling-Yu Jiang
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tie Chen
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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23
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Yang K, He Y, Park CG, Kang YS, Zhang P, Han Y, Cui Y, Bulgheresi S, Anisimov AP, Dentovskaya SV, Ying X, Jiang L, Ding H, Njiri OA, Zhang S, Zheng G, Xia L, Kan B, Wang X, Jing H, Yan M, Li W, Wang Y, Xiamu X, Chen G, Ma D, Bartra SS, Plano GV, Klena JD, Yang R, Skurnik M, Chen T. Yersinia pestis Interacts With SIGNR1 (CD209b) for Promoting Host Dissemination and Infection. Front Immunol 2019; 10:96. [PMID: 30915064 PMCID: PMC6422942 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative bacterium and the etiologic agent of plague, has evolved from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, a cause of a mild enteric disease. However, the molecular and biological mechanisms of how Y. pseudotuberculosis evolved to such a remarkably virulent pathogen, Y. pestis, are not clear. The ability to initiate a rapid bacterial dissemination is a characteristic hallmark of Y. pestis infection. A distinguishing characteristic between the two Yersinia species is that Y. pseudotuberculosis strains possess an O-antigen of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) while Y. pestis has lost the O-antigen during evolution and therefore exposes its core LPS. In this study, we showed that Y. pestis utilizes its core LPS to interact with SIGNR1 (CD209b), a C-type lectin receptor on antigen presenting cells (APCs), leading to bacterial dissemination to lymph nodes, spleen and liver, and the initiation of a systemic infection. We therefore propose that the loss of O-antigen represents a critical step in the evolution of Y. pseudotuberculosis into Y. pestis in terms of hijacking APCs, promoting bacterial dissemination and causing the plague.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Yang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Yingxia He
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chae Gyu Park
- Laboratory of Immunology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young Sun Kang
- Laboratory of Immunology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Pei Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Yanping Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yujun Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Silvia Bulgheresi
- Department of Ecogenomics and Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrey P Anisimov
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Russia
| | | | - Xiaoling Ying
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lingyu Jiang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Honghui Ding
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Olivia Adhiambo Njiri
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, Chuka University, Chuka, Kenya
| | - Shusheng Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Guoxing Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Lianxu Xia
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Biao Kan
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Huaiqi Jing
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Meiying Yan
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Li
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanzhi Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Xiding Xiamu
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ding Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sara Schesser Bartra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Gregory V Plano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - John D Klena
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Mikael Skurnik
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Haartman Institute, Helsinki University Central Hospital Laboratory Diagnostics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tie Chen
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
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24
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Kim WJ, Mai A, Weyand NJ, Rendón MA, Van Doorslaer K, So M. Neisseria gonorrhoeae evades autophagic killing by downregulating CD46-cyt1 and remodeling lysosomes. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007495. [PMID: 30753248 PMCID: PMC6388937 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-negative human pathogen N. gonorrhoeae (Ngo) quickly attaches to epithelial cells, and large numbers of the bacteria remain on the cell surface for prolonged periods. Ngo invades cells but few viable intracellular bacteria are recovered until later stages of infection, leading to the assumption that Ngo is a weak invader. On the cell surface, Ngo quickly recruits CD46-cyt1 to the epithelial cell cortex directly beneath the bacteria and causes its cleavage by metalloproteinases and Presenilin/γSecretease; how these interactions affect the Ngo lifecycle is unknown. Here, we show Ngo induces an autophagic response in the epithelial cell through CD46-cyt1/GOPC, and this response kills early invaders. Throughout infection, the pathogen slowly downregulates CD46-cyt1 and remodeling of lysosomes, another key autophagy component, and these activities ultimately promote intracellular survival. We present a model on the dynamics of Ngo infection and describe how this dual interference with the autophagic pathway allows late invaders to survive within the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won J. Kim
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Annette Mai
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Nathan J. Weyand
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States of America
| | - Maria A. Rendón
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Koenraad Van Doorslaer
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Magdalene So
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
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25
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Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection is a major public health problem worldwide. The increasing incidence of gonorrhea coupled with global spread of multidrug-resistant isolates of gonococci has ushered in an era of potentially untreatable infection. Gonococcal disease elicits limited immunity, and individuals are susceptible to repeated infections. In this chapter, we describe gonococcal disease and epidemiology and the structure and function of major surface components involved in pathogenesis. We also discuss the mechanisms that gonococci use to evade host immune responses and the immune responses following immunization with selected bacterial components that may overcome evasion. Understanding the biology of the gonococcus may aid in preventing the spread of gonorrhea and also facilitate the development of gonococcal vaccines and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jutamas Shaughnessy
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Sanjay Ram
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Peter A Rice
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
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26
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He YX, Ye CL, Zhang P, Li Q, Park CG, Yang K, Jiang LY, Lv Y, Ying XL, Ding HH, Huang HP, Mambwe Tembo J, Li AY, Cheng B, Zhang SS, Zheng GX, Chen SY, Li W, Xia LX, Kan B, Wang X, Jing HQ, Yang RF, Peng H, Fu YX, Klena JD, Skurnik M, Chen T. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Exploits CD209 Receptors for Promoting Host Dissemination and Infection. Infect Immun 2019; 87:e00654-18. [PMID: 30348825 PMCID: PMC6300620 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00654-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a Gram-negative enteropathogen and causes gastrointestinal infections. It disseminates from gut to mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), spleen, and liver of infected humans and animals. Although the molecular mechanisms for dissemination and infection are unclear, many Gram-negative enteropathogens presumably invade the small intestine via Peyer's patches to initiate dissemination. In this study, we demonstrate that Y. pseudotuberculosis utilizes its lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core to interact with CD209 receptors, leading to invasion of human dendritic cells (DCs) and murine macrophages. These Y. pseudotuberculosis-CD209 interactions result in bacterial dissemination to MLNs, spleens, and livers of both wild-type and Peyer's patch-deficient mice. The blocking of the Y. pseudotuberculosis-CD209 interactions by expression of O-antigen and with oligosaccharides reduces infectivity. Based on the well-documented studies in which HIV-CD209 interaction leads to viral dissemination, we therefore propose an infection route for Y. pseudotuberculosis where this pathogen, after penetrating the intestinal mucosal membrane, hijacks the Y. pseudotuberculosis-CD209 interaction antigen-presenting cells to reach their target destinations, MLNs, spleens, and livers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Xia He
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Cheng-Lin Ye
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qiao Li
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chae Gyu Park
- Laboratory of Immunology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kun Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Ling-Yu Jiang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yin Lv
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiao-Ling Ying
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hong-Hui Ding
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hong-Ping Huang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - John Mambwe Tembo
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, The University of Zambia-University College London Medical School at Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - An-Yi Li
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bing Cheng
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shu-Sheng Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine-Rockford, University of Illinois at Chicago, Rockford, Illinois, USA
| | - Guo-Xing Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine-Rockford, University of Illinois at Chicago, Rockford, Illinois, USA
| | - Shi-Yun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Diarrheal Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Lian-Xu Xia
- Department of Diarrheal Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Biao Kan
- Department of Diarrheal Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Diarrheal Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Huai-Qi Jing
- Department of Diarrheal Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Rui-Fu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Peng
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang-Xin Fu
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - John D Klena
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mikael Skurnik
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tie Chen
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Horst AK, Najjar SM, Wagener C, Tiegs G. CEACAM1 in Liver Injury, Metabolic and Immune Regulation. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19103110. [PMID: 30314283 PMCID: PMC6213298 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19103110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is expressed on epithelial, endothelial and immune cells. CEACAM1 is a differentiation antigen involved in the maintenance of epithelial polarity that is induced during hepatocyte differentiation and liver regeneration. CEACAM1 regulates insulin sensitivity by promoting hepatic insulin clearance, and controls liver tolerance and mucosal immunity. Obese insulin-resistant humans with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease manifest loss of hepatic CEACAM1. In mice, deletion or functional inactivation of CEACAM1 impairs insulin clearance and compromises metabolic homeostasis which initiates the development of obesity and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis with other features of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and adipogenesis in white adipose depot. This is followed by inflammation and endothelial and cardiovascular dysfunctions. In obstructive and inflammatory liver diseases, soluble CEACAM1 is shed into human bile where it can serve as an indicator of liver disease. On immune cells, CEACAM1 acts as an immune checkpoint regulator, and deletion of Ceacam1 gene in mice causes exacerbation of inflammation and hyperactivation of myeloid cells and lymphocytes. Hence, hepatic CEACAM1 resides at the central hub of immune and metabolic homeostasis in both humans and mice. This review focuses on the regulatory role of CEACAM1 in liver and biliary tract architecture in health and disease, and on its metabolic role and function as an immune checkpoint regulator of hepatic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Kristina Horst
- Institute of Experimental Immunology and Hepatology, Center for Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Sonia M Najjar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Irvine Hall, 1 Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701-2979, USA.
- The Diabetes Institute, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Irvine Hall, 1 Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701-2979, USA.
| | - Christoph Wagener
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Gisa Tiegs
- Institute of Experimental Immunology and Hepatology, Center for Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.
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Specific Binding to Differentially Expressed Human Carcinoembryonic Antigen-Related Cell Adhesion Molecules Determines the Outcome of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infections along the Female Reproductive Tract. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00092-18. [PMID: 29760215 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00092-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 05/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The gonococcal Opa proteins are an antigenically variable family of surface adhesins that bind human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1), CEACAM3, CEACAM5, and/or CEACAM6, cell surface glycoproteins that are differentially expressed on a broad spectrum of human cells and tissues. While they are presumed to be important for infection, the significance of various Opa-CEACAM-mediated cellular interactions in the context of the genital tract has remained unclear. Here, we observed that CEACAM1 and CEACAM5 are differentially expressed on epithelia lining the upper and lower portions of the human female genital tract, respectively. Using transgenic mouse lines expressing human CEACAMs in a manner that reflects this differential pattern, we considered the impact of Opa-CEACAM interactions during uncomplicated lower genital tract infections versus during pelvic inflammatory disease. Our results demonstrate that Opa-CEACAM5 binding on vaginal epithelia facilitates the long-term colonization of the lower genital tract, while Opa protein binding to CEACAM1 on uterine epithelia enhances gonococcal association and penetration into these tissues. While these Opa-dependent interactions with CEACAM-expressing epithelial surfaces promote infection, Opa binding by neutrophil-expressed CEACAMs counterbalances this by facilitating more effective gonococcal clearance. Furthermore, during uterine infections, CEACAM-dependent tissue invasion aggravates disease pathology by increasing the acute inflammatory response. Together, these findings demonstrate that the outcome of infection is determined by both the cell type-specific expression of human CEACAMs and the CEACAM specificity of the Opa variants expressed, which combine to determine the level of gonococcal association with the genital mucosa versus the extent of CEACAM-dependent inflammation and gonococcal clearance by neutrophils.
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Zhu W, Tomberg J, Knilans KJ, Anderson JE, McKinnon KP, Sempowski GD, Nicholas RA, Duncan JA. Properly folded and functional PorB from Neisseria gonorrhoeae inhibits dendritic cell stimulation of CD4 + T cell proliferation. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:11218-11229. [PMID: 29752412 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.001209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an exclusive human pathogen that evades the host immune system through multiple mechanisms. We have shown that N. gonorrhoeae suppresses the capacity of antigen-presenting cells to induce CD4+ T cell proliferation. In this study, we sought to determine the gonococcal factors involved in this adaptive immune suppression. We show that suppression of the capacity of antigen-pulsed dendritic cells to induce T cell proliferation is recapitulated by administration of a high-molecular-weight fraction of conditioned medium from N. gonorrhoeae cultures, which includes outer membrane vesicles that are shed during growth of the bacteria. N. gonorrhoeae PorB is the most abundant protein in N. gonorrhoeae-derived vesicles, and treatment of dendritic cells with purified recombinant PorB inhibited the capacity of the cells to stimulate T cell proliferation. This immunosuppressive feature of purified PorB depended on proper folding of the protein. PorB from N. gonorrhoeae, as well as other Neisseria species and other Gram-negative bacterial species, are known to activate host Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling. Published studies have demonstrated that purified Neisseria PorB forms proteinacious nanoparticles, termed proteosomes, when detergent micelles are removed. Unlike folded, detergent-solubilized PorB, PorB proteosomes stimulate immune responses. We now demonstrate that the formation of PorB proteosomes from structurally intact PorB eliminates the immunosuppressive property of the protein while enhancing TLR2 stimulation. These findings suggest that gonococcal PorB present in shed outer membrane vesicles plays a role in suppression of adaptive immune responses to this immune-evasive pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyan Zhu
- From the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Joshua Tomberg
- the Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Kayla J Knilans
- the Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - James E Anderson
- From the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Karen P McKinnon
- the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, and.,the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Gregory D Sempowski
- the Department of Medicine and Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Robert A Nicholas
- the Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, .,the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, and
| | - Joseph A Duncan
- From the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, .,the Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599.,the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
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Schubert-Unkmeir A. Molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction of Neisseria meningitidis with cells of the human blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier. Pathog Dis 2017; 75:3061359. [PMID: 28334198 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftx023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is one of the most common aetiological agents of bacterial meningitis, affecting predominantly children and young adults. The interaction of N. meningitidis with human endothelial cells lining blood vessels of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (B-CSFB) is critical for meningitis development. In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction of N. meningitidis with brain vascular cells. In this review, we will describe how N. meningitidis adheres to the brain vasculature, may enter inside these cells, hijack receptor signalling pathways and alter host-cell responses in order to traverse the B-CSFB.
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Wang LC, Yu Q, Edwards V, Lin B, Qiu J, Turner JR, Stein DC, Song W. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infects the human endocervix by activating non-muscle myosin II-mediated epithelial exfoliation. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006269. [PMID: 28406994 PMCID: PMC5391109 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Colonization and disruption of the epithelium is a major infection mechanism of mucosal pathogens. The epithelium counteracts infection by exfoliating damaged cells while maintaining the mucosal barrier function. The sexually transmitted bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) infects the female reproductive tract primarily from the endocervix, causing gonorrhea. However, the mechanism by which GC overcome the mucosal barrier remains elusive. Using a new human tissue model, we demonstrate that GC can penetrate into the human endocervix by inducing the exfoliation of columnar epithelial cells. We found that GC colonization causes endocervical epithelial cells to shed. The shedding results from the disassembly of the apical junctions that seal the epithelial barrier. Apical junction disruption and epithelial exfoliation increase GC penetration into the endocervical epithelium without reducing bacterial adherence to and invasion into epithelial cells. Both epithelial exfoliation and junction disruption require the activation and accumulation of non-muscle myosin II (NMII) at the apical surface and GC adherent sites. GC inoculation activates NMII by elevating the levels of the cytoplasmic Ca2+ and NMII regulatory light chain phosphorylation. Piliation of GC promotes, but the expression of a GC opacity-associated protein variant, OpaH that binds to the host surface proteins CEACAMs, inhibits GC-induced NMII activation and reorganization and Ca2+ flux. The inhibitory effects of OpaH lead to reductions in junction disruption, epithelial exfoliation, and GC penetration. Therefore, GC phase variation can modulate infection in the human endocervix by manipulating the activity of NMII and epithelial exfoliation. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) infects human genital epithelium causing gonorrhea, a common sexually transmitted infection. Gonorrhea is a critical public health issue due to increased prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains. Because humans are the only host for GC, a lack of a human infection model has been a major obstacle to our understanding of GC infection. Here we use a human tissue explant model to examine the mechanism by which GC infect the human endocervix, the primary site for GC infection in women. We show that GC penetrate into the human endocervix by activating the actin motor myosin and epithelial shedding. Myosin activation causes the disruption of the endocervical epithelial barrier by inducing apical junction disassembly and epithelial cell shedding, allowing GC penetration into the human endocervical tissue. GC activate myosin by inducing Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of myosin light chain. We further show that GC can enhance and reduce the penetration by expressing pili and the opacity-associated protein that promotes and inhibits myosin activation, respectively. Our study is the first demonstration of GC penetration into the human endocervix. Our results provide new insights into the mechanism by which GC manipulate signaling and cytoskeletal apparatus in epithelial cells to achieve penetrating and non-penetrating infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang-Chun Wang
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Qian Yu
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Vonetta Edwards
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Brian Lin
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jessica Qiu
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jerrold R. Turner
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine (GI), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Daniel C. Stein
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Wenxia Song
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Rueckschloss U, Kuerten S, Ergün S. The role of CEA-related cell adhesion molecule-1 (CEACAM1) in vascular homeostasis. Histochem Cell Biol 2016; 146:657-671. [PMID: 27695943 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-016-1505-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-related cell adhesion molecules belong to the immunoglobulin superfamily, are expressed in a broad spectrum of tissues and cell types and exert context-dependent activating as well as inhibitory effects. Among these molecules, the CEA-related cell adhesion molecule-1 (CEACAM1) is a transmembrane molecule with an extracellular, a transmembrane and a cytoplasmic domain. The latter contains immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs and functions as a signaling molecule. CEACAM1 can form homo- and heterodimers which is relevant for its signaling activities. CEACAM1 acts as co-receptor that modulates the activity of different receptor types including VEGFR-2, and B and T cell receptors. CEACAM1 is expressed in endothelial cells, in pericytes of developing and newly formed immature blood vessels and in angiogenically activated adult vessels, e.g., tumor blood vessels. However, it is either undetectable or only weakly expressed in quiescent blood vessels. Recent studies indicated that CEACAM1 is involved in the regulation of the endothelial barrier function. In CEACAM1 -/- mice, increased vascular permeability and development of small atherosclerotic lesions was observed in the aortae. CEACAM1 is also detectable in activated lymphatic endothelial cells and plays a role in tumor lymphangiogenesis. This review summarizes the vascular effects of CEACAM1 and focuses on its role in vascular morphogenesis and endothelial barrier regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Rueckschloss
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Würzburg, Köllikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kuerten
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Würzburg, Köllikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Süleyman Ergün
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Würzburg, Köllikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany.
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Hill SA, Masters TL, Wachter J. Gonorrhea - an evolving disease of the new millennium. MICROBIAL CELL (GRAZ, AUSTRIA) 2016; 3:371-389. [PMID: 28357376 PMCID: PMC5354566 DOI: 10.15698/mic2016.09.524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Etiology, transmission and protection: Neisseria gonorrhoeae (the gonococcus) is the etiological agent for the strictly human sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea. Infections lead to limited immunity, therefore individuals can become repeatedly infected. Pathology/symptomatology: Gonorrhea is generally a non-complicated mucosal infection with a pustular discharge. More severe sequellae include salpingitis and pelvic inflammatory disease which may lead to sterility and/or ectopic pregnancy. Occasionally, the organism can disseminate as a bloodstream infection. Epidemiology, incidence and prevalence: Gonorrhea is a global disease infecting approximately 60 million people annually. In the United States there are approximately 300, 000 cases each year, with an incidence of approximately 100 cases per 100,000 population. Treatment and curability: Gonorrhea is susceptible to an array of antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is becoming a major problem and there are fears that the gonococcus will become the next "superbug" as the antibiotic arsenal diminishes. Currently, third generation extended-spectrum cephalosporins are being prescribed. Molecular mechanisms of infection: Gonococci elaborate numerous strategies to thwart the immune system. The organism engages in extensive phase (on/off switching) and antigenic variation of several surface antigens. The organism expresses IgA protease which cleaves mucosal antibody. The organism can become serum resistant due to its ability to sialylate lipooligosaccharide in conjunction with its ability to subvert complement activation. The gonococcus can survive within neutrophils as well as in several other lymphocytic cells. The organism manipulates the immune response such that no immune memory is generated which leads to a lack of protective immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart A. Hill
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435
| | - Thao L. Masters
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435
| | - Jenny Wachter
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435
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Martin JN, Ball LM, Solomon TL, Dewald AH, Criss AK, Columbus L. Neisserial Opa Protein-CEACAM Interactions: Competition for Receptors as a Means of Bacterial Invasion and Pathogenesis. Biochemistry 2016; 55:4286-94. [PMID: 27442026 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Carcino-embryonic antigen-like cellular adhesion molecules (CEACAMs), members of the immunoglobulin superfamily, are responsible for cell-cell interactions and cellular signaling events. Extracellular interactions with CEACAMs have the potential to induce phagocytosis, as is the case with pathogenic Neisseria bacteria. Pathogenic Neisseria species express opacity-associated (Opa) proteins, which interact with a subset of CEACAMs on human cells, and initiate the engulfment of the bacterium. We demonstrate that recombinant Opa proteins reconstituted into liposomes retain the ability to recognize and interact with CEACAMs in vitro but do not maintain receptor specificity compared to that of Opa proteins natively expressed by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. We report that two Opa proteins interact with CEACAMs with nanomolar affinity, and we hypothesize that this high affinity is necessary to compete with the native CEACAM homo- and heterotypic interactions in the host. Understanding the mechanisms of Opa protein-receptor recognition and engulfment enhances our understanding of Neisserial pathogenesis. Additionally, these mechanisms provide insight into how human cells that are typically nonphagocytic can utilize CEACAM receptors to internalize exogenous matter, with implications for the targeted delivery of therapeutics and development of imaging agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N Martin
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Louise M Ball
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Tsega L Solomon
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Alison H Dewald
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Alison K Criss
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Linda Columbus
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
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Zhang S, Tu YT, Cai HH, Ding HH, Li Q, He YX, Liu XX, Wang X, Hu F, Chen T, Chen HX. Opacity proteins of neisseria gonorrhoeae in lipooligosaccharide mutants lost ability to interact with neutrophil-restricted CEACAM3 (CD66d). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 36:344-349. [PMID: 27376801 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-016-1589-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Revised: 04/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Lipooligosacharide (LOS) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococci, GC) is involved in the interaction of GC with host cells. Deletion of the alpha-oligosaccharide (alpha-OS) moiety of LOS (lgtF mutant) significantly impairs invasion of GC into epithelial cell lines. GC opacity (Opa) proteins, such as OpaI, mediate phagocytosis and stimulate chemiluminescence responses in neutrophils in part through interaction with members of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family, which includes CEACAM3 (CD66d), a human neutrophil specific receptor for phagocytosis of bacteria. In the present work, we examined the effects of OpaI-expressing lgtF mutant on phagocytosis by HeLa-CEACAM3 cells and chemiluminescence responses in neutrophils. The results showed that lgtF mutant even expressing OpaI completely lost the ability to promote either phagocytosis mediated by CEACAM3 interaction in HeLa cells or chemiluminescence responses in neutrophils. These data indicated that Opa proteins in the lgtF mutant, which might result from the conformational change, cannot be functional.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Ya-Ting Tu
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Hua-Hua Cai
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Hong-Hui Ding
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Qiao Li
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ying-Xia He
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xin-Xin Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Feng Hu
- Department of Dermatology, Wuhan First Hospital, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Tie Chen
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Hong-Xiang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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Lin SE, Barrette AM, Chapin C, Gonzales LW, Gonzalez RF, Dobbs LG, Ballard PL. Expression of human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 6 and alveolar progenitor cells in normal and injured lungs of transgenic mice. Physiol Rep 2015; 3:3/12/e12657. [PMID: 26702074 PMCID: PMC4760449 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6) is expressed in the epithelium of various primate tissues, including lung airway and alveoli. In human lung, CEACAM6 is developmentally and hormonally regulated, protects surfactant function, has anti-apoptotic activity and is dysregulated in cancers. We hypothesized that alveolar CEACAM6 expression increases in lung injury and promotes cell proliferation during repair. Studies were performed in CEABAC transgenic mice-containing human CEACAM genes. The level of CEACAM6 in adult CEABAC lung was comparable to that in human infants; expression occurred in epithelium of airways and of some alveoli but rarely co-localized with markers of type I or type II cells. Ten days after bleomycin instillation, both the number of CEACAM6(+) cells and immunostaining intensity were elevated in injured lung areas, and there was increased co-localization with type I and II cell markers. To specifically address type II cells, we crossed CEABAC mice with animals expressing EGFP driven by the SP-C promoter. After bleomycin injury, partially flattened, elongated epithelial cells were observed that expressed type I cell markers and were primarily either EGFP(+) or CEACAM6(+). In cell cycle studies, mitosis was greater in CEACAM6(+) non-type II cells versus CEACAM6(+)/EGFP(+) cells. CEACAM6 epithelial expression was also increased after hyperoxic exposure and LPS instillation, suggesting a generalized response to acute lung injuries. We conclude that CEACAM6 expression is comparable in human lung and the CEABAC mouse. CEACAM6 in this model appears to be a marker of a progenitor cell population that contributes to alveolar epithelial cell replenishment after lung injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-E Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Anne Marie Barrette
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Cheryl Chapin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Linda W Gonzales
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert F Gonzalez
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Leland G Dobbs
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Philip L Ballard
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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Naghibalhossaini F, Sayadi K, Jaberie H, Bazargani A, Eftekhar E, Hosseinzadeh M. Inhibition of CEA release from epithelial cells by lipid A of Gram-negative bacteria. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2015. [PMID: 26208386 DOI: 10.1515/cmble-2015-0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of bacterial species, both pathogenic and non-pathogenic, use the human CEACAM family members as receptors for internalization into epithelial cells. The GPI-linked CEA and CEACAM6 might play a role in the innate immune defense, protecting the colon from microbial invasion. Previous studies showed that CEA is released from epithelial cells by an endogenous GPI-PLD enzyme. GPI-PLD activity was reported to be inhibited by several synthetic and natural forms of lipid A. We hypothesized that CEA engagement by Gram-negative bacteria might attenuate CEA release from epithelial cells and that this might facilitate bacterial colonization. We tested the hypothesis by examining the effect of Escherichia coli on CEA release from colorectal cancer cells in a co-culture experiment. A subconfluent monolayer culture of colorectal cancer cells (LS-180, Caco-2 and HT29/219) was incubated with E. coli. While there was a significant reduction in CEA secretion from LS-180 and HT29/219 cells, we found only a small reduction of CEA shedding from Caco-2 cells compared to the level from the untreated control cells. Furthermore, lipid A treatment of LS-180 cells inhibited CEA release from the cells in a dosedependent manner. Western blot analysis of total lysates showed that CEA expression levels in cells co-cultured with bacteria did not differ from those in untreated control cells. These results suggest that lipid A of Gram-negative bacteria might play a role in preventing the release of CEA from mucosal surfaces and promote mucosal colonization by bacteria.
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Delgado Tascón J, Adrian J, Kopp K, Scholz P, Tschan MP, Kuespert K, Hauck CR. The granulocyte orphan receptor CEACAM4 is able to trigger phagocytosis of bacteria. J Leukoc Biol 2015; 97:521-31. [PMID: 25567962 PMCID: PMC5477890 DOI: 10.1189/jlb.2ab0813-449rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2013] [Revised: 11/13/2014] [Accepted: 11/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human granulocytes express several glycoproteins of the CEACAM family. One family member, CEACAM3, operates as a single-chain phagocytic receptor, initiating the detection, internalization, and destruction of a limited set of gram-negative bacteria. In contrast, the function of CEACAM4, a closely related protein, is completely unknown. This is mainly a result of a lack of a specific ligand for CEACAM4. By generating chimeric proteins containing the extracellular bacteria-binding domain of CEACAM3 and the transmembrane and cytoplasmic part of CEACAM4 (CEACAM3/4) we demonstrate that this chimeric receptor can trigger efficient phagocytosis of attached particles. Uptake of CEACAM3/4-bound bacteria requires the intact ITAM of CEACAM4, and this motif is phosphorylated by Src family PTKs upon receptor clustering. Furthermore, SH2 domains derived from Src PTKs, PI3K, and the adapter molecule Nck are recruited and associate directly with the phosphorylated CEACAM4 ITAM. Deletion of this sequence motif or inhibition of Src PTKs blocks CEACAM4-mediated uptake. Together, our results suggest that this orphan receptor of the CEACAM family has phagocytic function and prompt efforts to identify CEACAM4 ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Delgado Tascón
- *Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, Universität Konstanz, Germany; and Division of Experimental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jonas Adrian
- *Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, Universität Konstanz, Germany; and Division of Experimental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kathrin Kopp
- *Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, Universität Konstanz, Germany; and Division of Experimental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Scholz
- *Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, Universität Konstanz, Germany; and Division of Experimental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mario P Tschan
- *Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, Universität Konstanz, Germany; and Division of Experimental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Katharina Kuespert
- *Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, Universität Konstanz, Germany; and Division of Experimental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christof R Hauck
- *Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, Universität Konstanz, Germany; and Division of Experimental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Switzerland
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Selection for a CEACAM receptor-specific binding phenotype during Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection of the human genital tract. Infect Immun 2015; 83:1372-83. [PMID: 25605771 DOI: 10.1128/iai.03123-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections by Neisseria gonorrhoeae are increasingly common, are often caused by antibiotic-resistant strains, and can result in serious and lasting sequelae, prompting the reemergence of gonococcal disease as a leading global health concern. N. gonorrhoeae is a human-restricted pathogen that primarily colonizes urogenital mucosal surfaces. Disease progression varies greatly between the sexes: men usually present with symptomatic infection characterized by a painful purulent urethral discharge, while in women, the infection is often asymptomatic, with the most severe pathology occurring when the bacteria ascend from the lower genital tract into the uterus and fallopian tubes. Classical clinical studies demonstrated that clinically infectious strains uniformly express Opa adhesins; however, their specificities were unknown at the time. While in vitro studies have since identified CEACAM proteins as the primary target of Opa proteins, the gonococcal specificity for this human family of receptors has not been addressed in the context of natural infection. In this study, we characterize a collection of low-passage-number clinical-specimen-derived N. gonorrhoeae isolates for Opa expression and assess their CEACAM-binding profiles. We report marked in vivo selection for expression of phase-variable Opa proteins that bind CEACAM1 and CEACAM5 but selection against expression of Opa variants that bind to the neutrophil-restricted decoy receptor CEACAM3. This is the first study showing phenotypic selection for distinct CEACAM-binding phenotypes in vivo, and it supports the opposing functions of CEACAMs that facilitate infection versus driving inflammation within the genital tract.
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Global analysis of neutrophil responses to Neisseria gonorrhoeae reveals a self-propagating inflammatory program. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004341. [PMID: 25188454 PMCID: PMC4154863 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
An overwhelming neutrophil-driven response causes both acute symptoms and the lasting sequelae that result from infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Neutrophils undergo an aggressive opsonin-independent response to N. gonorrhoeae, driven by the innate decoy receptor CEACAM3. CEACAM3 is exclusively expressed by human neutrophils, and drives a potent binding, phagocytic engulfment and oxidative killing of Opa-expressing bacteria. In this study, we sought to explore the contribution of neutrophils to the pathogenic inflammatory process that typifies gonorrhea. Genome-wide microarray and biochemical profiling of gonococcal-infected neutrophils revealed that CEACAM3 engagement triggers a Syk-, PKCδ- and Tak1-dependent signaling cascade that results in the activation of an NF-κB-dependent transcriptional response, with consequent production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Using an in vivo model of N. gonorrhoeae infection, we show that human CEACAM-expressing neutrophils have heightened migration toward the site of the infection where they may be further activated upon Opa-dependent binding. Together, this study establishes that the role of CEACAM3 is not restricted to the direct opsonin-independent killing by neutrophils, since it also drives the vigorous inflammatory response that typifies gonorrhea. By carrying the potential to mobilize increasing numbers of neutrophils, CEACAM3 thereby represents the tipping point between protective and pathogenic outcomes of N. gonorrhoeae infection. Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. These bacteria have re-emerged as a public health priority due to its acquisition of resistance to multiple antibiotics, leading to fears of untreatable infection. The symptoms of gonorrhea include an intense inflammatory response that may lead to pus discharged from the infected genital tract and scarring of the reproductive tract caused by neutrophils recruited to the site of infection. Past studies have detailed molecular interactions that lead to neutrophil binding and engulfment of N. gonorrhoeae, yet it remains unclear why N. gonorrhoeae elicits such a pathogenic inflammatory response. In this study, we reveal that N. gonorrhoeae binding to the human innate decoy receptor, CEACAM3, elicits a potent intracellular signaling cascade that leads to neutrophil expression of cytokines that actively recruit other neutrophils to the infected tissues. As they encounter the gonococci, the next wave of neutrophils becomes similarly activated, leading to the progressive expansion in phagocytic cell numbers until they overwhelm the infected tissues. While this process promotes a rapid response to a troubling pathogen early during infection, the unrestrained recruitment of neutrophils and their toxic antimicrobial arsenal also lead to the pathogenic consequences associated with gonorrhea.
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Tchoupa AK, Schuhmacher T, Hauck CR. Signaling by epithelial members of the CEACAM family - mucosal docking sites for pathogenic bacteria. Cell Commun Signal 2014; 12:27. [PMID: 24735478 PMCID: PMC4057559 DOI: 10.1186/1478-811x-12-27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) comprise a group of immunoglobulin-related vertebrate glycoproteins. Several family members, including CEACAM1, CEA, and CEACAM6, are found on epithelial tissues throughout the human body. As they modulate diverse cellular functions, their signaling capacity is in the focus of current research. In this review we will summarize the knowledge about common signaling processes initiated by epithelial CEACAMs and suggest a model of signal transduction by CEACAM family members lacking significant cytoplasmic domains. As pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria exploit these receptors during mucosal colonization, we try to highlight the connection between CEACAMs, microbes, and cellular responses. Special emphasis in this context is placed on the functional interplay between CEACAMs and integrins that influences matrix adhesion of epithelial cells. The cooperation between these two receptor families provides an intriguing example of the fine tuning of cellular responses and their manipulation by specialized microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christof R Hauck
- Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie, Universität Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
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Rendón MA, Hockenberry AM, McManus SA, So M. Sigma factor RpoN (σ54) regulates pilE transcription in commensal Neisseria elongata. Mol Microbiol 2013; 90:103-13. [PMID: 23899162 PMCID: PMC4474139 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Human-adapted Neisseria includes two pathogens, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis, and at least 13 species of commensals that colonize many of the same niches as the pathogens. The Type IV pilus plays an important role in the biology of pathogenic Neisseria. In these species, Sigma factor RpoD (σ(70)), Integration Host Factor, and repressors RegF and CrgA regulate transcription of pilE, the gene encoding the pilus structural subunit. The Type IV pilus is also a strictly conserved trait in commensal Neisseria. We present evidence that a different mechanism regulates pilE transcription in commensals. Using Neisseria elongata as a model, we show that Sigma factor RpoN (σ(54)), Integration Host Factor, and an activator we name Npa regulate pilE transcription. Taken in context with previous reports, our findings indicate pilE regulation switched from an RpoN- to an RpoD-dependent mechanism as pathogenic Neisseria diverged from commensals during evolution. Our findings have implications for the timing of Tfp expression and Tfp-mediated host cell interactions in these two groups of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- María A. Rendón
- The BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Alyson M. Hockenberry
- The BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Steven A. McManus
- Undergraduate Biology Research Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Magdalene So
- The BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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Patel PC, Lee HSW, Ming AYK, Rath A, Deber CM, Yip CM, Rocheleau JV, Gray-Owen SD. Inside-out signaling promotes dynamic changes in the carcinoembryonic antigen-related cellular adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) oligomeric state to control its cell adhesion properties. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:29654-69. [PMID: 24005674 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.504639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-cell contacts are fundamental to multicellular organisms and are subject to exquisite levels of control. The carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) can engage in both cis-homophilic (parallel) oligomerization and trans-homophilic (anti-parallel) binding. In this study, we establish that the CEACAM1 transmembrane domain has a propensity to form cis-dimers via the transmembrane-embedded (432)GXXXG(436) motif and that this basal state is overcome when activated calmodulin binds to the CEACAM1 cytoplasmic domain. Although mutation of the (432)GXXXG(436) motif reduced CEACAM1 oligomerization, it did not affect surface localization of the receptor or influence CEACAM1-dependent cellular invasion by the pathogenic Neisseria. The mutation did, however, have a striking effect on CEACAM1-dependent cellular aggregation, increasing both the kinetics of cell-cell association and the size of cellular aggregates formed. CEACAM1 association with tyrosine kinase c-Src and tyrosine phosphatases SHP-1 and SHP-2 was not affected by the (432)GXXXG(436) mutation, consistent with their association with the monomeric form of wild type CEACAM1. Collectively, our results establish that a dynamic oligomer-to-monomer shift in surface-expressed CEACAM1 facilitates trans-homophilic binding and downstream effector signaling.
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Zariri A, van Dijken H, Hamstra HJ, van der Flier M, Vidarsson G, van Putten JPM, Boog CJP, van den Dobbelsteen G, van der Ley P. Expression of human CEACAM1 in transgenic mice limits the Opa-specific immune response against meningococcal outer membrane vesicles. Vaccine 2013; 31:5585-93. [PMID: 23933369 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.07.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) have been extensively investigated as meningococcal vaccine candidates. Among their major components are the opacity (Opa) proteins, a family of surface-exposed outer membrane proteins important for bacterial adherence and entry into host cells. Many Opa-dependent interactions are mediated through the carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule (CEACAM) family of receptors. Importantly, binding of Opa to CEACAM1 has been reported to suppress human CD4 T cell proliferation in vitro in response to OMV preparations. This raises the question whether OMV vaccines should contain Opa proteins at all. Until now it has been difficult to answer this question, as the proposed immunosuppressive effect was only demonstrated with human cells in vitro, while immunization experiments in mice are not informative because the Opa interaction is specific for human CEACAM1. In the present study we have used Opa+ and Opa- OMVs for immunization experiments in a human CEACAM1 transgenic mouse model. OMVs were prepared from a meningococcal strain H44/76 variant expressing the CEACAM1-binding OpaJ protein, and from an isogenic variant in which all opa genes have been inactivated. Both the CEACAM1 expressing transgenic mice and their congenic littermates lacking it were immunized twice with the OMV preparations, and the sera were analyzed for bactericidal activity and ELISA antibody titres. Total IgG antibodies against the OMVs were similar in both mouse strains. Yet the titres for IgG antibodies specific for purified OpaJ protein were significantly lower in the mice expressing human CEACAM1 than in the nontransgenic mice. No significant differences were found in bactericidal titres among the four groups. Overall, these data indicate that expression of human CEACAM1 confers a reduced Opa-specific antibody response in vivo without affecting the overall immune response against other OMV antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afshin Zariri
- Institute for Translational Vaccinology (InTraVacc), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 AL Bilthoven, The Netherlands; Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Hung MC, Christodoulides M. The biology of Neisseria adhesins. BIOLOGY 2013; 2:1054-109. [PMID: 24833056 PMCID: PMC3960869 DOI: 10.3390/biology2031054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Revised: 07/01/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Members of the genus Neisseria include pathogens causing important human diseases such as meningitis, septicaemia, gonorrhoea and pelvic inflammatory disease syndrome. Neisseriae are found on the exposed epithelia of the upper respiratory tract and the urogenital tract. Colonisation of these exposed epithelia is dependent on a repertoire of diverse bacterial molecules, extending not only from the surface of the bacteria but also found within the outer membrane. During invasive disease, pathogenic Neisseriae also interact with immune effector cells, vascular endothelia and the meninges. Neisseria adhesion involves the interplay of these multiple surface factors and in this review we discuss the structure and function of these important molecules and the nature of the host cell receptors and mechanisms involved in their recognition. We also describe the current status for recently identified Neisseria adhesins. Understanding the biology of Neisseria adhesins has an impact not only on the development of new vaccines but also in revealing fundamental knowledge about human biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao-Chiu Hung
- Neisseria Research, Molecular Microbiology, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Sir Henry Wellcome Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
| | - Myron Christodoulides
- Neisseria Research, Molecular Microbiology, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Sir Henry Wellcome Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
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Johswich KO, McCaw SE, Islam E, Sintsova A, Gu A, Shively JE, Gray-Owen SD. In vivo adaptation and persistence of Neisseria meningitidis within the nasopharyngeal mucosa. PLoS Pathog 2013; 9:e1003509. [PMID: 23935487 PMCID: PMC3723569 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2013] [Accepted: 06/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis (Nme) asymptomatically colonizes the human nasopharynx, yet can initiate rapidly-progressing sepsis and meningitis in rare instances. Understanding the meningococcal lifestyle within the nasopharyngeal mucosa, a phase of infection that is prerequisite for disease, has been hampered by the lack of animal models. Herein, we compare mice expressing the four different human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) that can bind the neisserial Opa protein adhesins, and find that expression of human CEACAM1 is necessary and sufficient to establish intranasal colonization. During infection, in vivo selection for phase variants expressing CEACAM1-specific Opa proteins occurs, allowing mucosal attachment and entry into the subepithelial space. Consistent with an essential role for Opa proteins in this process, Opa-deficient meningococci were unable to colonize the CEACAM1-humanized mice. While simple Opa-mediated attachment triggered an innate response regardless of meningococcal viability within the inoculum, persistence of viable Opa-expressing bacteria within the CEACAM1-humanized mice was required for a protective memory response to be achieved. Parenteral immunization with a capsule-based conjugate vaccine led to the accumulation of protective levels of Nme-specific IgG within the nasal mucus, yet the sterilizing immunity afforded by natural colonization was instead conferred by Nme-specific IgA without detectable IgG. Considered together, this study establishes that the availability of CEACAM1 helps define the exquisite host specificity of this human-restricted pathogen, displays a striking example of in vivo selection for the expression of desirable Opa variants, and provides a novel model in which to consider meningococcal infection and immunity within the nasopharyngeal mucosa. Neisseria meningitidis (Nme), a common cause of bacterial meningitis, are carried asymptomatically in the nasopharynx by a substantial proportion of healthy individuals. Their strict adaptation to the human as host has so far impeded the development of animal models to study the meningococcal lifestyle in vivo. While several human CEACAMs are recognized by the neisserial Opa protein adhesins, we show here that the expression of human CEACAM1 in transgenic mice is necessary and sufficient to allow nasal colonization by Nme. The dependence on human CEACAM1 is attributable to the Opa proteins, since intranasal infection with Opa-negative colonies of Nme selects for bacteria expressing Opa proteins, and genetically Opa-deficient meningococci are unable to colonize these animals. We use this new mouse model to examine how innate immune factors such as neutrophils and complement limit colonization. Furthermore, we compare how adaptive responses elicited by colonization and those generated by parenteral vaccination differentially confer sterilizing immunity. Together, this work provides the first evidence of the critical nature of Opa-CEACAM1 binding in vivo, demonstrates that this is a major determinant of the host restriction by Nme, and reveals a clear disparity between immune correlates of sterilizing immunity conferred by natural colonization versus parenteral immunization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay O Johswich
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Yu Q, Chow EMC, McCaw SE, Hu N, Byrd D, Amet T, Hu S, Ostrowski MA, Gray-Owen SD. Association of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Opa(CEA) with dendritic cells suppresses their ability to elicit an HIV-1-specific T cell memory response. PLoS One 2013; 8:e56705. [PMID: 23424672 PMCID: PMC3570455 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Accepted: 01/16/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) can trigger an intense local inflammatory response at the site of infection, yet there is little specific immune response or development of immune memory. Gonococcal surface epitopes are known to undergo antigenic variation; however, this is unlikely to explain the weak immune response to infection since individuals can be re-infected by the same serotype. Previous studies have demonstrated that the colony opacity-associated (Opa) proteins on the N. gonorrhoeae surface can bind human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cellular adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) on CD4⁺ T cells to suppress T cell activation and proliferation. Interesting in this regard, N. gonorrhoeae infection is associated with impaired HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus type 1)-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses and with transient increases in plasma viremia in HIV-1-infected patients, suggesting that N. gonorrhoeae may also subvert immune responses to co-pathogens. Since dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) that play a key role in the induction of an adaptive immune response, we investigated the effects of N. gonorrhoeae Opa proteins on human DC activation and function. While morphological changes reminiscent of DC maturation were evident upon N. gonorrhoeae infection, we observed a marked downregulation of DC maturation marker CD83 when the gonococci expressing CEACAM1-specific Opa(CEA), but not other Opa variants. Consistent with a gonococcal-induced defect in maturation, Opa(CEA) binding to CEACAM1 reduced the DCs' capacity to stimulate an allogeneic T cell proliferative response. Moreover, Opa(CEA)-expressing N. gonorrhoeae showed the potential to impair DC-dependent development of specific adaptive immunity, since infection with Opa(CEA)-positive gonococci suppressed the ability of DCs to stimulate HIV-1-specific memory CTL responses. These results reveal a novel mechanism to explain why infection of N. gonorrhoeae fails to trigger an effective specific immune response or develop immune memory, and may affect the potent synergy between gonorrhea and HIV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qigui Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Edith M. C. Chow
- Department of Molecular Genetics, and 3Clinical Sciences Division, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shannon E. McCaw
- Department of Molecular Genetics, and 3Clinical Sciences Division, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ningjie Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Daniel Byrd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Tohti Amet
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Sishun Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | | | - Scott D. Gray-Owen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, and 3Clinical Sciences Division, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Abstract
The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family comprises a large number of cellular surface molecules, the CEA-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs), which belong to the Ig superfamily. CEACAMs exhibit a complex expression pattern in normal and malignant tissues. The majority of the CEACAMs are cellular adhesion molecules that are involved in a great variety of distinct cellular processes, for example in the integration of cellular responses through homo- and heterophilic adhesion and interaction with a broad selection of signal regulatory proteins, i.e., integrins or cytoskeletal components and tyrosine kinases. Moreover, expression of CEACAMs affects tumor growth, angiogenesis, cellular differentiation, immune responses, and they serve as receptors for commensal and pathogenic microbes. Recently, new insights into CEACAM structure and function became available, providing further elucidation of their kaleidoscopic functions.
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Buntru A, Roth A, Nyffenegger-Jann NJ, Hauck CR. HemITAM signaling by CEACAM3, a human granulocyte receptor recognizing bacterial pathogens. Arch Biochem Biophys 2012; 524:77-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2012.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2012] [Revised: 03/15/2012] [Accepted: 03/16/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Neisseria gonorrhoeae suppresses dendritic cell-induced, antigen-dependent CD4 T cell proliferation. PLoS One 2012; 7:e41260. [PMID: 22844448 PMCID: PMC3402525 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2011] [Accepted: 06/22/2012] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the second most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen worldwide. Diseases associated with N. gonorrhoeae cause localized inflammation of the urethra and cervix. Despite this inflammatory response, infected individuals do not develop protective adaptive immune responses to N. gonorrhoeae. N. gonorrhoeae is a highly adapted pathogen that has acquired multiple mechanisms to evade its host's immune system, including the ability to manipulate multiple immune signaling pathways. N. gonorrhoeae has previously been shown to engage immunosuppressive signaling pathways in B and T lymphocytes. We have now found that N. gonorrhoeae also suppresses adaptive immune responses through effects on antigen presenting cells. Using primary, murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and lymphocytes, we show that N. gonorrhoeae-exposed dendritic cells fail to elicit antigen-induced CD4+ T lymphocyte proliferation. N. gonorrhoeae exposure leads to upregulation of a number of secreted and dendritic cell surface proteins with immunosuppressive properties, particularly Interleukin 10 (IL-10) and Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1). We also show that N. gonorrhoeae is able to inhibit dendritic cell- induced proliferation of human T-cells and that human dendritic cells upregulate similar immunosuppressive molecules. Our data suggest that, in addition to being able to directly influence host lymphocytes, N. gonorrhoeae also suppresses development of adaptive immune responses through interactions with host antigen presenting cells. These findings suggest that gonococcal factors involved in host immune suppression may be useful targets in developing vaccines that induce protective adaptive immune responses to this pathogen.
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