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Bautista-Bautista G, Salguero-Zacarias S, Villeda-Gabriel G, García-López G, Osorio-Caballero M, Palafox-Vargas ML, Acuña-González RJ, Lara-Pereyra I, Díaz-Ruíz O, Flores-Herrera H. Escherichia coli induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity and type IV collagen degradation is regulated by progesterone in human maternal decidual. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:645. [PMID: 39367340 PMCID: PMC11451097 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06847-8] [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: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Escherichia coli (E. coli) is one of the main bacteria associated with preterm premature rupture of membranes by increasing pro-matrix metalloproteinase 9 (proMMP-9) and degradation of type IV collagen in human feto-maternal interface (HFMi). proMMP-9 is regulated by progesterone (P4) but it is unclear whether P4 inhibits proMMP in human maternal decidual (MDec). This study aimed to determine a role of P4 on proMMP-2 and - 9 and type IV collagen induced by E. coli infection in MDec. METHODS Nine HFMi were mounted in a Transwell system. MDec was stimulated with P4 or E. coli for 3-, 6-, or 24-hours. proMMP-2, -9 and type IV collagen were assessed. RESULTS Gelatin zymography revealed an increase in proMMP-9 after 3, 6, and 24 h of stimulating MDec with E. coli. Using immunofluorescence, it was confirmed the increase in the HFMi tissue and a reduction on the amount of type IV collagen leading to the separation of fetal amniochorion and MDEc. The degradative activity of proMMP-9 was reduced by 20% by coincubation with P4. CONCLUSIONS P4 modulates the activity of proMMP-9 induced by E. coli stimulation but it was unable to completely reverse the degradation of type IV collagen in human MDec tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Bautista-Bautista
- Departamento de Inmunobioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Urales #800 Col. Lomas de Virreyes CP 11000, Tercer piso de la Torre de Investigación, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Santos Salguero-Zacarias
- Departamento de Tococirugia y Urgencias, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Graciela Villeda-Gabriel
- Departamento de Inmunología e infectología, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Guadalupe García-López
- Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes , Ciudad de México, México
| | - Mauricio Osorio-Caballero
- Departamento de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Martha Leticia Palafox-Vargas
- Departamento de Anatomía Patológica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ricardo Josué Acuña-González
- Departamento de Inmunobioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Urales #800 Col. Lomas de Virreyes CP 11000, Tercer piso de la Torre de Investigación, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Irlando Lara-Pereyra
- Departamento de Ginecología, Hospital General de Zona 252, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Atlacomulco, México
| | - Oscar Díaz-Ruíz
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Hector Flores-Herrera
- Departamento de Inmunobioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Urales #800 Col. Lomas de Virreyes CP 11000, Tercer piso de la Torre de Investigación, Ciudad de México, México.
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2
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Jung E, Romero R, Suksai M, Gotsch F, Chaemsaithong P, Erez O, Conde-Agudelo A, Gomez-Lopez N, Berry SM, Meyyazhagan A, Yoon BH. Clinical chorioamnionitis at term: definition, pathogenesis, microbiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:S807-S840. [PMID: 38233317 PMCID: PMC11288098 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Clinical chorioamnionitis, the most common infection-related diagnosis in labor and delivery units, is an antecedent of puerperal infection and neonatal sepsis. The condition is suspected when intrapartum fever is associated with two other maternal and fetal signs of local or systemic inflammation (eg, maternal tachycardia, uterine tenderness, maternal leukocytosis, malodorous vaginal discharge or amniotic fluid, and fetal tachycardia). Clinical chorioamnionitis is a syndrome caused by intraamniotic infection, sterile intraamniotic inflammation (inflammation without bacteria), or systemic maternal inflammation induced by epidural analgesia. In cases of uncertainty, a definitive diagnosis can be made by analyzing amniotic fluid with methods to detect bacteria (Gram stain, culture, or microbial nucleic acid) and inflammation (white blood cell count, glucose concentration, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, matrix metalloproteinase-8). The most common microorganisms are Ureaplasma species, and polymicrobial infections occur in 70% of cases. The fetal attack rate is low, and the rate of positive neonatal blood cultures ranges between 0.2% and 4%. Intrapartum antibiotic administration is the standard treatment to reduce neonatal sepsis. Treatment with ampicillin and gentamicin have been recommended by professional societies, although other antibiotic regimens, eg, cephalosporins, have been used. Given the importance of Ureaplasma species as a cause of intraamniotic infection, consideration needs to be given to the administration of antimicrobial agents effective against these microorganisms such as azithromycin or clarithromycin. We have used the combination of ceftriaxone, clarithromycin, and metronidazole, which has been shown to eradicate intraamniotic infection with microbiologic studies. Routine testing of neonates born to affected mothers for genital mycoplasmas could improve the detection of neonatal sepsis. Clinical chorioamnionitis is associated with decreased uterine activity, failure to progress in labor, and postpartum hemorrhage; however, clinical chorioamnionitis by itself is not an indication for cesarean delivery. Oxytocin is often administered for labor augmentation, and it is prudent to have uterotonic agents at hand to manage postpartum hemorrhage. Infants born to mothers with clinical chorioamnionitis near term are at risk for early-onset neonatal sepsis and for long-term disability such as cerebral palsy. A frontier is the noninvasive assessment of amniotic fluid to diagnose intraamniotic inflammation with a transcervical amniotic fluid collector and a rapid bedside test for IL-8 for patients with ruptured membranes. This approach promises to improve diagnostic accuracy and to provide a basis for antimicrobial administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunjung Jung
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Roberto Romero
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
| | - Manaphat Suksai
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Francesca Gotsch
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Piya Chaemsaithong
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mahidol University, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Offer Erez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Agustin Conde-Agudelo
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Stanley M Berry
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Arun Meyyazhagan
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Centre of Perinatal and Reproductive Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Bo Hyun Yoon
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Park HR, Hogan KA, Harris SM, Chames MC, Loch-Caruso R. Group B streptococcus induces cellular senescence in human amnion epithelial cells through a partial interleukin-1-mediated mechanism. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:329-338. [PMID: 37903065 PMCID: PMC10873272 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad149] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Group B streptococcus (GBS) infection is a significant public health concern associated with adverse pregnancy complications and increased neonatal mortality and morbidity. However, the mechanisms underlying the impact of GBS on the fetal membrane, the first line of defense against pathogens, are not fully understood. Here, we propose that GBS induces senescence and inflammatory factors (IL-6 and IL-8) in the fetal membrane through interleukin-1 (IL-1). Utilizing the existing transcriptomic data on GBS-exposed human fetal membrane, we showed that GBS affects senescence-related pathways and genes. Next, we treated primary amnion epithelial cells with conditioned medium from the choriodecidual layer of human fetal membrane exposed to GBS (GBS collected choriodecidual [CD] conditioned medium) in the absence or presence of an IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). GBS CD conditioned medium significantly increased β-galactosidase activity, IL-6 and IL-8 release from the amnion epithelial cells. Cotreatment with IL1Ra reduced GBS-induced β-galactosidase activity and IL-6 and IL-8 secretion. Direct treatment with IL-1α or IL-1β confirmed the role of IL-1 signaling in the regulation of senescence in the fetal membrane. We further showed that GBS CD conditioned medium and IL-1 decreased cell proliferation in amnion epithelial cells. In summary, for the first time, we demonstrate GBS-induced senescence in the fetal membrane and present evidence of IL-1 pathway signaling between the choriodecidua and amnion layer of fetal membrane in a paracrine manner. Further studies will be warranted to understand the pathogenesis of adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with GBS infection and develop therapeutic interventions to mitigate these complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae-Ryung Park
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Kelly A Hogan
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sean M Harris
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mark C Chames
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rita Loch-Caruso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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4
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Park HR, Harris SM, Boldenow E, Aronoff DM, Rea M, Xi C, Loch-Caruso R. The antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine inhibits cytokine and prostaglandin release in human fetal membranes stimulated ex vivo with lipoteichoic acid or live group B streptococcus. Am J Reprod Immunol 2024; 91:e13807. [PMID: 38282602 PMCID: PMC10832889 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13807] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS Infection during pregnancy is a significant public health concern due to the increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. Group B Streptococcus or Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) stands out as a major bacterial cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. We aimed to explore the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress pathways in pro-inflammatory responses within human fetal membrane tissue, the target tissue of acute bacterial chorioamnionitis. METHODS We reanalyzed transcriptomic data from fetal membrane explants inoculated with GBS to assess the impact of GBS on oxidative stress and ROS genes/pathways. We conducted pathway enrichment analysis of transcriptomic data using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID), a web-based functional annotation/pathway enrichment tool. Subsequently, we conducted ex vivo experiments to test the hypothesis that antioxidant treatment could inhibit pathogen-stimulated inflammatory responses in fetal membranes. RESULTS Using DAVID analysis, we found significant enrichment of pathways related to oxidative stress or ROS in GBS-inoculated human fetal membranes, for example, "Response to Oxidative Stress" (FDR = 0.02) and "Positive Regulation of Reactive Oxygen Species Metabolic Process" (FDR = 2.6*10-4 ). There were 31 significantly changed genes associated with these pathways, most of which were upregulated after GBS inoculation. In ex vivo experiments with choriodecidual membrane explants, our study showed that co-treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) effectively suppressed the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) and prostaglandin PGE2, compared to GBS-treated explants (p < .05 compared to GBS-treated samples without NAC co-treatment). Furthermore, NAC treatment inhibited the release of cytokines and PGE2 stimulated by lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in whole membrane explants (p < .05 compared to LTA or LPS-treated samples without NAC co-treatment). CONCLUSIONS Our study sheds light on the potential roles of ROS in governing the innate immune response to GBS infection, offering insights for developing strategies to mitigate GBS-related adverse outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae-Ryung Park
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642 USA
| | - Sean M. Harris
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029 USA
| | - Erica Boldenow
- Department of Biology, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
| | - David M. Aronoff
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202-3082
| | - Meaghan Rea
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029 USA
| | - Chuanwu Xi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029 USA
| | - Rita Loch-Caruso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029 USA
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5
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Palacios-Luna JE, López-Marrufo MV, Bautista-Bautista G, Velarde-Guerra CS, Villeda-Gabriel G, Flores-Herrera O, Osorio-Caballero M, Aguilar-Carrasco JC, Palafox-Vargas ML, García-López G, Díaz-Ruíz O, Arechavaleta-Velasco F, Flores-Herrera H. Progesterone modulates extracellular heat-shock proteins and interlukin-1β in human choriodecidual after Escherichia coli infection. Placenta 2023; 142:85-94. [PMID: 37659254 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.08.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chorioamnionitis is an adverse condition in human pregnancy caused by many bacterial pathogens including Escherichia coli (E. coli); which has been associated with higher risk of preterm birth. We recently reported that human maternal decidua (MDec) tissue responds to E. coli infection by secreting extracellular heat-shock proteins (eHsp)-60, -70 and interlukin-1β (IL-1β). Previous studies have shown that progesterone (P4) regulates the immune response, but it is unknown whether P4 inhibits the secretion of eHsp. The aim of this investigation was to determine the role of P4 on the secretion of eHsp-27, -60, -70 and IL-1β in MDec after 3, 6, and 24 h of E. coli infection. METHODS Nine human feto-maternal interface (HFMi) tissues were included and mounted in the Transwell culture system. Only the maternal decidua (MDec) was stimulated for 3, 6 and 24 h with E. coli alone or in combination with progesterone and RU486. After each treatment, the HFMi tissue was recovered to determine histological changes and the culture medium recovered to evaluate the levels of eHsp-27, -60, -70 and IL-1β by ELISA and mRNA expression by RT-PCR. RESULTS No structural changes were observed in the HFMi tissue treated with P4 and RU486. However, stimulation with E. coli produces diffuse inflammation and ischemic necrosis. E. coli induced infection decreases, in time- and dose-dependent manner, eHsp-27 and increases eHsp-60, eHsp-70 and IL-1β levels. In contrast, incubation of HFMi tissue with E. coli + P4 reversed eHsp and IL-1β secretion levels relative to E. coli stimulation group but not relative to the control group. The same profile was observed on the expression of eHsp-27 and eHsp-60. DISCUSSION we found that progesterone modulates the anti-inflammatory (eHsp-27) and pro-inflammatory (eHsp-60 and eHsp-70) levels of eHsp induced by E. coli infection in human choriodecidual tissue. eHsp-60 and eHsp-70 levels were not completely reversed; maintaining the secretion of IL-1β, which has been associated with adverse events during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelly Estefania Palacios-Luna
- Departamento de Inmunobioquímica. Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Mariana Victoria López-Marrufo
- Departamento de Ginecología y Obstetricia. Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gerardo Bautista-Bautista
- Departamento de Inmunobioquímica. Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Cinthia Selene Velarde-Guerra
- Departamento de Inmunobioquímica. Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Graciela Villeda-Gabriel
- Departamento de Inmunología e Infectología, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Oscar Flores-Herrera
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Mauricio Osorio-Caballero
- Departamento de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva. Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jose Carlos Aguilar-Carrasco
- Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México. Mexico
| | - Martha Leticia Palafox-Vargas
- Departamento de Anatomía Patológica. Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Guadalupe García-López
- Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México. Mexico
| | - Oscar Díaz-Ruíz
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Fabián Arechavaleta-Velasco
- Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Reproductiva. Hospital de Gineco-Obstetricia No. 4 "Luis Castelazo Ayala" Instituto Mexicano Del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México. Mexico.
| | - Hector Flores-Herrera
- Departamento de Inmunobioquímica. Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" (INPerIER), Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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6
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Stacey LD, Gubbrud JM, Keegan AC, Kleekamp KR, Kuntz MA, Osmanski MJ, Schumacher JJ, Gubbels JAA, Egland PG. Detection of heat-stable antibacterial activity in cotyledonary and discoid placentas. Placenta 2023; 142:95-97. [PMID: 37660504 PMCID: PMC10591983 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.08.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
The placenta serves in immunological defense of the fetus, providing proteins essential for innate immunity. Maternal and fetal portions of two mammalian placenta types, discoid, and cotyledonary, were separated and analyzed for antibacterial activity using a culture-independent method. Antibacterial activity was detected in both maternal and fetal portions of all placenta types tested. Protease resistance and increased activity after boiling suggests that the factor is activated upon release from a larger molecule. Identification of this factor and the mechanism of activation will lead to a better understanding of the innate immune function provided by the placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan D Stacey
- Department of Biology, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD, 57197, USA
| | - Jonathan M Gubbrud
- Department of Biology, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD, 57197, USA
| | - Alek C Keegan
- Department of Biology, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD, 57197, USA
| | - Kelly R Kleekamp
- Department of Biology, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD, 57197, USA
| | - Meghan A Kuntz
- Department of Biology, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD, 57197, USA
| | - Matthew J Osmanski
- Department of Biology, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD, 57197, USA
| | | | | | - Paul G Egland
- Department of Biology, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD, 57197, USA.
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7
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Hisey EA, Martins BC, Donnelly CG, Cassano JM, Katzman SA, Murphy CJ, Thomasy SM, Leonard BC. Identification of putative orthologs of clinically relevant antimicrobial peptides in the equine ocular surface and amniotic membrane. Vet Ophthalmol 2022; 26 Suppl 1:125-133. [PMID: 36478371 PMCID: PMC10175123 DOI: 10.1111/vop.13042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to define the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression pattern of the equine ocular surface and amniotic membrane using a targeted qPCR approach and 3'Tag-sequencing. It will serve as a reference for future studies of ocular surface innate immunity and amniotic membrane therapies. PROCEDURES A targeted qPCR approach was used to investigate the presence of orthologs for three of the most highly expressed beta-defensins (DEFB1, DEFB4B, and DEFB103A) of the human ocular surface and amniotic membrane in equine corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, and amniotic membrane. 3'Tag-sequencing was performed on RNA from one sample of corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, and amniotic membrane to further characterize their AMP expression. RESULTS Equine corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, and amniotic membrane expressed DEFB1, DEFB4B, and DEFB103A. DEFB103A was expressed at the highest amounts in corneal epithelium, while DEFB4B was most highly expressed in conjunctiva and amniotic membrane. 3'Tag-sequencing from all three tissues confirmed these findings and identified expression of five additional beta-defensins, 11 alpha-defensins and two cathelicidins, with the alpha-defensins showing higher normalized read counts than the beta-defensins. CONCLUSIONS This study identified AMP expression in the equine cornea and conjunctiva, suggesting that they play a key role in the protection of the equine eye, similar to the human ocular surface. We also determined that equine amniotic membrane expresses a substantial number of AMPs suggesting it could potentiate an antimicrobial effect as a corneal graft material. Future studies will focus on defining the antimicrobial activity of these AMPs and determining their role in microbial keratitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A Hisey
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Bianca C Martins
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Callum G Donnelly
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer M Cassano
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Scott A Katzman
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Christopher J Murphy
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sara M Thomasy
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brian C Leonard
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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8
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Richardson L, Menon R. Fetal membrane at the feto-maternal interface: An underappreciated and understudied intrauterine tissue. PLACENTA AND REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE 2022; 1:10.54844/prm.2022.0104. [PMID: 37502422 PMCID: PMC10373051 DOI: 10.54844/prm.2022.0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Richardson
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston 77555, TX, USA
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston 77555, TX, USA
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9
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Eastman AJ, Noble KN, Pensabene V, Aronoff DM. Leveraging bioengineering to assess cellular functions and communication within human fetal membranes. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2022; 35:2795-2807. [PMID: 32787482 PMCID: PMC7878582 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1802716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The fetal membranes enclose the growing fetus and amniotic fluid. Preterm prelabor rupture of fetal membranes is a leading cause of preterm birth. Fetal membranes are composed of many different cell types, both structural and immune. These cells must coordinate functions for tensile strength and membrane integrity to contain the growing fetus and amniotic fluid. They must also balance immune responses to pathogens with maintaining maternal-fetal tolerance. Perturbation of this equilibrium can lead to preterm premature rupture of membranes without labor. In this review, we describe the formation of the fetal membranes to orient the reader, discuss some of the common forms of communication between the cell types of the fetal membranes, and delve into the methods used to tease apart this paracrine signaling within the membranes, including emerging technologies such as organ-on-chip models of membrane immunobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J. Eastman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Kristen N. Noble
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37202 USA
| | - Virginia Pensabene
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK,School of Medicine, Leeds Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - David M. Aronoff
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Corresponding author: David M. Aronoff, MD, 1161 21st Ave South, A-2200 MCN, Nashville, TN 37232-2582, (615) 322-8972 (tel),
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10
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Castro-Leyva V, Arenas-Huertero F, Espejel-Núñez A, Giono Cerezo S, Flores-Pliego A, Espino Y Sosa S, Reyes-Muñoz E, Vadillo-Ortega F, Borboa-Olivares H, Camacho-Arroyo I, Estrada-Gutierrez G. miR-21 differentially regulates IL-1β and IL-10 expression in human decidual cells infected with streptococcus B. Reprod Biol 2022; 22:100604. [PMID: 35033900 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2022.100604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Intrauterine infections caused by bacteria like group B streptococcus (GBS) and the subsequent activation of the maternal inflammatory response have been long suspected to be the underlying cause of preterm labor. The inflammatory network triggered by maternal decidua has been widely described and includes the secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines as IL-1β and IL-10; however, the mechanisms that regulate their secretion have not been completely elucidated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical modulators of the inflammatory response by regulating cytokine expression in several cell types. Here, we explored the role of miR-21 in the expression of IL-1β and IL-10 in human decidual stromal cells (DSCs) exposed in vitro to GBS. We observed that IL1B and IL10 expression at the mRNA level was increased in DSCs after GBS infection. IL-10 but not IL-1β secretion was detected in the culture supernatants. We found a higher miR-21 expression (22-fold) in infected DSCs as compared with non-infected cells. miR-21 functional analysis revealed that DSCs transfected with an antagomiR vs. miR-21 significantly increased the secretion of IL-1β but decreased that of IL-10 in DSCs cells infected with GBS. Our results suggest that miR-21 participates in balancing the inflammatory response in infected decidua through at least IL-1β and IL-10 regulation. This is the first study attributing a functional role of miR-21 in the regulation of key molecules involved in the inflammatory response in infected DSCs, providing new insights into the epigenetic control of human decidual inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Castro-Leyva
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City, Mexico; Posgrado en Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, 11340, Mexico
| | - Francisco Arenas-Huertero
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Patología Experimental, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Aurora Espejel-Núñez
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Silvia Giono Cerezo
- Posgrado en Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, 11340, Mexico
| | - Arturo Flores-Pliego
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Enrique Reyes-Muñoz
- Coordination of Gynecologic and Perinatal Endocrinology, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Felipe Vadillo-Ortega
- UNAM School of Medicine Branch, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Héctor Borboa-Olivares
- Community Interventions Research Branch, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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11
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Amponnawarat A, Chompunud Na Ayudhya C, Ali H. Murepavadin, a Small Molecule Host Defense Peptide Mimetic, Activates Mast Cells via MRGPRX2 and MrgprB2. Front Immunol 2021; 12:689410. [PMID: 34248979 PMCID: PMC8261236 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.689410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent cause of hospital-acquired wound infection and is difficult to treat because it forms biofilms and displays antibiotic resistance. Previous studies in mice demonstrated that mast cells (MCs) not only contribute to P. aeruginosa eradication but also promote wound healing via an unknown mechanism. We recently reported that host defense peptides (HDPs) induce human MC degranulation via Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-X2 (MRGPRX2). Small molecule HDP mimetics have distinct advantages over HDPs because they are inexpensive to synthesize and display high stability, bioavailability, and low toxicity. Murepavadin is a lipidated HDP mimetic, (also known as POL7080), which displays antibacterial activity against a broad panel of multi-drug-resistant P. aeruginosa. We found that murepavadin induces Ca2+ mobilization, degranulation, chemokine IL-8 and CCL3 production in a human MC line (LAD2 cells) endogenously expressing MRGPRX2. Murepavadin also caused degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells expressing MRGPRX2 but this response was significantly reduced in cells expressing missense variants within the receptor's ligand binding (G165E) or G protein coupling (V282M) domains. Compound 48/80 induced β-arrestin recruitment and promoted receptor internalization, which resulted in substantial decrease in the subsequent responsiveness to the MRGPRX2 agonist. By contrast, murepavadin did not cause β-arrestin-mediated MRGPRX2 regulation. Murepavadin induced degranulation in mouse peritoneal MCs via MrgprB2 (ortholog of human MRGPRX2) and caused increased vascular permeability in wild-type mice but not in MrgprB2-/- mice. The data presented herein demonstrate that murepavadin activates human MCs via MRGPRX2 and murine MCs via MrgprB2 and that MRGPRX2 is resistant to β-arrestin-mediated receptor regulation. Thus, besides its direct activity against P. aeruginosa, murepavadin may contribute to bacterial clearance and promote wound healing by harnessing MC's immunomodulatory property via the activation of MRGPRX2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aetas Amponnawarat
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Family and Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Chalatip Chompunud Na Ayudhya
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Faculty of Dentistry, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Hydar Ali
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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12
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RNA Sequencing Reveals Distinct Immune Responses in the Chorioamniotic Membranes of Women with Preterm Labor and Microbial or Sterile Intra-amniotic Inflammation. Infect Immun 2021; 89:IAI.00819-20. [PMID: 33558326 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00819-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm labor precedes premature birth, the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Preterm labor can occur in the context of either microbe-associated intra-amniotic inflammation (i.e., intra-amniotic infection) or intra-amniotic inflammation in the absence of detectable microorganisms (i.e., sterile intra-amniotic inflammation). Both intra-amniotic infection and sterile intra-amniotic inflammation trigger local immune responses that have deleterious effects on fetal life. Yet, the extent of such immune responses in the fetal tissues surrounding the amniotic cavity (i.e., the chorioamniotic membranes) is poorly understood. By using RNA sequencing (RNA seq) as a discovery approach, we found that there were significant transcriptomic differences involving host response to pathogens in the chorioamniotic membranes of women with intra-amniotic infection compared to those from women without inflammation. In addition, the sterile or microbial nature of intra-amniotic inflammation was associated with distinct transcriptomic profiles in the chorioamniotic membranes. Moreover, the immune response in the chorioamniotic membranes of women with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation was milder in nature than that induced by microbes and involved the upregulation of alarmins and inflammasome-related molecules. Lastly, the presence of maternal and fetal inflammatory responses in the placenta was associated with the upregulation of immune processes in the chorioamniotic membranes. Collectively, these findings provide insight into the immune responses against microbes or alarmins that take place in the fetal tissues surrounding the amniotic cavity, shedding light on the immunobiology of preterm labor and birth.
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13
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Dammann AN, Chamby AB, Catomeris AJ, Davidson KM, Tettelin H, van Pijkeren JP, Gopalakrishna KP, Keith MF, Elder JL, Ratner AJ, Hooven TA. Genome-Wide fitness analysis of group B Streptococcus in human amniotic fluid reveals a transcription factor that controls multiple virulence traits. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009116. [PMID: 33684178 PMCID: PMC7971860 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus; GBS) remains a dominant cause of serious neonatal infections. One aspect of GBS that renders it particularly virulent during the perinatal period is its ability to invade the chorioamniotic membranes and persist in amniotic fluid, which is nutritionally deplete and rich in fetal immunologic factors such as antimicrobial peptides. We used next-generation sequencing of transposon-genome junctions (Tn-seq) to identify five GBS genes that promote survival in the presence of human amniotic fluid. We confirmed our Tn-seq findings using a novel CRISPR inhibition (CRISPRi) gene expression knockdown system. This analysis showed that one gene, which encodes a GntR-class transcription factor that we named MrvR, conferred a significant fitness benefit to GBS in amniotic fluid. We generated an isogenic targeted deletion of the mrvR gene, which had a growth defect in amniotic fluid relative to the wild type parent strain. The mrvR deletion strain also showed a significant biofilm defect in vitro. Subsequent in vivo studies showed that while the mutant was able to cause persistent murine vaginal colonization, pregnant mice colonized with the mrvR deletion strain did not develop preterm labor despite consistent GBS invasion of the uterus and the fetoplacental units. In contrast, pregnant mice colonized with wild type GBS consistently deliver prematurely. In a sepsis model the mrvR deletion strain showed significantly decreased lethality. In order to better understand the mechanism by which this newly identified transcription factor controls GBS virulence, we performed RNA-seq on wild type and mrvR deletion GBS strains, which revealed that the transcription factor affects expression of a wide range of genes across the GBS chromosome. Nucleotide biosynthesis and salvage pathways were highly represented among the set of differentially expressed genes, suggesting that MrvR may be involved in regulating nucleotide availability. Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a species of Gram-positive bacteria that often colonizes the healthy adult intestinal and reproductive tracts without causing serious symptoms. During pregnancy, however, GBS can invade the pregnant uterus, where it can cause infection of the placenta, fetal membranes, and fetus—a condition known as chorioamnionitis. Chorioamnionitis is associated with serious adverse pregnancy outcomes, including stillbirth, preterm labor, and severe infection of the newborn. GBS can survive in human amniotic fluid, which is low in bacterial nutrients and contains immune molecules that limit microbial persistence, and this ability likely contributes to GBS chorioamnionitis. This study is focused on a single GBS gene that encodes a genetic regulator we called MrvR, which we show is important for GBS resistance to human amniotic fluid. Using a series of genetic techniques combined with animal models of GBS colonization and infection, we show that MrvR also plays a key role in allowing GBS to invade the bloodstream and trigger the inflammatory responses that lead to preterm labor and stillbirth. The study concludes with a survey of other GBS genes whose activity is regulated by MrvR, which seems to be an important contributor to GBS virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison N. Dammann
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Anna B. Chamby
- University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Catomeris
- Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Kyle M. Davidson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Hervé Tettelin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jan-Peter van Pijkeren
- Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Kathyayini P. Gopalakrishna
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Mary F. Keith
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jordan L. Elder
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Adam J. Ratner
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Thomas A. Hooven
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Richard King Mellon Institute for Pediatric Research, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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No evidence for a placental microbiome in human pregnancies at term. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021; 224:296.e1-296.e23. [PMID: 32871131 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta plays an important role in the modulation of pregnancy immunity; however, there is no consensus regarding the existence of a placental microbiome in healthy full-term pregnancies. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the existence and origin of a placental microbiome. STUDY DESIGN A cross-sectional study comparing samples (3 layers of placental tissue, amniotic fluid, vernix caseosa, and saliva, vaginal, and rectal samples) from 2 groups of full-term births: 50 women not in labor with elective cesarean deliveries and 26 with vaginal deliveries. The comparisons were performed using polymerase chain reaction amplification and DNA sequencing techniques and bacterial culture experiments. RESULTS There were no significant differences regarding background characteristics between women who delivered by elective cesarean and those who delivered vaginally. Quantitative measurements of bacterial content in all 3 placental layers (quantitative polymerase chain reaction of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene) did not show any significant difference among any of the sample types and the negative controls. Here, 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of the maternal side of the placenta could not differentiate between bacteria in the placental tissue and contamination of the laboratory reagents with bacterial DNA. Probe-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction for bacterial taxa suspected to be present in the placenta could not detect any statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. In bacterial cultures, substantially more bacteria were observed in the placenta layers from vaginal deliveries than those from cesarean deliveries. In addition, 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of bacterial colonies revealed that most of the bacteria that grew on the plates were genera typically found in human skin; moreover, it revealed that placentas delivered vaginally contained a high prevalence of common vaginal bacteria. Bacterial growth inhibition experiments indicated that placental tissue may facilitate the inhibition of bacterial growth. CONCLUSION We found no evidence to support the existence of a placental microbiome in our study of 76 term pregnancies, which used polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing techniques and bacterial culture experiments. Incidental findings of bacterial species could be due to contamination or to low-grade bacterial presence in some locations; such bacteria do not represent a placental microbiome per se.
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15
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Weckel A, Guilbert T, Lambert C, Plainvert C, Goffinet F, Poyart C, Méhats C, Fouet A. Streptococcus pyogenes infects human endometrium by limiting the innate immune response. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:130746. [PMID: 33320843 DOI: 10.1172/jci130746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Group A Streptococcus (GAS), a Gram-positive human-specific pathogen, yields 517,000 deaths annually worldwide, including 163,000 due to invasive infections and among them puerperal fever. Before efficient prophylactic measures were introduced, the mortality rate for mothers during childbirth was approximately 10%; puerperal fever still accounts for over 75,000 maternal deaths annually. Yet, little is known regarding the factors and mechanisms of GAS invasion and establishment in postpartum infection. We characterized the early steps of infection in an ex vivo infection model of the human decidua, the puerperal fever portal of entry. Coordinate analysis of GAS behavior and the immune response led us to demonstrate that (a) GAS growth was stimulated by tissue products; (b) GAS invaded tissue and killed approximately 50% of host cells within 2 hours, and these processes required SpeB protease and streptolysin O (SLO) activities, respectively; and (c) GAS impaired the tissue immune response. Immune impairment occurred both at the RNA level, with only partial induction of the innate immune response, and protein level, in an SLO- and SpeB-dependent manner. Our study indicates that efficient GAS invasion of the decidua and the restricted host immune response favored its propensity to develop rapid invasive infections in a gynecological-obstetrical context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonin Weckel
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, U1016, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France.,Département Hospitalo-Universitaire Risk & Pregnancy, Port Royal Maternity, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Guilbert
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, U1016, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France
| | - Clara Lambert
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, U1016, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France.,Département Hospitalo-Universitaire Risk & Pregnancy, Port Royal Maternity, Paris, France
| | - Céline Plainvert
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, U1016, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France.,Département Hospitalo-Universitaire Risk & Pregnancy, Port Royal Maternity, Paris, France.,Centre National de Référence des Streptocoques.,Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Centre, Cochin, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris
| | - François Goffinet
- Département Hospitalo-Universitaire Risk & Pregnancy, Port Royal Maternity, Paris, France.,Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, and.,Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique I, Maternité Port Royal, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Claire Poyart
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, U1016, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France.,Département Hospitalo-Universitaire Risk & Pregnancy, Port Royal Maternity, Paris, France.,Centre National de Référence des Streptocoques.,Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Centre, Cochin, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris
| | - Céline Méhats
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, U1016, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France.,Département Hospitalo-Universitaire Risk & Pregnancy, Port Royal Maternity, Paris, France
| | - Agnès Fouet
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, U1016, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France.,Département Hospitalo-Universitaire Risk & Pregnancy, Port Royal Maternity, Paris, France.,Centre National de Référence des Streptocoques
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16
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Shiroda M, Manning SD. Lactobacillus strains vary in their ability to interact with human endometrial stromal cells. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238993. [PMID: 32925983 PMCID: PMC7489503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The placental membranes that surround the fetus during pregnancy were suggested to contain a low abundance microbiota. Specifically, abundance of Lactobacillus, a probiotic and dominant member of the microbiome of the lower reproductive tract, has been shown to correlate with healthy, term pregnancies. We therefore sought to assess the interactions between four different Lactobacillus strains with immortalized decidualized endometrial cells (dT-HESCs), which were used as a model to represent the outermost layer of the placental membranes. Notably, we demonstrated that all four Lactobacillus strains could associate with dT-HESCs in vitro. L. crispatus was significantly more successful (p < 0.00005), with 10.6% of bacteria attaching to the host cells compared to an average of 0.8% for the remaining three strains. The four strains also varied in their ability to form biofilms. Dependent on media type, L. reuteri 6475 formed the strongest biofilms in vitro. To examine the impact on immune responses, levels of total and phosphorylated protein p38, a member of the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway, were examined following Lactobacillus association with dT-HESCs. Total levels of p38 were reduced to an average of 44% that of the cells without Lactobacillus (p < 0.05). While a trend towards a reduction in phosphorylated p38 was observed, this difference was not significant (p > 0.05). In addition, association with Lactobacillus did not result in increased host cell death. Collectively, these data suggest that varying types of Lactobacillus can attach to the outermost cells of the placental membranes and that these interactions do not contribute to inflammatory responses or host cell death. To our knowledge this is the first in vitro study to support the ability of Lactobacillus to interact with placental cells, which is important when considering its use as a potential probiotic within the reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Shiroda
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
| | - Shannon D. Manning
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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17
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Richardson L, Kim S, Menon R, Han A. Organ-On-Chip Technology: The Future of Feto-Maternal Interface Research? Front Physiol 2020; 11:715. [PMID: 32695021 PMCID: PMC7338764 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The placenta and fetal membrane act as a protective barrier throughout pregnancy while maintaining communication and nutrient exchange between the baby and the mother. Disruption of this barrier leads to various pregnancy complications, including preterm birth, which can have lasting negative consequences. Thus, understanding the role of the feto-maternal interface during pregnancy and parturition is vital to advancing basic and clinical research in the field of obstetrics. However, human subject studies are inherently difficult, and appropriate animal models are lacking. Due to these challenges, in vitro cell culture-based studies are most commonly utilized. However, the structure and functions of conventionally used in vitro 2D and 3D models are vastly different from the in vivo environment, making it difficult to fully understand the various factors affecting pregnancy as well as pathways and mechanisms contributing to term and preterm births. This limitation also makes it difficult to develop new therapeutics. The emergence of in vivo-like in vitro models such as organ-on-chip (OOC) platforms can better recapitulate in vivo functions and responses and has the potential to move this field forward significantly. OOC technology brings together two distinct fields, microfluidic engineering and cell/tissue biology, through which diverse human organ structures and functionalities can be built into a laboratory model that better mimics functions and responses of in vivo tissues and organs. In this review, we first provide an overview of the OOC technology, highlight two major designs commonly used in achieving multi-layer co-cultivation of cells, and introduce recently developed OOC models of the feto-maternal interface. As a vital component of this review, we aim to outline progress on the practicality and effectiveness of feto-maternal interface OOC (FM-OOC) models currently used and the advances they have fostered in obstetrics research. Lastly, we provide a perspective on the future basic research and clinical applications of FM-OOC models, and even those that integrate multiple organ systems into a single OOC system that may recreate intrauterine architecture in its entirety, which will accelerate our understanding of feto-maternal communication, induction of preterm labor, drug or toxicant permeability at this vital interface, and development of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Richardson
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Sungjin Kim
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Arum Han
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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18
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Harris SM, Boldenow E, Domino SE, Loch-Caruso R. Toxicant Disruption of Immune Defenses: Potential Implications for Fetal Membranes and Pregnancy. Front Physiol 2020; 11:565. [PMID: 32547423 PMCID: PMC7272693 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to providing a physical compartment for gestation, the fetal membranes (FM) are an active immunological barrier that provides defense against pathogenic microorganisms that ascend the gravid reproductive tract. Pathogenic infection of the gestational tissues (FM and placenta) is a leading known cause of preterm birth (PTB). Some environmental toxicants decrease the capacity for organisms to mount an immune defense against pathogens. For example, the immunosuppressive effects of the widespread environmental contaminant trichloroethylene (TCE) are documented for lung infection with Streptococcus zooepidemicus. Group B Streptococcus (GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae) is a bacterial pathogen that is frequently found in the female reproductive tract and can colonize the FM in pregnant women. Work in our laboratory has demonstrated that a bioactive TCE metabolite, S-(1, 2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC), potently inhibits innate immune responses to GBS in human FM in culture. Despite these provocative findings, little is known about how DCVC and other toxicants modify the risk for pathogenic infection of FM. Infection of the gestational tissues (FM and placenta) is a leading known cause of PTB, therefore toxicant compromise of FM ability to fight off infectious microorganisms could significantly contribute to PTB risk. This Perspective provides the current status of understanding of toxicant-pathogen interactions in FM, highlighting knowledge gaps, challenges, and opportunities for research that can advance protections for maternal and fetal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. Harris
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Erica Boldenow
- Department of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Steven E. Domino
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Rita Loch-Caruso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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19
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Romero R, Gomez-Lopez N, Winters AD, Jung E, Shaman M, Bieda J, Panaitescu B, Pacora P, Erez O, Greenberg JM, Ahmad MM, Hsu CD, Theis KR. Evidence that intra-amniotic infections are often the result of an ascending invasion - a molecular microbiological study. J Perinat Med 2019; 47:915-931. [PMID: 31693497 PMCID: PMC7147941 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2019-0297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity resulting in intra-amniotic infection is associated with obstetrical complications such as preterm labor with intact or ruptured membranes, cervical insufficiency, as well as clinical and histological chorioamnionitis. The most widely accepted pathway for intra-amniotic infection is the ascension of microorganisms from the lower genital tract. However, hematogenous dissemination of microorganisms from the oral cavity or intestine, retrograde seeding from the peritoneal cavity through the fallopian tubes, and introduction through invasive medical procedures have also been suggested as potential pathways for intra-amniotic infection. The primary reason that an ascending pathway is viewed as most common is that the microorganisms most often detected in the amniotic fluid are those that are typical inhabitants of the vagina. However, thus far, no studies have shown that microorganisms in the amniotic cavity are simultaneously present in the vagina of the woman from which they were isolated. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency with which microorganisms isolated from women with intra-amniotic infection are also present in the lower genital tract. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of women with intra-amniotic infection with intact membranes. Intra-amniotic infection was defined as a positive culture and elevated concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) (>2.6 ng/mL) in amniotic fluid and/or acute histologic chorioamnionitis and funisitis. Microorganisms isolated from bacterial cultures of amniotic fluid were taxonomically identified through matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. Vaginal swabs were obtained at the time of amniocentesis for the identification of microorganisms in the lower genital tract. The overall bacterial profiles of amniotic fluids and vaginal swabs were characterized through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The bacterial profiles of vaginal swabs were interrogated for the presence of bacteria cultured from amniotic fluid and for the presence of prominent (>1% average relative abundance) operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within the overall 16S rRNA gene bacterial profiles of amniotic fluid. Results (1) A total of 75% (6/8) of women had bacteria cultured from their amniotic fluid that are typical residents of the vaginal ecosystem. (2) A total of 62.5% (5/8) of women with bacteria cultured from their amniotic fluid also had these bacteria present in their vagina. (3) The microorganisms cultured from amniotic fluid and also detected in the vagina were Ureaplasma urealyticum, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus agalactiae. (4) 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the amniotic fluid of women with intra-amniotic infection had bacterial profiles dominated by Sneathia, Ureaplasma, Prevotella, Lactobacillus, Escherichia, Gardnerella, Peptostreptococcus, Peptoniphilus, and Streptococcus, many of which had not been cultured from the amniotic fluid samples. (5) Seventy percent (7/10) of the prominent (>1% average relative abundance) OTUs found in amniotic fluid were also prominent in the vagina. Conclusion The majority of women with intra-amniotic infection had bacteria cultured from their amniotic fluid that were typical vaginal commensals, and these bacteria were detected within the vagina at the time of amniocentesis. Molecular microbiological interrogation of amniotic fluid from women with intra-amniotic infection revealed that the bacterial profiles of amniotic fluid were largely consistent with those of the vagina. These findings indicate that ascension from the lower genital tract is the primary pathway for intra-amniotic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Perinatal Research Initiative in Maternal, Perinatal and Child Health, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Andrew D. Winters
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Eunjung Jung
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Majid Shaman
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Janine Bieda
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Bogdan Panaitescu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Percy Pacora
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Offer Erez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Maternity Department “D,” Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jonathan M. Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Madison M. Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Chaur-Dong Hsu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Perinatal Research Initiative in Maternal, Perinatal and Child Health, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Kevin R. Theis
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Perinatal Research Initiative in Maternal, Perinatal and Child Health, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
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Park HR, Harris SM, Boldenow E, McEachin RC, Sartor M, Chames M, Loch-Caruso R. Group B streptococcus activates transcriptomic pathways related to premature birth in human extraplacental membranes in vitro. Biol Reprod 2019; 98:396-407. [PMID: 29155939 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus [GBS]) infection in pregnant women is the leading cause of infectious neonatal morbidity and mortality in the United States. Although inflammation during infection has been associated with preterm birth, the contribution of GBS to preterm birth is less certain. Moreover, the early mechanisms by which GBS interacts with the gestational tissue to affect adverse pregnancy outcomes are poorly understood. We hypothesized that short-term GBS inoculation activates pathways related to inflammation and premature birth in human extraplacental membranes. We tested this hypothesis using GBS-inoculated human extraplacental membranes in vitro. In agreement with our hypothesis, a microarray-based transcriptomics analysis of gene expression changes in GBS-inoculated membranes revealed that GBS activated pathways related to inflammation and preterm birth with significant gene expression changes occurring as early as 4 h postinoculation. In addition, pathways related to DNA replication and repair were downregulated with GBS treatment. Conclusions based on our transcriptomics data were further supported by responses of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and matrix metalloproteinases 1 (MMP1) and 3 (MMP3), all of which are known to be involved in parturition and premature rupture of membranes. These results support our initial hypothesis and provide new information on molecular targets of GBS infection in human extraplacental membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae-Ryung Park
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sean M Harris
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Erica Boldenow
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Department of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Richard C McEachin
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Maureen Sartor
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Mark Chames
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Rita Loch-Caruso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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21
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Sutton JA, Rogers LM, Dixon B, Kirk L, Doster R, Algood HM, Gaddy JA, Flaherty R, Manning SD, Aronoff DM. Protein kinase D mediates inflammatory responses of human placental macrophages to Group B Streptococcus. Am J Reprod Immunol 2019; 81:e13075. [PMID: 30582878 PMCID: PMC6459189 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM During pregnancy, Group B Streptococcus (GBS) can infect fetal membranes to cause chorioamnionitis, resulting in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Macrophages are the primary resident phagocyte in extraplacental membranes. Protein kinase D (PKD) was recently implicated in mediating pro-inflammatory macrophage responses to GBS outside of the reproductive system. This work aimed to characterize the human placental macrophage inflammatory response to GBS and address the extent to which PKD mediates such effects. METHOD Primary human placental macrophages were infected with GBS in the presence or absence of a specific, small molecule PKD inhibitor, CRT 0066101. Macrophage phenotypes were characterized by evaluating gene expression, cytokine release, assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and NFκB activation. RESULTS GBS evoked a strong inflammatory phenotype characterized by the release of inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6 (P ≤ 0.05), NLRP3 inflammasome assembly (P ≤ 0.0005), and NFκB activation (P ≤ 0.05). Pharmacological inhibition of PKD suppressed these responses, newly implicating a role for PKD in mediating immune responses of primary human placental macrophages to GBS. CONCLUSION PKD plays a critical role in mediating placental macrophage inflammatory activation in response to GBS infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Sutton
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Meharry Medical College School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37208, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Lisa M. Rogers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Beverly Dixon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Leslie Kirk
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Ryan Doster
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Holly M. Algood
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare Systems, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A
| | - Jennifer A. Gaddy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare Systems, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A
| | - Rebecca Flaherty
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Shannon D. Manning
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - David M. Aronoff
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Meharry Medical College School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37208, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
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22
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Varrey A, Romero R, Panaitescu B, Miller D, Chaiworapongsa T, Patwardhan M, Faro J, Pacora P, Hassan SS, Hsu CD, Gomez-Lopez N. Human β-defensin-1: A natural antimicrobial peptide present in amniotic fluid that is increased in spontaneous preterm labor with intra-amniotic infection. Am J Reprod Immunol 2018; 80:e13031. [PMID: 30101464 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Human β-defensins (HBDs) are antimicrobial peptides that participate in the soluble innate immune mechanisms against infection. Herein, we determined whether HBD-1 was present in amniotic fluid during normal pregnancy and whether its concentrations change with intra-amniotic inflammation and/or infection. METHOD OF STUDY Amniotic fluid was collected from 219 women in the following groups: (a) midtrimester who delivered at term (n = 35); (b) term with (n = 33) or without (n = 17) labor; (c) preterm labor with intact membranes who delivered at term (n = 29) or who delivered preterm with (n = 19) and without (n = 29) intra-amniotic inflammation and infection or with intra-amniotic inflammation but without infection (n = 21); and (d) preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (pPROM) with (n = 19) and without (n = 17) intra-amniotic inflammation/infection. Amniotic fluid HBD-1 concentrations were determined using a sensitive and specific ELISA kit. RESULTS (a) HBD-1 was detectable in all amniotic fluid samples; (b) amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-1 were changed with gestational age (midtrimester vs term no labor), being higher in midtrimester; (c) amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-1 were similar between women with and without spontaneous labor at term; (d) among patients with spontaneous preterm labor, amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-1 in women with intra-amniotic inflammation/infection and in those with intra-amniotic inflammation without infection were greater than in women without intra-amniotic inflammation or infection who delivered preterm or at term; and (e) the presence of intra-amniotic inflammation and infection in patients with pPROM did not change amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-1. CONCLUSION HBD-1 is a physiological constituent of amniotic fluid that is increased in midtrimester during normal pregnancy and in the presence of culturable microorganisms in the amniotic cavity. These findings provide insight into the soluble host defense mechanisms against intra-amniotic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneesha Varrey
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Bogdan Panaitescu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Derek Miller
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Manasi Patwardhan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Jonathan Faro
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Percy Pacora
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Sonia S Hassan
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Chaur-Dong Hsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
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23
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Rogers LM, Anders AP, Doster RS, Gill EA, Gnecco JS, Holley JM, Randis TM, Ratner AJ, Gaddy JA, Osteen K, Aronoff DM. Decidual stromal cell-derived PGE 2 regulates macrophage responses to microbial threat. Am J Reprod Immunol 2018; 80:e13032. [PMID: 30084522 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Bacterial chorioamnionitis causes adverse pregnancy outcomes, yet host-microbial interactions are not well characterized within gestational membranes. The decidua, the outermost region of the membranes, is a potential point of entry for bacteria ascending from the vagina to cause chorioamnionitis. We sought to determine whether paracrine communication between decidual stromal cells and macrophages shaped immune responses to microbial sensing. METHOD OF STUDY Decidual cell-macrophage interactions were modeled in vitro utilizing decidualized, telomerase-immortalized human endometrial stromal cells (dTHESCs) and phorbol ester-differentiated THP-1 macrophage-like cells. The production of inflammatory mediators in response to LPS was monitored by ELISA for both cell types, while phagocytosis of bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli and Group B Streptococcus (GBS)) was measured in THP-1 cells or primary human placental macrophages. Diclofenac, a non-selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) were utilized to interrogate prostaglandins as decidual cell-derived paracrine immunomodulators. A mouse model of ascending chorioamnionitis caused by GBS was utilized to assess the colocalization of bacteria and macrophages in vivo and assess PGE2 production. RESULTS In response to LPS, dTHESC and THP-1 coculture demonstrated enhancement of most inflammatory mediators, but a potent suppression of macrophage TNF-α generation was observed. This appeared to reflect a paracrine-mediated effect of decidual cell-derived PGE2 . In mice with GBS chorioamnionitis, macrophages accumulated at sites of bacterial invasion with increased PGE2 in amniotic fluid, suggesting such paracrine effects might hold relevance in vivo. CONCLUSION These data suggest key roles for decidual stromal cells in modulating tissue responses to microbial threat through release of PGE2 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Rogers
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Anjali P Anders
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Ryan S Doster
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | | | - Juan S Gnecco
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Jacob M Holley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Tara M Randis
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.,Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Adam J Ratner
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.,Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Jennifer A Gaddy
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Veteran Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare Systems, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Kevin Osteen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Veteran Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare Systems, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - David M Aronoff
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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24
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Vianna P, Gomes JDA, Boquett JA, Fraga LR, Schuch JB, Vianna FSL, Schuler-Faccini L. Zika Virus as a Possible Risk Factor for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Neuroimmunological Aspects. Neuroimmunomodulation 2018; 25:320-327. [PMID: 30630174 DOI: 10.1159/000495660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent outbreak of the Zika virus (ZIKV) and the discovery that perinatal Zika exposure can lead to the Congenital Zika Syndrome has promoted a call for prevention measures. Due to the increased number of babies born with microcephaly, structural brain abnormalities, and neurological alterations in regions affected by ZIKV, investigations were carried out in order to better understand this process. The maternal immune system directly influences the fetal central nervous system, and complications during pregnancy have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder commonly manifested in the first years of life, is a disease with multifactorial etiology and is manifested typically by social and communication impairments, as well as stereotyped behaviors. Brain abnormalities, including both anatomically and functionally, can be observed in this disorder, suggesting delays in neuronal maturation and altered brain connectivity. It is known that some viral congenital infections, such as rubella, and cytomegalovirus can interfere with brain development, being associated with brain calcification, microcephaly, and ASD. Here, we reviewed a range of studies evaluating the aspects concerning brain development, immunological status during pregnancy, and neuroimmunomodulation in congenital viral infections, and we discuss if the fetal brain infection caused by ZIKV could predispose to ASD. Finally, we suggest a mechanism encompassing neurological and immunological pathways that could play a role in the development of ASD in infants after ZIKV infection in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Vianna
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biosciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- National Institute of Population Medical Genetics (INAGEMP), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Julia do Amaral Gomes
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biosciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- National Institute of Population Medical Genetics (INAGEMP), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Juliano André Boquett
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biosciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- National Institute of Population Medical Genetics (INAGEMP), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lucas Rosa Fraga
- National Institute of Population Medical Genetics (INAGEMP), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Brazilian Teratogen Information Service (SIAT), Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline Bohrer Schuch
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Sales Luiz Vianna
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biosciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- National Institute of Population Medical Genetics (INAGEMP), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Brazilian Teratogen Information Service (SIAT), Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lavínia Schuler-Faccini
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biosciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil,
- National Institute of Population Medical Genetics (INAGEMP), Porto Alegre, Brazil,
- Brazilian Teratogen Information Service (SIAT), Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil,
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Patras KA, Nizet V. Group B Streptococcal Maternal Colonization and Neonatal Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Preventative Approaches. Front Pediatr 2018; 6:27. [PMID: 29520354 PMCID: PMC5827363 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2018.00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonizes the gastrointestinal and vaginal epithelium of a significant percentage of healthy women, with potential for ascending intrauterine infection or transmission during parturition, creating a risk of serious disease in the vulnerable newborn. This review highlights new insights on the bacterial virulence determinants, host immune responses, and microbiome interactions that underpin GBS vaginal colonization, the proximal step in newborn infectious disease pathogenesis. From the pathogen perspective, the function GBS adhesins and biofilms, β-hemolysin/cytolysin toxin, immune resistance factors, sialic acid mimicry, and two-component transcriptional regulatory systems are reviewed. From the host standpoint, pathogen recognition, cytokine responses, and the vaginal mucosal and placental immunity to the pathogen are detailed. Finally, the rationale, efficacy, and potential unintended consequences of current universal recommended intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis are considered, with updates on new developments toward a GBS vaccine or alternative approaches to reducing vaginal colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn A Patras
- Division of Host-Microbe Systems & Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Victor Nizet
- Division of Host-Microbe Systems & Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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26
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Vornhagen J, Adams Waldorf KM, Rajagopal L. Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Infections: Virulence Factors, Immunity, and Prevention Strategies. Trends Microbiol 2017. [PMID: 28633864 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2017.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Group B streptococcus (GBS) or Streptococcus agalactiae is a β-hemolytic, Gram-positive bacterium that is a leading cause of neonatal infections. GBS commonly colonizes the lower gastrointestinal and genital tracts and, during pregnancy, neonates are at risk of infection. Although intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis during labor and delivery has decreased the incidence of early-onset neonatal infection, these measures do not prevent ascending infection that can occur earlier in pregnancy leading to preterm births, stillbirths, or late-onset neonatal infections. Prevention of GBS infection in pregnancy is complex and is likely influenced by multiple factors, including pathogenicity, host factors, vaginal microbiome, false-negative screening, and/or changes in antibiotic resistance. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms of GBS infections during pregnancy will facilitate the development of novel therapeutics and vaccines. Here, we summarize and discuss important advancements in our understanding of GBS vaginal colonization, ascending infection, and preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Vornhagen
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kristina M Adams Waldorf
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lakshmi Rajagopal
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Kothary V, Doster RS, Rogers LM, Kirk LA, Boyd KL, Romano-Keeler J, Haley KP, Manning SD, Aronoff DM, Gaddy JA. Group B Streptococcus Induces Neutrophil Recruitment to Gestational Tissues and Elaboration of Extracellular Traps and Nutritional Immunity. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:19. [PMID: 28217556 PMCID: PMC5289994 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae, or Group B Streptococcus (GBS), is a gram-positive bacterial pathogen associated with infection during pregnancy and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates. Infection of the extraplacental membranes surrounding the developing fetus, a condition known as chorioamnionitis, is characterized histopathologically by profound infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs, neutrophils) and greatly increases the risk for preterm labor, stillbirth, or neonatal GBS infection. The advent of animal models of chorioamnionitis provides a powerful tool to study host-pathogen relationships in vivo and ex vivo. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the innate immune response elicited by GBS and evaluate how antimicrobial strategies elaborated by these innate immune cells affect bacteria. Our work using a mouse model of GBS ascending vaginal infection during pregnancy reveals that clinically isolated GBS has the capacity to invade reproductive tissues and elicit host immune responses including infiltration of PMNs within the choriodecidua and placenta during infection, mirroring the human condition. Upon interacting with GBS, murine neutrophils elaborate DNA-containing extracellular traps, which immobilize GBS and are studded with antimicrobial molecules including lactoferrin. Exposure of GBS to holo- or apo-forms of lactoferrin reveals that the iron-sequestration activity of lactoferrin represses GBS growth and viability in a dose-dependent manner. Together, these data indicate that the mouse model of ascending infection is a useful tool to recapitulate human models of GBS infection during pregnancy. Furthermore, this work reveals that neutrophil extracellular traps ensnare GBS and repress bacterial growth via deposition of antimicrobial molecules, which drive nutritional immunity via metal sequestration strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishesh Kothary
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ryan S Doster
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lisa M Rogers
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Leslie A Kirk
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kelli L Boyd
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Joann Romano-Keeler
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kathryn P Haley
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, TN, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Shannon D Manning
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - David M Aronoff
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jennifer A Gaddy
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, TN, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare SystemsNashville, TN, USA
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Gupta K, Kotian A, Subramanian H, Daniell H, Ali H. Activation of human mast cells by retrocyclin and protegrin highlight their immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties. Oncotarget 2016; 6:28573-87. [PMID: 26378047 PMCID: PMC4745678 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Preclinical evaluation of Retrocyclins (RC-100, RC-101) and Protegrin-1 (PG-1) antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is important because of their therapeutic potential against bacterial, fungal and viral infections. Human mast cells (HMCs) play important roles in host defense and wound healing but the abilities of retrocyclins and protegrin-1 to harness these functions have not been investigated. Here, we report that chemically synthesized RC-100 and PG-1 caused calcium mobilization and degranulation in HMCs but these responses were not blocked by an inhibitor of formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1), a known receptor for AMPs. However, RC-100 and PG-1 induced degranulation in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells stably expressing Mas related G protein coupled receptor X2 (MrgX2). Chemical synthesis of these AMPs is prohibitively expensive and post-synthesis modifications (cyclization, disulfide bonds, folding) are inadequate for optimal antimicrobial activity. Indeed, we found that synthetic RC-100, which caused mast cell degranulation via MrgX2, did not display any antimicrobial activity. Green-fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged RC-101 (analog of RC-100) and GFP-tagged PG-1 purified from transgenic plant chloroplasts killed bacteria and induced mast cell degranulation. Furthermore, GFP-PG1 bound specifically to RBL-2H3 cells expressing MrgX2. These findings suggest that retrocyclins and protegrins activate HMCs independently of FPRL1 but via MrgX2. Harnessing this novel feature of AMPs to activate mast cell's host defense/wound healing properties in addition to their antimicrobial activities expands their clinical potential. Low cost production of AMPs in plants should facilitate their advancement to the clinic overcoming major hurdles in current production systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kshitij Gupta
- Department of Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Akhil Kotian
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hariharan Subramanian
- Department of Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Henry Daniell
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hydar Ali
- Department of Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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29
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Gupta K, Subramanian H, Ali H. Modulation of host defense peptide-mediated human mast cell activation by LPS. Innate Immun 2015; 22:21-30. [PMID: 26511058 DOI: 10.1177/1753425915610643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Human β-defensin3 (hBD3) and the cathelicidin LL-37 are host defense peptides (HDPs) that directly kill microbes and display immunomodulatory/wound-healing properties via the activation of chemokine, formylpeptide and epidermal growth factor receptors on leukocytes and epithelial cells. A C-terminal 14 amino acid hBD3 peptide with all Cys residues replaced with Ser (CHRG01) and an LL-37 peptide consisting of residues 17-29 (FK-13) display antimicrobial activity but lack immunomodulatory property. Surprisingly, we found that CHRG01 and FK-13 caused Ca(2+) mobilization and degranulation in human mast cells via a novel G protein-coupled receptor known as Mas-related gene-X2 (MrgX2). At local sites of bacterial infection, the negatively charged LPS likely interacts with cationic HDPs to inhibit their activity and thus providing a mechanism for pathogens to escape host defense mechanisms. We found that LPS caused almost complete inhibition of hBD3 and LL-37-induced Ca(2+) mobilization and mast cell degranulation. In contrast, it had no effect on CHRG01 and FK-13-induced mast cell responses. These findings suggest that HDP derivatives that kill microbes, harness mast cell's host defense and wound-healing properties via the activation of MrgX2 but are resistant to inhibition by LPS could be utilized for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant microbial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kshitij Gupta
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hariharan Subramanian
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hydar Ali
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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30
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Agarwal N, Buckley N, Nakra N, Gialanella P, Yuan W, Ghartey JP. Activity of Genital Tract Secretions and Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides against Group B Streptococcus. Am J Reprod Immunol 2015; 74:499-507. [PMID: 26395128 DOI: 10.1111/aji.12427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Genital tract secretions inhibit Escherichia coli (E. coli) through antimicrobial peptides (AMP) secreted by the host and vaginal microbiota. However, there are limited data against group B Streptococcus (GBS). METHOD OF STUDY Group B Streptococcus were incubated with cervico-vaginal lavage (CVL) samples from healthy non-pregnant women (n = 12) or synthetic AMP and monitored for bacterial growth using a turbidimetric approach. E. coli inhibitory activity was determined by a colony-forming unit assay. RESULTS None of the CVL samples inhibited GBS. The human neutrophil peptide-1 and human defensin 5 inhibited GBS growth by ≥80% at concentrations ≥20 μg/mL and ≥50 μg/mL, respectively, while human beta-defensin 2 and LL-37 did not inhibit at highest concentration tested (100 μg/mL). In contrast, all AMP inhibited E. coli. CONCLUSIONS Antimicrobial peptides may protect against E. coli colonization but have more limited activity against GBS. Future studies will focus on augmenting host defense with specific AMP to prevent genitourinary infection with these pathogenic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Agarwal
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital At Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Niall Buckley
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Natasha Nakra
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Philip Gialanella
- Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Weirong Yuan
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeny P Ghartey
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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31
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Cationic antimicrobial peptides as potential new therapeutic agents in neonates and children: a review. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2015; 27:258-67. [PMID: 24722240 DOI: 10.1097/qco.0000000000000057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Antimicrobial resistance towards conventional antibiotics is a serious problem for modern medicine and for our society. Multidrug-resistant bacteria are very difficult to treat and treatment options have begun to run out. Here, we summarize the newest studies of drug development using cationic antimicrobial peptides as lead molecules for novel antimicrobial drugs. RECENT FINDINGS A new development is the use of antimicrobial peptides not only as direct antimicrobial lead structures but also using their ability to influence the immune system. Such approaches can be used to develop drugs that influence the immune system in a unique way, supporting specific branches of immune cells in order to clear infection. Applying such an 'immune boost' would also minimize the danger of new resistance emerging in bacteria. In addition, searching for and testing substances that trigger the production of host antimicrobial peptides is still ongoing and opens up a totally new avenue for the use of antimicrobial peptides against infections. Currently, more than 10 clinical trials, phase 2 or 3, using antimicrobial peptides are in progress or have been recently completed. SUMMARY Multidrug resistance is an urgent problem for modern medicine and novel antimicrobials are needed. Despite some drawbacks, antimicrobial peptides seem now to appear more numerous in clinical trials, indicating the success in developing peptides into novel therapeutics. This can be critical especially for neonates and children, as treatment options for infections with Gram-negatives in neonatal ICUs are becoming rare.
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Boldenow E, Hassan I, Chames MC, Xi C, Loch-Caruso R. The trichloroethylene metabolite S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-l-cysteine but not trichloroacetate inhibits pathogen-stimulated TNF-α in human extraplacental membranes in vitro. Reprod Toxicol 2015; 52:1-6. [PMID: 25653212 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2015.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Revised: 12/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Extraplacental membranes define the gestational compartment and provide a barrier to infectious microorganisms ascending the gravid female reproductive tract. We tested the hypothesis that bioactive metabolites of trichloroethylene (TCE) decrease pathogen-stimulated innate immune response of extraplacental membranes. Extraplacental membranes were cultured for 4, 8, and 24h with the TCE metabolites trichloroacetate (TCA) or S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-l-cysteine (DCVC) in the absence or presence of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to simulate infection. In addition, membranes were cocultured with DCVC and Group B Streptococcus (GBS). DCVC (5-50μM) significantly inhibited LTA-, LPS-, and GBS-stimulated cytokine release from tissue cultures as early as 4h (P≤0.05). In contrast, TCA (up to 500μM) did not inhibit LTA-stimulated cytokine release from tissue punches. Because cytokines are important mediators for host response to infectious microorganisms these findings suggest that TCE exposure could potentially modify susceptibility to infection during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Boldenow
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA.
| | - Iman Hassan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA.
| | - Mark C Chames
- Departments of Pathology and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, University of Michigan, 4215 Med Sci I SPC 5602, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5602, USA.
| | - Chuanwu Xi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA.
| | - Rita Loch-Caruso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA.
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Romano-Keeler J, Weitkamp JH. Maternal influences on fetal microbial colonization and immune development. Pediatr Res 2015; 77:189-95. [PMID: 25310759 PMCID: PMC4289016 DOI: 10.1038/pr.2014.163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
While critical for normal development, the exact timing of establishment of the intestinal microbiome is unknown. For example, although preterm labor and birth have been associated with bacterial colonization of the amniotic cavity and fetal membranes for many years, the prevailing dogma of a sterile intrauterine environment during normal term pregnancies has been challenged more recently. While found to be a key contributor of evolution in the animal kingdom, maternal transmission of commensal bacteria may also constitute a critical process during healthy pregnancies in humans with yet unclear developmental importance. Metagenomic sequencing has elucidated a rich placental microbiome in normal term pregnancies likely providing important metabolic and immune contributions to the growing fetus. Conversely, an altered microbial composition during pregnancy may produce aberrant metabolites impairing fetal brain development and life-long neurological outcomes. Here we review the current understanding of microbial colonization at the feto-maternal interface and explain how normal gut colonization drives a balanced neonatal mucosal immune system, while dysbiosis contributes to aberrant immune function early in life and beyond. We discuss how maternal genetics, diet, medications, and probiotics inform the fetal microbiome in preparation for perinatal and postnatal bacterial colonization.
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Lim R, Barker G, Lappas M. Human cathelicidin antimicrobial protein 18 (hCAP18/LL-37) is increased in foetal membranes and myometrium after spontaneous labour and delivery. J Reprod Immunol 2014; 107:31-42. [PMID: 25435436 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2014.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2014] [Revised: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Infection and/or inflammation are most commonly associated with preterm birth. Studies have shown that antimicrobial peptides can modulate the inflammatory response in non-gestational tissues; the human cathelicidin hCAP18 (and its active component LL-37) has such anti-microbial and immunomodulatory properties. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of human labour on hCAP18 expression in foetal membranes and myometrium, and to determine the effect of the synthetic LL-37 peptide on pro-inflammatory and pro-labour mediators in foetal membranes and myometrium. The localisation and expression of hCAP18 in non-labouring and labouring tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. Tissue explants were used to determine the effect of LL-37 on pro-labour mediators. hCAP18 was localised to the amnion epithelium, cytotrophoblasts and decidua in the foetal membranes, and in the longitudinal and transverse muscle fibres of the myometrium. Additional hCAP18 staining was present in leukocytes. In foetal membranes and myometrium, human labour was associated with significantly higher hCAP18 protein expression. Treatment of foetal membranes and myometrium with LL-37 significantly induced the expression and secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α, and the chemokines IL-8 and MCP-1. LL-37 also induced expression of MMP-9 mRNA and pro MMP-9 expression in foetal membranes. Co-treatment with BAY 11-7082 was associated with a decrease in LL-37-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Moreover, inhibition of MyD88 in myometrial cells decreased LL-37-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and release. LL-37 also significantly increased NF-κB transcriptional activity. In conclusion, hCAP18/LL-37 induces pro-inflammatory and pro-labour mediators, via the MyD88/NF-κB pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratana Lim
- Mercy Perinatal Research Centre, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Obstetrics, Nutrition and Endocrinology Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gillian Barker
- Mercy Perinatal Research Centre, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Obstetrics, Nutrition and Endocrinology Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martha Lappas
- Mercy Perinatal Research Centre, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Obstetrics, Nutrition and Endocrinology Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Boldenow E, Hogan KA, Chames MC, Aronoff DM, Xi C, Loch-Caruso R. Role of cytokine signaling in group B Streptococcus-stimulated expression of human beta defensin-2 in human extraplacental membranes. Am J Reprod Immunol 2014; 73:263-72. [PMID: 25263616 DOI: 10.1111/aji.12325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. We tested the hypothesis that the choriodecidua plays a role in GBS-stimulated human beta defensin(HBD)-2 increases in amnion cells through a secreted factor of choriodecidual origin. METHOD OF STUDY Human amnion epithelial cells were treated with choriodecidual GBS-conditioned medium, live GBS, lipoteichoic acid (LTA), or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), with and without IL-1 inhibitors. RESULTS Choriodecidual tissue punches released IL-1α and IL-1β in response to GBS and this medium significantly stimulated release of HBD-2 by amnion cell cultures. Inhibitors of IL-1 significantly impaired the release of HBD-2 from amnion cells treated with GBS choriodecidual conditioned medium. Direct stimulation of amnion cells with GBS, LTA, or LPS did not increase HBD-2 release. CONCLUSION Paracrine signaling involving IL-1 of choriodecidual origin is likely a critical driver for amnion HBD-2 increases in response to GBS infection of extraplacental membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Boldenow
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Association and virulence gene expression vary among serotype III group B streptococcus isolates following exposure to decidual and lung epithelial cells. Infect Immun 2014; 82:4587-95. [PMID: 25135682 DOI: 10.1128/iai.02181-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes severe disease in neonates, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. GBS species are highly diverse and can be classified by serotype and multilocus sequence typing. Sequence type 17 (ST-17) strains cause invasive neonatal disease more frequently than strains of other STs. Attachment and invasion of host cells are key steps in GBS pathogenesis. We investigated whether four serotype III strains representing ST-17 (two strains), ST-19, and ST-23 differ in their abilities to attach to and invade both decidual cells and lung epithelial cells. Virulence gene expression following host cell association and exposure to amnion cells was also tested. The ST-17 strains differed in their abilities to attach to and invade decidual cells, whereas there were no differences with lung epithelial cells. The ST-19 and ST-23 strains, however, attached to and invaded decidual cells less than both ST-17 strains. Although the ST-23 strain attached to lung epithelial cells better than ST-17 and -19 strains, none of the strains effectively invaded the lung epithelial cells. Notably, the association with host cells resulted in the differential expression of several virulence genes relative to basal expression levels. Similar expression patterns of some genes were observed regardless of cell type used. Collectively, these results show that GBS strains differ in their abilities to attach to distinct host cell types and express key virulence genes that are relevant to the disease process. Enhancing our understanding of pathogenic mechanisms could aid in the identification of novel therapeutic targets or vaccine candidates that could potentially decrease morbidity and mortality associated with neonatal infections.
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