Sensitizing anthrax lethal toxin-resistant macrophages to lethal toxin-induced killing by tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Anthrax lethal toxin and tumor necrosis factor-α synergize on intestinal epithelia to induce mouse death

Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin (LT) is a determinant of lethal anthrax. Its function in myeloid cells is required for bacterial dissemination, and LT itself can directly trigger dysfunction of the cardiovascular system. The interplay between LT and the host responses is important in the pathogenesis, but our knowledge on this interplay remains limited. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine induced by bacterial infections. Since LT accumulates and cytokines, predominantly TNF, amass during B. anthracis infection, co-treatment of TNF + LT in mice was used to mimic in vivo conditions for LT to function in inflamed hosts. Bone marrow transplantation and genetically engineered mice showed unexpectedly that the death of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) rather than that of hematopoietic cells led to LT + TNF-induced lethality. Inhibition of p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling by LT in IECs promoted TNF-induced apoptosis and necroptosis of IECs, leading to intestinal damage and mouse death. Consistently, p38α inhibition by LT enhanced TNF-mediated cell death in human colon epithelial HT-29 cells. As intestinal damage is one of the leading causes of lethality in anthrax patients, the IEC damage caused by LT + TNF would most likely be a mechanism underneath this clinical manifestation and could be a target for interventions.

The subversion of toll-like receptor signaling by bacterial and viral proteases during the development of infectious diseases

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that respond to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). The recognition of specific microbial ligands by TLRs triggers an innate immune response and also promotes adaptive immunity, which is necessary for the efficient elimination of invading pathogens. Successful pathogens have therefore evolved strategies to subvert and/or manipulate TLR signaling. Both the impairment and uncontrolled activation of TLR signaling can harm the host, causing tissue destruction and allowing pathogens to proliferate, thus favoring disease progression. In this context, microbial proteases are key virulence factors that modify components of the TLR signaling pathway. In this review, we discuss the role of bacterial and viral proteases in the manipulation of TLR signaling, highlighting the importance of these enzymes during the development of infectious diseases.

Bacillus anthracis induces NLRP3 inflammasome activation and caspase-8-mediated apoptosis of macrophages to promote lethal anthrax

Lethal toxin (LeTx)-mediated killing of myeloid cells is essential for Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, to establish systemic infection and induce lethal anthrax. The "LeTx-sensitive" NLRP1b inflammasome of BALB/c and 129S macrophages swiftly responds to LeTx intoxication with pyroptosis and secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β. However, human NLRP1 is nonresponsive to LeTx, prompting us to investigate B. anthracis host-pathogen interactions in C57BL/6J (B6) macrophages and mice that also lack a LeTx-sensitive Nlrp1b allele. Unexpectedly, we found that LeTx intoxication and live B. anthracis infection of B6 macrophages elicited robust secretion of IL-1β, which critically relied on the NLRP3 inflammasome. TNF signaling through both TNF receptor 1 (TNF-R1) and TNF-R2 were required for B. anthracis-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation, which was further controlled by RIPK1 kinase activity and LeTx-mediated proteolytic inactivation of MAP kinase signaling. In addition to activating the NLRP3 inflammasome, LeTx-induced MAPKK inactivation and TNF production sensitized B. anthracis-infected macrophages to robust RIPK1- and caspase-8-dependent apoptosis. In agreement, purified LeTx triggered RIPK1 kinase activity- and caspase-8-dependent apoptosis only in macrophages primed with TNF or following engagement of TRIF-dependent Toll-like receptors. Consistently, genetic and pharmacological inhibition of RIPK1 inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and apoptosis of LeTx-intoxicated and B. anthracis-infected macrophages. Caspase-8/RIPK3-deficient mice were significantly protected from B. anthracis-induced lethality, demonstrating the in vivo pathophysiological relevance of this cytotoxic mechanism. Collectively, these results establish TNF- and RIPK1 kinase activity-dependent NLRP3 inflammasome activation and macrophage apoptosis as key host-pathogen mechanisms in lethal anthrax.

Co-Administration of Aluminium Hydroxide Nanoparticles and Protective Antigen Domain 4 Encapsulated Non-Ionic Surfactant Vesicles Show Enhanced Immune Response and Superior Protection against Anthrax

Aluminium salts have been the adjuvant of choice in more than 100 licensed vaccines. Here, we have studied the synergistic effect of aluminium hydroxide nanoparticles (AH np) and non-ionic surfactant-based vesicles (NISV) in modulating the immune response against protective antigen domain 4 (D4) of Bacillus anthracis. NISV was prepared from Span 60 and cholesterol, while AH np was prepared from aluminium chloride and sodium hydroxide. AH np was co-administered with NISV encapsulating D4 (NISV-D4) to formulate AHnp/NISV-D4. The antigen-specific immune response of AHnp/NISV-D4 was compared with that of commercial alhydrogel (alhy) co-administered with NISV-D4 (alhydrogel/NISV-D4), NISV-D4, AHnp/D4, and alhydrogel/D4. Co-administration of NISV-D4 with AH np greatly improved the D4-specific antibody titer as compared to the control groups. Based on IgG isotyping and ex vivo cytokine analysis, AHnp/NISV-D4 generated a balanced Th1/Th2 response. Furthermore, AH np/NISV-D4 showed superior protection against anthrax spore challenge in comparison to other groups. Thus, we demonstrate the possibility of developing a novel combinatorial nanoformulation capable of augmenting both humoral and cellular response, paving the way for adjuvant research.

Characterization of the NLRP1 inflammasome response in bovine species

Inflammasomes act as sensors of infection or damage to initiate immune responses. While extensively studied in rodents, understanding of livestock inflammasomes is limited. The NLRP1 inflammasome sensor in rodents is activated by Toxoplasma gondii, Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin (LT), and potentially other zoonotic pathogens. LT activates NLRP1 by N-terminal proteolysis, inducing macrophage pyroptosis and a pro-inflammatory cytokine response. In contrast, NLRP1 in macrophages from humans and certain rodent strains is resistant to LT cleavage, and pyroptosis is not induced. Evolution of NLRP1 sequences towards those leading to pyroptosis is of interest in understanding innate immune responses in different hosts. We characterized NLRP1 in cattle (Bos taurus) and American bison (Bison bison). Bovine NLRP1 is not cleaved by LT, and cattle and bison macrophages do not undergo toxin-induced pyroptosis. Additionally, we found a predicted Nlrp1 splicing isoform in cattle macrophages lacking the N-terminal domain. Resistance to LT in bovine and human NLRP1 correlates with evolutionary sequence similarity to rodents. Consistent with LT-resistant rodents, bovine macrophages undergo a slower non-pyroptotic death in the presence of LPS and LT. Overall, our findings support the model that NLRP1 activation by LT requires N-terminal cleavage, and provide novel information on mechanisms underlying immune response diversity.

Bacillus anthracis genomic DNA enhances lethal toxin-induced cytotoxicity through TNF-α production

Background

Bacillus anthracis is the etiological agent of anthrax. Lethal toxin (LT) produced by B. anthracis is a well-known key virulence factor for anthrax because of its strong cytotoxic activity. However, little is known about the role of B. anthracis genomic DNA (BAG) in anthrax pathogenesis.

Results

We examined the effect of BAG on TNF-α production and LT-mediated cytotoxicity during B. anthracis spore infection in mouse macrophage cell lines (RAW264.7 cells and J774A.1) and BALB/c mice. Infection of RAW264.7 cells with B. anthracis spores induced TNF-α expression in a multiplicity of infection (MOI)-dependent manner, and this enhancement was attenuated by the toll-like receptor (TLR) 9 inhibitor oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN)2088. BAG led to TNF-α expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner when applied to RAW264.7 cells. TNF-α expression induced by BAG was reduced by either pretreatment with TLR9 inhibitors (ODN2088 and chloroquine (CQ)) or transfection with TLR9 siRNA. Furthermore, BAG-induced TNF-α production in TLR9^+/+ macrophages was completely abrogated in TLR9^−/− macrophages. BAG enhanced the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and BAG-induced TNF-α expression was attenuated by pretreatment with MAPK inhibitors. A reporter gene assay and confocal microscopy demonstrated that BAG increased NF-κB activation, which is responsible for TNF-α expression. Treatment with BAG alone showed no cytotoxic activity on the macrophage cell line J774A.1, whereas LT-mediated cytotoxicity was enhanced by treatment with BAG or TNF-α. Enhanced LT-induced lethality was also confirmed by BAG administration in mice. Furthermore, LT plus BAG-mediated lethality was significantly recovered by administration of Infliximab, an anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that B. anthracis DNA may contribute to anthrax pathogenesis by enhancing LT activity via TLR9-mediated TNF-α production.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-014-0300-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Anthrax toxin lethal factor domain 3 is highly mobile and responsive to ligand binding

The secreted anthrax toxin consists of three components: the protective antigen (PA), edema factor (EF) and lethal factor (LF). LF, a zinc metalloproteinase, compromises the host immune system primarily by targeting mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases in macrophages. Peptide substrates and small-molecule inhibitors bind LF in the space between domains 3 and 4 of the hydrolase. Domain 3 is attached on a hinge to domain 2 via residues Ile300 and Pro385, and can move through an angular arc of greater than 35° in response to the binding of different ligands. Here, multiple LF structures including five new complexes with co-crystallized inhibitors are compared and three frequently populated LF conformational states termed `bioactive', `open' and `tight' are identified. The bioactive position is observed with large substrate peptides and leaves all peptide-recognition subsites open and accessible. The tight state is seen in unliganded and small-molecule complex structures. In this state, domain 3 is clamped over certain substrate subsites, blocking access. The open position appears to be an intermediate state between these extremes and is observed owing to steric constraints imposed by specific bound ligands. The tight conformation may be the lowest-energy conformation among the reported structures, as it is the position observed with no bound ligand, while the open and bioactive conformations are likely to be ligand-induced.

Anthrax lethal toxin and the induction of CD4 T cell immunity

Bacillus anthracis secretes exotoxins which act through several mechanisms including those that can subvert adaptive immunity with respect both to antigen presenting cell and T cell function. The combination of Protective Antigen (PA) and Lethal Factor (LF) forming Lethal Toxin (LT), acts within host cells to down-regulate the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade. Until recently the MAPK kinases were the only known substrate for LT; over the past few years it has become evident that LT also cleaves Nlrp1, leading to inflammasome activation and macrophage death. The predicted downstream consequences of subverting these important cellular pathways are impaired antigen presentation and adaptive immunity. In contrast to this, recent work has indicated that robust memory T cell responses to B. anthracis antigens can be identified following natural anthrax infection. We discuss how LT affects the adaptive immune response and specifically the identification of B. anthracis epitopes that are both immunogenic and protective with the potential for inclusion in protein sub-unit based vaccines.

Cellular adaptation to anthrax lethal toxin-induced mitochondrial cholesterol enrichment, hyperpolarization, and reactive oxygen species generation through downregulating MLN64 in macrophages

Cellular adaptation to different stresses related to survival and function has been demonstrated in several cell types. Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) induces rapid cell death, termed "pyroptosis," by activating NLRP1b/caspase-1 in murine macrophages. We and others (S. D. Ha et al., J. Biol. Chem. 282:26275-26283, 2007; I. I. Salles et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 100:12426 -12431, 2003) have shown that RAW264.7 cells preexposed to sublethal doses of LeTx become resistant to subsequent high cytolytic doses of LeTx, termed toxin-induced resistance (TIR). To date, the cellular mechanisms of pyroptosis and TIR are largely unknown. We found that LeTx caused NLRP1b/caspase-1-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction, including hyperpolarization and generation of reactive oxygen species, which was distinct from that induced by stimuli such as NLRP3-activating ATP. In TIR cells, these mitochondrial events were not detected, although caspase-1 was activated, in response to LeTx. We identified that downregulation of the late endosomal cholesterol-transferring protein MLN64 in TIR cells was involved in TIR. The downregulation of MLN64 in TIR cells was at least in part due to DNA methyltransferase 1-mediated DNA methylation. In wild-type RAW264.7 cells and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages, LeTx caused NLRP1b/caspase-1-dependent mitochondrial translocation of MLN64, resulting in cholesterol enrichment, membrane hyperpolarization, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and depletion of free glutathione (GSH). This study demonstrates for the first time that MLN64 plays a key role in LeTx/caspase-1-induced mitochondrial dysfunction.

Novel approaches to the treatment of systemic anthrax

Anthrax continues to generate concern as an agent of bioterrorism and as a natural cause of sporadic disease outbreaks. Despite the use of appropriate antimicrobial agents and advanced supportive care, the mortality associated with the systemic disease remains high. This is primarily due to the pathogenic exotoxins produced by Bacillus anthracis as well as other virulence factors of the organism. For this reason, new therapeutic strategies that target events in the pathogenesis of anthrax and may potentially augment antimicrobials are being investigated. These include anti-toxin approaches, such as passive immune-based therapies; non-antimicrobial drugs with activity against anthrax toxin components; and agents that inhibit binding, processing, or assembly of toxins. Adjunct therapies that target spore germination or downstream events in anthrax intoxication are also under investigation. In combination, these modalities may enhance the management of systemic anthrax.

AMPD3 is involved in anthrax LeTx-induced macrophage cell death

The responses of macrophages to Bacillus anthracis infection are important for the survival of the host, since macrophages are required for the germination of B. anthracis spores in lymph nodes, and macrophage death exacerbates anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx)-induced organ collapse. To elucidate the mechanism of macrophage cell death induced by LeTx, we performed a genetic screen to search for genes associated with LeTx-induced macrophage cell death. RAW264.7 cells, a macrophage-like cell line sensitive to LeTx-induced death, were randomly mutated and LeTx-resistant mutant clones were selected. AMP deaminase 3 (AMPD3), an enzyme that converts AMP to IMP, was identified to be mutated in one of the resistant clones. The requirement of AMPD3 in LeTx-induced cell death of RAW 264.7 cells was confirmed by the restoration of LeTx sensitivity with ectopic reconstitution of AMPD3 expression. AMPD3 deficiency does not affect LeTx entering cells and the cleavage of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK) by lethal factor inside cells, but does impair an unknown downstream event that is linked to cell death. Our data provides new information regarding LeTx-induced macrophage death and suggests that there is a key regulatory site downstream of or parallel to MKK cleavage that controls the cell death in LeTx-treated macrophages.

Lampe1: an ENU-germline mutation causing spontaneous hepatosteatosis identified through targeted exon-enrichment and next-generation sequencing

Using a small scale ENU mutagenesis approach we identified a recessive germline mutant, designated Lampe1 that exhibited growth retardation and spontaneous hepatosteatosis. Low resolution mapping based on 20 intercrossed Lampe1 mice revealed linkage to a ∼14 Mb interval on the distal site of chromosome 11 containing a total of 285 genes. Exons and 50 bp flanking sequences within the critical region were enriched with sequence capture microarrays and subsequently analyzed by next-generation sequencing. Using this approach 98.1 percent of the targeted DNA was covered with a depth of 10 or more reads per nucleotide and 3 homozygote mutations were identified. Two mutations represented intronic nucleotide changes whereas one mutation affected a splice donor site in intron 11–12 of Palmitoyl Acetyl-coenzyme A oxygenase-1 (Acox1), causing skipping of exon 12. Phenotyping of Acox1^Lampe1 mutants revealed a progression from hepatosteatosis to steatohepatitis, and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma. The current approach provides a highly efficient and affordable method to identify causative mutations induced by ENU mutagenesis and animal models relevant to human pathology.

Contribution of lethal toxin and edema toxin to the pathogenesis of anthrax meningitis

Bacillus anthracis is a Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium that causes anthrax disease in humans and animals. Systemic infection is characterized by septicemia, toxemia, and meningitis, the main neurological complication associated with high mortality. We have shown previously that B. anthracis Sterne is capable of blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration, establishing the classic signs of meningitis, and that infection is dependent on the expression of both major anthrax toxins, lethal toxin (LT) and edema toxin (ET). Here we further investigate the contribution of the individual toxins to BBB disruption using isogenic toxin mutants deficient in lethal factor, ΔLF, and edema factor, ΔEF. Acute infection with B. anthracis Sterne and the ΔLF mutant resulted in disruption of human brain microvascular endothelial cell (hBMEC) monolayer integrity and tight junction protein zona occludens-1, while the result for cells infected with the ΔEF mutant was similar to that for the noninfected control. A significant decrease in bacterial invasion of BBB endothelium in vitro was observed during infection with the ΔLF strain, suggesting a prominent role for LT in promoting BBB interaction. Further, treatment of hBMECs with purified LT or chemicals that mimic LT action on host signaling pathways rescued the hypoinvasive phenotype of the ΔLF mutant and resulted in increased bacterial uptake. We also observed that toxin expression reduced bacterial intracellular survival by inducing the bulk degradative autophagy pathway in host cells. Finally, in a murine model of anthrax meningitis, mice infected with the ΔLF mutant exhibited no mortality, brain bacterial load, or evidence of meningitis compared to mice infected with the parental or ΔEF strains.

Anthrax lethal factor activates K(+) channels to induce IL-1β secretion in macrophages

Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) is a virulence factor of Bacilillus anthracis that is a bivalent toxin, containing lethal factor (LF) and protective Ag proteins, which causes cytotoxicity and altered macrophage function. LeTx exposure results in early K(+) efflux from macrophages associated with caspase-1 activation and increased IL-1β release. The mechanism of this toxin-induced K(+) efflux is unknown. The goals of the current study were to determine whether LeTx-induced K(+) efflux from macrophages is mediated by toxin effects on specific K(+) channels and whether altered K(+)-channel activity is involved in LeTx-induced IL-1β release. Exposure of macrophages to LeTx induced a significant increase in the activities of two types of K(+) channels that have been identified in mouse macrophages: Ba(2+)-sensitive inwardly rectifying K(+) (Kir) channels and 4-aminopyridine-sensitive outwardly rectifying voltage-gated K(+) (Kv) channels. LeTx enhancement of both Kir and Kv required the proteolytic activity of LF, because exposure of macrophages to a mutant LF-protein (LF(E687C)) combined with protective Ag protein had no effect on the currents. Furthermore, blocking Kir and Kv channels significantly decreased LeTx-induced release of IL-1β. In addition, retroviral transduction of macrophages with wild-type Kir enhanced LeTx-induced release of IL-1β, whereas transduction of dominant-negative Kir blocked LeTx-induced release of IL-1β. Activation of caspase-1 was not required for LeTx-induced activation of either of the K(+) channels. These data indicate that a major mechanism through which LeTx stimulates macrophages to release IL-1β involves an LF-protease effect that enhances Kir and Kv channel function during toxin stimulation.

Loss of T cell and B cell quiescence precedes the onset of microbial flora-dependent wasting disease and intestinal inflammation in Gimap5-deficient mice

Homeostatic control of the immune system involves mechanisms that ensure the self-tolerance, survival and quiescence of hematopoietic-derived cells. In this study, we demonstrate that the GTPase of immunity associated protein (Gimap)5 regulates these processes in lymphocytes and hematopoietic progenitor cells. As a consequence of a recessive N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-induced germline mutation in the P-loop of Gimap5, lymphopenia, hepatic extramedullary hematopoiesis, weight loss, and intestinal inflammation occur in homozygous mutant mice. Irradiated fetal liver chimeric mice reconstituted with Gimap5-deficient cells lose weight and become lymphopenic, demonstrating a hematopoietic cell-intrinsic function for Gimap5. Although Gimap5-deficient CD4(+) T cells and B cells appear to undergo normal development, they fail to proliferate upon Ag-receptor stimulation although NF-kappaB, MAP kinase and Akt activation occur normally. In addition, in Gimap5-deficient mice, CD4(+) T cells adopt a CD44(high)CD62L(low)CD69(low) phenotype and show reduced IL-7ralpha expression, and T-dependent and T-independent B cell responses are abrogated. Thus, Gimap5-deficiency affects a noncanonical signaling pathway required for Ag-receptor-induced proliferation and lymphocyte quiescence. Antibiotic-treatment or the adoptive transfer of Rag-sufficient splenocytes ameliorates intestinal inflammation and weight loss, suggesting that immune responses triggered by microbial flora causes the morbidity in Gimap5-deficient mice. These data establish Gimap5 as a key regulator of hematopoietic integrity and lymphocyte homeostasis.

An anthrax lethal factor mutant that is defective at causing pyroptosis retains proapoptotic activity

Anthrax lethal toxin triggers death in some cell types, such as macrophages, and causes a variety of cellular dysfunctions in others. Collectively, these effects dampen the innate and adaptive immune systems to allow Bacillus anthracis to survive and proliferate in the mammalian host. The diverse effects caused by the toxin have in part been attributed to its interference with signaling pathways in target cells. Lethal factor (LF) is the proteolytic component of the toxin, and cleaves six members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase family after being delivered to the cytosol by the cell-binding component of the toxin, protective antigen. The effect of cleaving these mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases is to interfere with extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling. Here, we characterized an LF mutant, LF-K518E/E682G, that was defective at causing pyroptosis in RAW 264.7 cells and at activating the Nlrp1b inflammasome in a heterologous expression system. LF-K518E/E682G did not exhibit an overall impairment of function, however, because it was able to downregulate the ERK pathway, but not the p38 or c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathways. Furthermore, LF-K518E/E682G efficiently killed melanoma cells, which were shown previously to undergo apoptosis in response to lethal toxin or to pharmacological inhibition of the ERK pathway. Our results suggest that LF-K518E/E682G is defective at cleaving a substrate involved in the activation of the Nlrp1b inflammasome.

Effects of anthrax lethal toxin on human primary keratinocytes

AIMS

To investigate the effects of anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) on human primary keratinocytes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We show here that human primary keratinocytes are resistant to LeTx-triggered cytotoxicity. All but one of the MEKs (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases) are cleaved within 3 h, and the cleavage of MEKs in keratinocytes leads to their subsequent proteasome-mediated degradation at different rates. Moreover, LeTx reduced the concentration of several cytokines except RANTES in culture.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that primary keratinocytes are resistant to LeTx cytotoxicity, and MEK cleavage does not correlate with LeTx cytotoxicity. Although LeTx is considered as an anti-inflammatory agent, it upregulates RANTES.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

According to a current view, the action of LeTx results in downregulation of the inflammatory response, as evidenced by diminished expression of several inflammatory biomarkers. Paradoxically, LeTx has been reported to attract neutrophils to cutaneous infection sites. This paper, which shows that RANTES, a chemoattractant for immune cells, is upregulated after exposure of keratinocytes to LeTx, although a number of other markers of the inflammatory response are downregulated. Our results might explain why the exposure of keratinocytes to LeTx results in the recruitment of neutrophils to cutaneous infection sites, while the expression of several inflammatory biomarkers is diminished.

Cellular and systemic effects of anthrax lethal toxin and edema toxin

Anthrax lethal toxin (LT) and edema toxin (ET) are the major virulence factors of anthrax and can replicate the lethality and symptoms associated with the disease. This review provides an overview of our current understanding of anthrax toxin effects in animal models and the cytotoxicity (necrosis and apoptosis) induced by LT in different cells. A brief reexamination of early historic findings on toxin in vivo effects in the context of our current knowledge is also presented.

Reduced expression of CD45 protein-tyrosine phosphatase provides protection against anthrax pathogenesis

The modulation of cellular processes by small molecule inhibitors, gene inactivation, or targeted knockdown strategies combined with phenotypic screens are powerful approaches to delineate complex cellular pathways and to identify key players involved in disease pathogenesis. Using chemical genetic screening, we tested a library of known phosphatase inhibitors and identified several compounds that protected Bacillus anthracis infected macrophages from cell death. The most potent compound was assayed against a panel of sixteen different phosphatases of which CD45 was found to be most sensitive to inhibition. Testing of a known CD45 inhibitor and antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers targeting CD45 also protected B. anthracis-infected macrophages from cell death. However, reduced CD45 expression did not protect anthrax lethal toxin (LT) treated macrophages, suggesting that the pathogen and independently added LT may signal through distinct pathways. Subsequent, in vivo studies with both gene-targeted knockdown of CD45 and genetically engineered mice expressing reduced levels of CD45 resulted in protection of mice after infection with the virulent Ames B. anthracis. Intermediate levels of CD45 expression were critical for the protection, as mice expressing normal levels of CD45 or disrupted CD45 phosphatase activity or no CD45 all succumbed to this pathogen. Mechanism-based studies suggest that the protection provided by reduced CD45 levels results from regulated immune cell homeostasis that may diminish the impact of apoptosis during the infection. To date, this is the first report demonstrating that reduced levels of host phosphatase CD45 modulate anthrax pathogenesis.

Involvement of TLR2 in innate response to Bacillus anthracis infection

The involvement of TLR2 receptor in the innate response to infection with Bacillus anthracis was investigated. We studied the response to virulent or attenuated Vollum strains in either in vitro assays using macrophage cultures, or in an in vivo model comparing the sensitivity of Syrian hamster cells (expressing normal TLR2) to Chinese hamster cells (lacking functional TLR2) to infection by the various B. anthracis strains. Phagocytosis experiments with murine cell cultures or primary macrophages from both hamster strains, using virulent or attenuated Tox+Cap -, Tox-Cap+ or Tox-Cap- spores indicated that the secretion of TNF-α was induced by all the bacterial spores and purified spore antigens. In contrast, capsular antigens induce secretion of TNF-α only by Syrian hamster macrophages indicating the involvement of a functional TLR2 in macrophage activation. Challenge experiments with both hamster strains by intranasal spore inoculation, indicated that, while both strains are equally sensitive to infection with the virulent strain, the Chinese hamster demonstrated a higher sensitivity to infection with the toxinogenic or encapsulated strains. In conclusion, our findings imply that TLR2 has an important role in the attempt of the innate immunity to control B. anthracis infection, although TNF-α secretion was found to be mediated by both TLR2-dependent and TLR2-independent pathways.

Transcriptional and apoptotic responses of THP-1 cells to challenge with toxigenic, and non-toxigenic Bacillus anthracis

Background

Bacillus anthracis secretes several virulence factors targeting different host organs and cell types during inhalational anthrax infection. The bacterial expression of a key virulence factor, lethal toxin (LeTx) is closely tied to another factor, edema toxin (EdTx). Both are transcribed on the same virulence plasmid (pXO1) and both have been the subject of much individual study. Their combined effect during virulent anthrax likely modulates both the global transcriptional and the phenotypic response of macrophages and phagocytes. In fact, responses brought about by the toxins may be different than each of their individual effects.

Results

Here we report the transcriptional and apoptotic responses of the macrophage-like phagocytic cell line THP-1 exposed to B. anthracis Sterne (pXO1⁺) spores, and B. anthracis Δ Sterne (pXO1^-) spores. These cells are resistant to LeTx-induced cytolysis, a phenotype seen in macrophages from several mouse strains which are sensitive to toxigenic anthrax infection. Our results indicate that the pXO1-containing strain induces higher pro-inflammatory transcriptional responses during the first 4 hours of interaction with bacterium, evident in the upregulation of several genes relevant to Nf-κB, phosphatases, prostaglandins, and TNF-α, along with decreases in expression levels of genes for mitochondrial components. Both bacterial strains induce apoptosis, but in the toxigenic strain-challenged cells, apoptosis is delayed.

Conclusion

This delay in apoptosis occurs despite the much higher level of TNF-α secretion induced by the toxigenic-strain challenge. Interestingly, CFLAR, an important apoptotic inhibitor which blocks apoptosis induced by large amounts of extracellular TNF-α, is upregulated significantly during toxigenic-strain infection, but not at all during non-toxigenic-strain infection, indicating that it may play a role in blocking or delaying TNF-α-mediated apoptosis. The suppression of apoptosis by the toxigenic anthrax strain is consistent with the notion that apoptosis itself may represent a protective host cell response.

Critical role of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3 signaling pathway in recovery from anthrax lethal toxin-induced cell cycle arrest and MEK cleavage in macrophages

Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) is a virulence factor causing immune suppression and toxic shock of Bacillus anthracis infected host. It inhibits cytokine production and cell proliferation/differentiation in various immune cells. This study showed that a brief exposure of LeTx caused a continual MEK1 cleavage and prevented tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) production in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in non-proliferating cells such as human peripheral blood mononuclear cells or mouse primary peritoneal macrophages. In human monocytic cell lines U-937 and THP-1, LeTx induced cell cycle arrest in G0-G1 phase by rapid down-regulation of cyclin D1/D2 and checkpoint kinase 1 through MEK1 inhibition. However, THP-1 cells adaptively adjusted to LeTx and overrode cell cycle arrest by activating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway. Inhibitory Ser-9 phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) by Akt prevented proteasome-mediated cyclin D1 degradation and induced cell cycle progress in LeTx-intoxicated THP-1 cells. Recovery from cell cycle arrest was required before recovering from on-going MEK1 cleavage and suppression of TNF production. Furthermore, pretreatment with LeTx or the GSK3-specific inhibitor SB-216763, or transfection with dominant active mutant Akt or degradation-defected mutant cyclin D1 protected cells from LeTx-induced cell cycle arrest, on-going MEK1 cleavage and suppression of TNF production. These results indicate that modulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/GSK3beta signaling cascades can be beneficial for protecting or facilitating recovery from cellular LeTx intoxication in cells that depend on basal MEK1 activity for proliferation.

Proteasomes control caspase-1 activation in anthrax lethal toxin-mediated cell killing

Activation of caspase-1 through the inflammasome protein Nalp1b controls anthrax lethal toxin (LT)-induced necrosis in murine macrophages. In this study we analyzed physiological changes controlled by caspase-1 in LT-treated murine macrophages. The caspase-1 inhibitor Boc-D-cmk blocked caspase-1 activity and membrane impairment in LT-treated cells. To determine the relationship between caspase-1 activation and membrane integrity, we added Boc-D-cmk to J774A.1 macrophages at different time points following LT exposure. Remarkably, Boc-D-cmk rescued LT-treated macrophages, even when added at the peak of caspase-1 activation. Late addition of the caspase-1 inhibitor reversed the losses of plasma membrane integrity and metabolic activity in these cells. Similar results were obtained with the proteasome inhibitor MG132, one of the most potent inhibitors of LT toxicity. LT-treated macrophages displaying evidence of membrane impairment recovered upon the addition of MG132, mirroring the Boc-D-cmk response. Strikingly, late addition of proteasome inhibitors also abrogated caspase-1 activity in LT-treated macrophages. Proteasomal control of caspase-1 activity and membrane impairment, however, was restricted to LT-induced cytolysis, because proteasome inhibitors did not block caspase-1 activation and cell death triggered by lipopolysaccharide and nigericin. Our findings indicate that proteasome inhibitors do not target caspase-1 directly but instead control an upstream event in LT-treated macrophages leading to caspase-1 activation. Taken together, caspase-1-mediated necrosis appears to be tightly controlled and differentially regulated by proteasomes depending on the source of caspase-1 induction.

Anthrax lethal toxin-induced inflammasome formation and caspase-1 activation are late events dependent on ion fluxes and the proteasome

Anthrax lethal toxin (LT) is cytotoxic to macrophages from certain inbred mouse strains. The gene controlling macrophage susceptibility to LT is Nalp1b. Nalp1b forms part of the inflammasome, a multiprotein complex involved in caspase-1 activation and release of interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-18. We confirm the role of caspase-1 in LT-mediated death by showing that caspase inhibitors differentially protected cells against LT, with the degree of protection corresponding to each compound's ability to inhibit caspase-1. Caspase-1 activation and cytokine processing and release were late events inhibited by elevated levels of KCl and sucrose, by potassium channel blockers, and by proteasome inhibitors, suggesting that inflammasome formation requires a protein-degradation event and occurs downstream of LT-mediated potassium efflux. In addition, IL-18 and IL-1beta release was dependent on cell death, indicating that caspase-1-mediated cytotoxicity is independent of these cytokines. Finally, inducing NALP3-inflammasome formation in LT-resistant macrophages did not sensitize cells to LT, suggesting that general caspase-1 activation cannot account for sensitivity to LT and that a Nalp1b-mediated event is specifically required for death. Our data indicate that inflammasome formation is a contributing, but not initiating, event in LT-mediated cytotoxicity and that earlier LT-mediated events leading to ion fluxes are required for death.

Mitochondrial Proteins Bnip3 and Bnip3L Are Involved in Anthrax Lethal Toxin-induced Macrophage Cell Death

Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) induces rapid cell death of RAW246.7 macrophages. We recently found that a small population of these macrophages is spontaneously and temporally refractory to LeTx-induced cytotoxicity. Analysis of genome-wide transcripts of a resistant clone before and after regaining LeTx sensitivity revealed that a reduction of two closely related mitochondrial proteins, Bcl-2/adenovirus E1B 19-kDa interacting protein 3 (Bnip3) and Bnip3-like (Bnip3L), correlates with LeTx resistance. Down-regulation of Bnip3 and Bnip3L was also found in "toxin-induced resistance" whereby sublethal doses of LeTx induce resistance to subsequent exposure to cytolytic toxin doses. The role of Bnip3 and Bnip3L in LeTx-induced cell death was confirmed by showing that overexpression of either Bnip3 or Bnip3L rendered the resistant cells susceptible to LeTx, whereas down-regulation of Bnip3 and Bnip3L in wild-type macrophages conferred resistance. The down-regulation of Bnip3 and Bnip3L mRNAs by LeTx occurred at both transcriptional and mRNA stability levels. Inhibition of the p38 pathway by lethal factor was responsible for the destabilization of Bnip3/Bnip3L mRNAs as confirmed by showing that p38 inhibitors stabilized Bnip3 and Bnip3L mRNAs and conferred resistance to LeTx cytotoxicity. Therefore, Bnip3/Bnip3L play a crucial role in LeTx-induced cytotoxicity, and down-regulation of Bnip3/Bnip3L is a mechanism of spontaneous or toxin-induced resistance of macrophages.

Mutagenesis by retroviral insertion in chemical mutagen-generated quasi-haploid mammalian cells

Diploidy is a major obstacle to the mutagenic analysis of function in cultured mammalian cells. Here, we show that 6–8 rounds of chemical mutagenesis generates quasi-haploid cells that can be used as targets for insertional mutagenesis using a specially designed retroviral vector that permits rapid identification of disrupted genes in each cell that bears a phenotype of interest. The utility of combined chemical and insertional mutagenesis is illustrated by the identification of novel host genes that are required for macrophage sensitivity to anthrax lethal factor.

Manipulation of host signalling pathways by anthrax toxins

Infectious microbes face an unwelcoming environment in their mammalian hosts, which have evolved elaborate multicelluar systems for recognition and elimination of invading pathogens. A common strategy used by pathogenic bacteria to establish infection is to secrete protein factors that block intracellular signalling pathways essential for host defence. Some of these proteins also act as toxins, directly causing pathology associated with disease. Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax, secretes two plasmid-encoded enzymes, LF (lethal factor) and EF (oedema factor), that are delivered into host cells by a third bacterial protein, PA (protective antigen). The two toxins act on a variety of cell types, disabling the immune system and inevitably killing the host. LF is an extraordinarily selective metalloproteinase that site-specifically cleaves MKKs (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases). Cleavage of MKKs by LF prevents them from activating their downstream MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) substrates by disrupting a critical docking interaction. Blockade of MAPK signalling functionally impairs cells of both the innate and adaptive immune systems and induces cell death in macrophages. EF is an adenylate cyclase that is activated by calmodulin through a non-canonical mechanism. EF causes sustained and potent activation of host cAMP-dependent signalling pathways, which disables phagocytes. Here I review recent progress in elucidating the mechanisms by which LF and EF influence host signalling and thereby contribute to disease.

Chemical Genetic Screening Identifies Critical Pathways in Anthrax Lethal Toxin-Induced Pathogenesis

Anthrax lethal toxin (LT)-induced cell death via mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK) cleavage remains questionable. Here, a chemical genetics approach was used to investigate what pathways mediate LT-induced cell death. Several small molecules were found to protect macrophages from anthrax LT cytotoxicity and MAPKK from cleavage by lethal factor (LF), without inhibiting LF enzymatic activity or cellular proteasome activity. Interestingly, the compounds activated MAPK-signaling molecules, induced proinflammatory cytokine production, and inhibited LT-induced macrophage apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. We propose that induction of antiapoptotic responses by MAPK-dependent or -independent pathways and activation of host innate responses may protect macrophages from anthrax LT-induced cell death. Altering host responses through a chemical genetics approach can help identify critical cellular pathways involved in the pathogenesis of anthrax and can be exploited to further explore host-pathogen interactions.

Bacillus anthracis toxins inhibit human neutrophil NADPH oxidase activity

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium. B. anthracis virulence is ascribed mainly to a secreted tripartite AB-type toxin composed of three proteins designated protective Ag (PA), lethal factor, and edema factor. PA assembles with the enzymatic portions of the toxin, the metalloprotease lethal factor, and/or the adenylate cyclase edema factor, to generate lethal toxin (LTx) and edema toxin (ETx), respectively. These toxins enter cells through the interaction of PA with specific cell surface receptors. The anthrax toxins act to suppress innate immune responses and, given the importance of human neutrophils in innate immunity, they are likely relevant targets of the anthrax toxin. We have investigated in detail the effects of B. anthracis toxin on superoxide production by primary human neutrophils. Both LTx and ETx exhibit distinct inhibitory effects on fMLP (and C5a) receptor-mediated superoxide production, but have no effect on PMA nonreceptor-dependent superoxide production. These inhibitory effects cannot be accounted for by induction of neutrophil death, or by changes in stimulatory receptor levels. Analysis of NADPH oxidase regulation using whole cell and cell-free systems suggests that the toxins do not exert direct effects on NADPH oxidase components, but rather act via their respective effects, inhibition of MAPK signaling (LTx), and elevation of intracellular cAMP (ETx), to inhibit upstream signaling components mediating NADPH oxidase assembly and/or activation. Our results demonstrate that anthrax toxins effectively suppress human neutrophil-mediated innate immunity by inhibiting their ability to generate superoxide for bacterial killing.

Anthrax oedema toxin induces anthrax toxin receptor expression in monocyte-derived cells

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, secretes two bipartite toxins that help the bacterium evade the immune system and contribute directly to pathogenesis. Both toxin catalytic moieties, lethal factor (LF) and oedema factor (OF), are internalized into the host-cell cytosol by a third factor, protective antigen (PA), which binds to cellular anthrax toxin receptors (ANTXRs). Oedema factor is an adenylate cyclase that impairs host defences by raising cellular cAMP levels. Here we demonstrate that oedema toxin (PA + OF) induces an increase in ANTXR expression levels in macrophages and dendritic cells resulting in an increased rate of toxin internalization. Furthermore, we show that increases in ANTXR mRNA levels depends on the ability of OF to increase cAMP levels, is mediated through protein kinase A-directed signalling and is monocyte-lineage-specific. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a bacterial toxin inducing host target cells to increase toxin receptor expression.

Regulation of Apoptosis by Gram-Positive Bacteria: Mechanistic Diversity and Consequences for Immunity

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death (PCD), is an important physiological mechanism, through which the human immune system regulates homeostasis and responds to diverse forms of cellular damage. PCD may also be involved in immune counteraction to microbial infection. Over the past decade, the amount of research on bacteria-induced PCD has grown tremendously, and the implications of this mechanism on immunity are being elucidated. Some pathogenic bacteria actively trigger the suicide response in critical lineages of leukocytes that orchestrate both the innate and adaptive immune responses; other bacteria proactively prevent PCD to benefit their own survival and persistence. Currently, the microbial virulence factors, which represent the keys to unlocking the suicide response in host cells, are a primary focus of this field. In this review, we discuss these bacterial "apoptosis regulatory molecules" and the apoptotic events they either trigger or prevent, the host target cells of this regulatory activity, and the possible ramifications for immunity to infection. Gram-positive pathogens including Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Listeria, and Clostridia species are discussed as important agents of human infection that modulate PCD pathways in eukaryotic cells.

Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling by Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin causes destabilization of interleukin-8 mRNA

Bacillus anthracis must overcome host innate immune defences to establish a systemic anthrax infection. This is facilitated in part by lethal toxin (LT), a secreted virulence factor that consists of a cell-binding moiety, protective antigen (PA), and an enzymatic moiety, lethal factor (LF). PA binds cells through protein receptors and mediates the delivery of LF to the cytosol. LF is a protease that cleaves amino-terminal fragments from mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MAPKKs), preventing phosphorylation of their downstream targets. Here we report that LT reduces the amount of interleukin (IL)-8 produced and secreted by human endothelial cells. The reduction of IL-8 levels by LT was not attributable to reduced expression from the IL-8 promoter, but resulted from destabilization of IL-8 mRNA. Destabilization by LT was mediated through the 3' untranslated region of the IL-8 transcript and could be mimicked by pharmacological inhibitors of MAPK pathways. LT diminished the induction of IL-8 mRNA and protein by lipopolysaccharide, indicating that the toxin can impair the ability of these cells to initiate an immune response. Destabilization of a cytokine transcript represents a new interference strategy used by either a bacterial or viral pathogen to reduce cytokine expression and may help B. anthracis to evade host immune defences.

Nalp1b controls mouse macrophage susceptibility to anthrax lethal toxin

The pathogenesis of Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax, depends on secretion of three factors that combine to form two bipartite toxins. Edema toxin, consisting of protective antigen (PA) and edema factor (EF), causes the edema associated with cutaneous anthrax infections, whereas lethal toxin (LeTx), consisting of PA and lethal factor (LF), is believed to be responsible for causing death in systemic anthrax infections. EF and LF can be transported by PA into the cytosol of many cell types. In mouse macrophages, LF can cause rapid necrosis that may be related to the pathology of systemic infections. Inbred mouse strains display variable sensitivity to LeTx-induced macrophage necrosis. This trait difference has been mapped to a locus on chromosome 11 named Ltxs1 (refs. 7,8). Here we show that an extremely polymorphic gene in this locus, Nalp1b, is the primary mediator of mouse macrophage susceptibility to LeTx. We also show that LeTx-induced macrophage death requires caspase-1, which is activated in susceptible, but not resistant, macrophages after intoxication, suggesting that Nalp1b directly or indirectly activates caspase-1 in response to LeTx.

MyD88-dependent signaling contributes to protection following Bacillus anthracis spore challenge of mice: implications for Toll-like receptor signaling

Bacillus anthracis is a spore-forming, gram-positive organism that is the causative agent of the disease anthrax. Recognition of Bacillus anthracis by the host innate immune system likely plays a key protective role following infection. In the present study, we examined the role of TLR2, TLR4, and MyD88 in the response to B. anthracis. Heat-killed Bacillus anthracis stimulated TLR2, but not TLR4, signaling in HEK293 cells and stimulated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production in C3H/HeN, C3H/HeJ, and C57BL/6J bone marrow-derived macrophages. The ability of heat-killed B. anthracis to induce a TNF-alpha response was preserved in TLR2-/- but not in MyD88-/- macrophages. In vivo studies revealed that TLR2-/- mice and TLR4-deficient mice were resistant to challenge with aerosolized Sterne strain spores but MyD88-/- mice were as susceptible as A/J mice. We conclude that, although recognition of B. anthracis occurs via TLR2, additional MyD88-dependent pathways contribute to the host innate immune response to anthrax infection.

Anthrax lethal toxin-mediated killing of human and murine dendritic cells impairs the adaptive immune response

Many pathogens have acquired strategies to combat the immune response. Bacillus anthracis interferes with host defenses by releasing anthrax lethal toxin (LT), which inactivates mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, rendering dendritic cells (DCs) and T lymphocytes nonresponsive to immune stimulation. However, these cell types are considered resistant to killing by LT. Here we show that LT kills primary human DCs in vitro, and murine DCs in vitro and in vivo. Kinetics of LT-mediated killing of murine DCs, as well as cell death pathways induced, were dependent upon genetic background: LT triggered rapid necrosis in BALB/c-derived DCs, and slow apoptosis in C57BL/6-derived DCs. This is consistent with rapid and slow killing of LT-injected BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, respectively. We present evidence that anthrax LT impairs adaptive immunity by specifically targeting DCs. This may represent an immune-evasion strategy of the bacterium, and contribute to anthrax disease progression. We also established that genetic background determines whether apoptosis or necrosis is induced by LT. Finally, killing of C57BL/6-derived DCs by LT mirrors that of human DCs, suggesting that C57BL/6 DCs represent a better model system for human anthrax than the prototypical BALB/c macrophages.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized white blood cells that identify and present antigens to immune cells, T cells, in order to mount an immune response targeted against specific pathogens. DCs are critical to a host's defense against infection. Previous work has shown that the anthrax bacterium disables many immune cells, including DCs, through the action of a released toxin, lethal toxin. Here the authors show that lethal toxin efficiently kills both human and murine DCs. The means by which DCs were killed by the anthrax toxin were notably distinct and dependent on their genetic background. Human DCs, as well as those derived from the murine strain C57BL/6, died over the course of 72 h via activation of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. DCs from BALB/c mice, however, died rapidly of a necrotic cell death following toxin exposure. As human and C57BL/6 DCs share an identical response to anthrax toxin, C57BL/6 mice appear to provide an excellent model for human anthrax. The study's findings suggest that specific targeting of DCs by the anthrax toxin impairs the immune response of the infected host, and the authors believe that this strategy promotes spread of the bacterium and disease progression.

Anthrax lethal toxin enhances cytokine-induced VCAM-1 expression on human endothelial cells

Vascular endothelial dysfunction is thought to play a prominent role in systemic anthrax pathogenesis. We examined the effect of anthrax lethal toxin (LTx), a key virulence factor of Bacillus anthracis, on the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) on normal and cytokine-stimulated human lung microvascular endothelial cells. Confluent endothelial monolayers were treated with lethal factor (LF), protective antigen (PA), or both (LTx) in the presence or absence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). LTx enhanced cytokine-induced VCAM-1 expression and monocyte adhesion. LTx alone had no effect on VCAM-1 expression. LF, PA or the combination of a catalytically inactive mutant LF and PA failed to enhance cytokine-induced VCAM-1 expression. Treatment with inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MEKs) and mitogen-activated protein kinases did not reproduce the VCAM-1 enhancement effect of LTx, a known MEK metalloprotease, suggesting LTx-mediated MEK cleavage may not be a contributing factor.

Identification of eight genes that are potentially involved in tamoxifen sensitivity in breast cancer cells

Although the antiestrogen agent tamoxifen has long been used to treat women with hormone receptor positive invasive breast carcinoma, the mechanisms of its action and acquired resistance to tamoxifen during treatment are largely unknown. A number of studies have revealed that over-activation of some signaling pathways can cause tamoxifen resistance; however, very little information is available regarding the genes whose loss-of-function alternation contribute to tamoxifen resistance. Here we used a forward genetic approach in vitro to generate tamoxifen resistant cells from the tamoxifen sensitive breast cancer cell line ZR-75-1, and further identified the disrupted gene in different tamoxifen resistant clones. Retinol binding protein 7, DNA polymerase-transactivated protein 3, g-glutamyltransferase-like activity 1, slit-robo RhoGTPase-activating protein, tetraspan NET-4, HSPC194, amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel gene, and Notch2, were the eight mutated genes identified in different tamoxifen resistant clones, suggesting their requirement for tamoxifen sensitivity in ZR-75-1 cells. Since the functions of these genes are not related to each other, it suggests that multiple pathways can influence tamoxifen sensitivity in breast cancer cells.

Anthrax lethal toxin induces endothelial barrier dysfunction

Hemorrhage and pleural effusion are prominent pathological features of systemic anthrax infection. We examined the effect of anthrax lethal toxin (LT), a major virulence factor of Bacillus anthracis, on the barrier function of primary human lung microvascular endothelial cells. We also examined the distribution patterns of cytoskeletal actin and vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cadherin), both of which are involved in barrier function regulation. Endothelial monolayers cultured on porous membrane inserts were treated with the LT components lethal factor (LF) and protective antigen (PA) individually, or in combination. LT induced a concentration- and time-dependent decrease in transendothelial electrical resistance that correlated with increased permeability to fluorescently labeled albumin. LT also produced a marked increase in central actin stress fibers and significantly altered VE-cadherin distribution as revealed by immunofluorescence microscopy and cell surface enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Treatment with LF, PA, or the combination of an inactive LF mutant and PA did not alter barrier function or the distribution of actin or VE-cadherin. LT-induced barrier dysfunction was not dependent on endothelial apoptosis or necrosis. The present findings support a possible role for LT-induced barrier dysfunction in the vascular permeability changes accompanying systemic anthrax infection.

Differential susceptibility of macrophage cell lines to Bacillus anthracis–Vollum 1B

Bacillus anthracis (BA) is a spore forming bacterium and the causative agent of anthrax disease. Macrophages (Mphis) play a central role in anthrax disease. An important step in disease progression is the ability of BA to secrete lethal toxin (LeTx) that kills Mphis. LeTx is a heterodimer composed of protective antigen (PA) and lethal factor (LF). Researchers have shown that Mphi cell lines demonstrate differential susceptibility to purified LeTx; for example RAW264.7 and J774A.1 Mphis are sensitive to LeTx whereas IC-21 Mphis are resistant. Research has also suggested that exogenous factors, including other BA proteins, can influence the activity of LeTx. For this reason, the objective of the current work was to examine if RAW264.7, J774A.1, and IC-21 Mphis demonstrated differential susceptibility when cultured with a LeTx-producing strain of BA. Here, we co-cultured Mphis with LeTx+ Vollum 1B (V1B) spores for >15 h and assayed for Mphi cell death by morphology, trypan blue (TB) staining, neutral red (NR) activity, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the culture media. Following the addition of V1B spores, necrosis (approximately 50% mortality) was observed in RAW264.7 and J774A.1 Mphis at 7.5 and 10 h, respectively. By 15 h, both RAW264.7 and J774A.1 Mphis demonstrated 100% mortality. In contrast, IC-21 Mphis, under identical culture conditions, remained viable (98%) and activated throughout the course of the experiment (>24 h). The mechanism of RAW264.7 cell death appeared to involve LeTx because the V1B-induced cytotoxicity was dose-dependently reversed by the addition of anti-PA antibody to the culture media. These observations suggest there is differential susceptibility of Mphi cell lines to the LeTx+ V1B strain of BA. Further development of this in vitro model may be useful to further characterize the interactions between Mphis and BA spores.

Interactions between anthrax toxin receptors and protective antigen

Since the anthrax mail attacks of 2001, much has been learned about the interactions between anthrax toxin and its receptors. Two distinct cellular receptors for anthrax toxin have been identified and are designated capillary morphogenesis protein 2 (CMG2) and anthrax toxin receptor/tumor endothelial marker 8 (ATR/TEM8). The molecular details of the toxin-receptor interactions have been revealed through crystallographic, biochemical and genetic studies. In addition, a novel pathway by which anthrax toxin enters cells is starting to be uncovered.

Differentiation of human monocytic cell lines confers susceptibility to Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin

Anthrax lethal toxin (LT) is comprised of protective antigen and lethal factor. Lethal factor enters mammalian cells in a protective antigen-dependent process and cleaves mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases. Although LT has no observable effect on many cell types, it causes necrosis in macrophages derived from certain mouse strains and apoptosis in activated mouse macrophages. In this study, we observed that LT treatment of three different human monocytic cell lines U-937, HL-60 and THP-1 did not induce cell death. Cells did become susceptible to the toxin, however, after differentiation into a macrophage-like state. Treatment with LT resulted in decreased phosphorylation of p38, ERK1/2 and JNK in both undifferentiated and differentiated HL-60 cells, suggesting that the change in susceptibility does not result from differences in toxin delivery or substrate cleavage. Death of differentiated HL-60 cells was accompanied by chromosome condensation and DNA fragmentation, but was not inhibited by the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. In addition, we observed that the macrophage differentiation process could be inhibited by LT. Our results indicate that LT-mediated death of mouse and human macrophages may occur through distinct processes and that the differentiation state of human cells can determine susceptibility or resistance to LT.

Rabbit and nonhuman primate models of toxin-targeting human anthrax vaccines

The intentional use of Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, as a bioterrorist weapon in late 2001 made our society acutely aware of the importance of developing, testing, and stockpiling adequate countermeasures against biological attacks. Biodefense vaccines are an important component of our arsenal to be used during a biological attack. However, most of the agents considered significant threats either have been eradicated or rarely infect humans alive today. As such, vaccine efficacy cannot be determined in human clinical trials but must be extrapolated from experimental animal models. This article reviews the efficacy and immunogenicity of human anthrax vaccines in well-defined animal models and the progress toward developing a rugged immunologic correlate of protection. The ongoing evaluation of human anthrax vaccines will be dependent on animal efficacy data in the absence of human efficacy data for licensure by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Binary bacterial toxins: biochemistry, biology, and applications of common Clostridium and Bacillus proteins

Certain pathogenic species of Bacillus and Clostridium have developed unique methods for intoxicating cells that employ the classic enzymatic "A-B" paradigm for protein toxins. The binary toxins produced by B. anthracis, B. cereus, C. botulinum, C. difficile, C. perfringens, and C. spiroforme consist of components not physically associated in solution that are linked to various diseases in humans, animals, or insects. The "B" components are synthesized as precursors that are subsequently activated by serine-type proteases on the targeted cell surface and/or in solution. Following release of a 20-kDa N-terminal peptide, the activated "B" components form homoheptameric rings that subsequently dock with an "A" component(s) on the cell surface. By following an acidified endosomal route and translocation into the cytosol, "A" molecules disable a cell (and host organism) via disruption of the actin cytoskeleton, increasing intracellular levels of cyclic AMP, or inactivation of signaling pathways linked to mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases. Recently, B. anthracis has gleaned much notoriety as a biowarfare/bioterrorism agent, and of primary interest has been the edema and lethal toxins, their role in anthrax, as well as the development of efficacious vaccines and therapeutics targeting these virulence factors and ultimately B. anthracis. This review comprehensively surveys the literature and discusses the similarities, as well as distinct differences, between each Clostridium and Bacillus binary toxin in terms of their biochemistry, biology, genetics, structure, and applications in science and medicine. The information may foster future studies that aid novel vaccine and drug development, as well as a better understanding of a conserved intoxication process utilized by various gram-positive, spore-forming bacteria.

Mouse susceptibility to anthrax lethal toxin is influenced by genetic factors in addition to those controlling macrophage sensitivity

Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin (LT) produces symptoms of anthrax in mice and induces rapid lysis of macrophages (M phi) derived from certain inbred strains. We used nine inbred strains and two inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) knockout C57BL/6J strains polymorphic for the LT M phi sensitivity Kif1C locus to analyze the role of M phi sensitivity (to lysis) in LT-mediated cytokine responses and lethality. LT-mediated induction of cytokines KC, MCP-1/JE, MIP-2, eotaxin, and interleukin-1 beta occurred only in mice having LT-sensitive M phi. However, while iNOS knockout C57BL/6J mice having LT-sensitive M phi were much more susceptible to LT than the knockout mice with LT-resistant M phi, a comparison of susceptibilities to LT in the larger set of inbred mouse strains showed a lack of correlation between M phi sensitivity and animal susceptibility to toxin. For example, C3H/HeJ mice, harboring LT-sensitive M phi and having the associated LT-mediated cytokine response, were more resistant than mice with LT-resistant M phi and no cytokine burst. Toll-like receptor 4 (Tlr4)-deficient, lipopolysaccharide-nonresponsive mice were not more resistant to LT. We also found that CAST/Ei mice are uniquely sensitive to LT and may provide an economical bioassay for toxin-directed therapeutics. The data indicate that while the cytokine response to LT in mice requires M phi lysis and while M phi sensitivity in the C57BL/6J background is sufficient for BALB/cJ-like mortality of that strain, the contribution of M phi sensitivity and cytokine response to animal susceptibility to LT differs among other inbred strains. Thus, LT-mediated lethality in mice is influenced by genetic factors in addition to those controlling M phi lysis and cytokine response and is independent of Tlr4 function.

Novel repression of the glucocorticoid receptor by anthrax lethal toxin

Death from anthrax has been reported to occur from systemic shock. The lethal toxin (LeTx) is the major effector of anthrax mortality. Although the mechanism of entry of this toxin into cells is well understood, its actions once inside the cell are not as well understood. LeTx is known to cleave and inactivate MAPKKs. We have recently shown that LeTx represses the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) both in vitro and in vivo. This repression is partial and specific, repressing the glucocorticoid, progesterone, and estrogen receptor alpha, but not the mineralocorticoid or estrogen receptor beta. This toxin does not affect GR ligand or DNA binding, and we have suggested that it may function by removing/inactivating one or more of the many cofactors involved in nuclear hormone receptor signaling. Although the precise involvement of this nuclear hormone receptor repression in LeTx toxicity is unknown, examples of blunted HPA axis and glucocorticoid signaling in numerous autoimmune/inflammatory diseases suggest that such repression of critically important receptors could have deleterious effects on health.

Anthrax toxins

Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, secretes three polypeptides that assemble into toxic complexes on the cell surfaces of the host it infects. One of these polypeptides, protective antigen (PA), binds to the integrin-like domains of ubiquitously expressed membrane proteins of mammalian cells. PA is then cleaved by membrane endoproteases of the furin family. Cleaved PA molecules assemble into heptamers, which can then associate with the two other secreted polypeptides: edema factor (EF) and/or lethal factor (LF). The heptamers of PA are relocalized to lipid rafts where they are quickly endocytosed and routed to an acidic compartment. The low pH triggers a conformational change in the heptamers, resulting in the formation of cation-specific channels and the translocation of EF/LF. EF is a calcium- and calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase that dramatically raises the intracellular concentration of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). LF is a zinc-dependent endoprotease that cleaves the amino terminus of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (Meks). Cleaved Meks cannot bind to their substrates and have reduced kinase activity, resulting in alterations of the signaling pathways they govern. The structures of PA, PA heptamer, EF, and LF have been solved and much is now known about the molecular details of the intoxication mechanism. The in vivo action of the toxins, on the other hand, is still poorly understood and hotly debated. A better understanding of the toxins will help in the design of much-needed anti-toxin drugs and the development of new toxin-based medical applications.

Tyrosine-728 and glutamic acid-735 are essential for the metalloproteolytic activity of the lethal factor of Bacillus anthracis

The lethal factor (LF) of Bacillus anthracis is a Zn2+-endopeptidase specific for the MAPK-kinase family of proteins. The catalytic zinc atom is coordinated by a first shell of residues including the two histidines and the glutamate of the zinc-binding motif HExxH and by Glu-735. A characteristic feature of LF is the presence, within the second shell of residues, of a tyrosine (Tyr-728) in close proximity (3.3 A) to the zinc atom. To investigate the role of Tyr-728 and Glu-735, LF mutants with one or both of these two residues replaced by Ala were cloned, expressed, and purified from Escherichia coli. A fourth mutant was obtained by replacing Tyr-728 with Phe. Spectroscopic analysis of these mutants indicates that they fold in the same way as the parental molecule and that zinc stabilizes the structure of LF. These mutants have neither proteolytic activity nor in vivo toxicity. The possible role of Tyr-728 in catalysis is discussed.

Susceptibility to anthrax lethal toxin is controlled by three linked quantitative trait loci

Anthrax lethal toxin (LT) is the principal virulence factor associated with lethal pathologies following infection with Bacillus anthracis. Macrophages are the primary effector cells mediating lethality since macrophage-depleted mice are resistant to LT challenge. Recently, Ltxs1, the gene controlling differential susceptibility of murine macrophages to cytolysis following in vitro exposure to LT, was identified as Kif1c. To directly assess the in vivo role of Kif1c alleles in mortality, we studied a panel of interval-specific recombinant congenic lines carrying various segments of central chromosome 11 derived from LT-resistant DBA/2 mice on the LT-susceptible BALB/c background. The results of this study reveal that mortality is controlled by three linked quantitative trait loci (QTL): Ltxs1/Kif1c (42-43 cM), Ltxs2 (35-37 cM), and Ltxs3 (45-47 cM). The Ltxs3 interval encompasses Nos2, which is an attractive candidate gene for Ltxs3. In this regard, we demonstrate that selective, pharmacologically based inhibition of Nos2 activity in vivo partially overrides genetic resistance to LT and that Nos2 expression as determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction differs significantly between DBA/2 and BALB/c macrophages. Additionally, to recapitulate dominant resistance to mortality as seen in (BALB/c x DBA/2) F(1) hybrids, DBA/2 alleles are required at all three QTL.