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Maier L, Stein-Thoeringer C, Ley RE, Brötz-Oesterhelt H, Link H, Ziemert N, Wagner S, Peschel A. Integrating research on bacterial pathogens and commensals to fight infections-an ecological perspective. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2024; 5:100843. [PMID: 38608681 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(24)00049-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections is increasing, and development of new antibiotics has been deprioritised by the pharmaceutical industry. Interdisciplinary research approaches, based on the ecological principles of bacterial fitness, competition, and transmission, could open new avenues to combat antibiotic-resistant infections. Many facultative bacterial pathogens use human mucosal surfaces as their major reservoirs and induce infectious diseases to aid their lateral transmission to new host organisms under some pathological states of the microbiome and host. Beneficial bacterial commensals can outcompete specific pathogens, thereby lowering the capacity of the pathogens to spread and cause serious infections. Despite the clinical relevance, however, the understanding of commensal-pathogen interactions in their natural habitats remains poor. In this Personal View, we highlight directions to intensify research on the interactions between bacterial pathogens and commensals in the context of human microbiomes and host biology that can lead to the development of innovative and sustainable ways of preventing and treating infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Maier
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections" (CMFI), Tübingen, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, partner site, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Stein-Thoeringer
- Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections" (CMFI), Tübingen, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, partner site, Tübingen, Germany; Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ruth E Ley
- Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections" (CMFI), Tübingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Heike Brötz-Oesterhelt
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections" (CMFI), Tübingen, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, partner site, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hannes Link
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections" (CMFI), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nadine Ziemert
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections" (CMFI), Tübingen, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, partner site, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Samuel Wagner
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections" (CMFI), Tübingen, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, partner site, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections" (CMFI), Tübingen, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, partner site, Tübingen, Germany.
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2
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Carrica MDC, Gorgojo JP, Alvarez-Hayes J, Valdez HA, Lamberti YA, Rodriguez ME. BPP0974 is a Bordetella parapertussis adhesin expressed in the avirulent phase, implicated in biofilm formation and intracellular survival. Microb Pathog 2024; 193:106754. [PMID: 38897361 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
B. parapertussis is a bacterium that causes whooping cough, a severe respiratory infection disease, that has shown an increased incidence in the population. Upon transmission through aerosol droplets, the initial steps of host colonization critically depend on the bacterial adhesins. We here described BPP0974, a B. parapertussis protein that exhibits the typical domain architecture of the large repetitive RTX adhesin family. BPP0974 was found to be retained in the bacterial membrane and secreted into the culture medium. This protein was found overexpressed in the avirulent phase of B. parapertussis, the phenotype proposed for initial host colonization. Interestingly, BPP0974 was found relevant for the biofilm formation as well as involved in the bacterial attachment to and survival within the respiratory epithelial cells. Taken together, our results suggest a role for BPP0974 in the early host colonization and pathogenesis of B. parapertussis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariela Del Carmen Carrica
- CINDEFI (UNLP, CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
| | - Juan Pablo Gorgojo
- CINDEFI (UNLP, CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Jimena Alvarez-Hayes
- CINDEFI (UNLP, CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Hugo Alberto Valdez
- CINDEFI (UNLP, CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Yanina Andrea Lamberti
- CINDEFI (UNLP, CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Maria Eugenia Rodriguez
- CINDEFI (UNLP, CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
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3
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Parrish KM, Gestal MC. Eosinophils as drivers of bacterial immunomodulation and persistence. Infect Immun 2024:e0017524. [PMID: 39007622 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00175-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, eosinophils have been linked to parasitic infections and pathological disease states. However, emerging literature has unveiled a more nuanced and intricate role for these cells, demonstrating their key functions in maintaining mucosal homeostasis. Eosinophils exhibit diverse phenotypes and exert multifaceted effects during infections, ranging from promoting pathogen persistence to triggering allergic reactions. Our investigations primarily focus on Bordetella spp., with particular emphasis on Bordetella bronchiseptica, a natural murine pathogen that induces diseases in mice akin to pertussis in humans. Recent findings from our published work have unveiled a striking interaction between B. bronchiseptica and eosinophils, facilitated by the btrS-mediated mechanism. This interaction serves to enhance pathogen persistence while concurrently delaying adaptive immune responses. Notably, this role of eosinophils is only noted in the absence of a functional btrS signaling pathway, indicating that wild-type B. bronchiseptica, and possibly other Bordetella spp., possess such adeptness in manipulating eosinophils that the true function of these cells remains obscured during infection. In this review, we present the mounting evidence pointing toward eosinophils as targets of bacterial exploitation, facilitating pathogen persistence and fostering chronic infections in diverse mucosal sites, including the lungs, gut, and skin. We underscore the pivotal role of the master regulator of Bordetella pathogenesis, the sigma factor BtrS, in orchestrating eosinophil-dependent immunomodulation within the context of pulmonary infection. These putative convergent strategies of targeting eosinophils offer promising avenues for the development of novel therapeutics targeting respiratory and other mucosal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn M Parrish
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
| | - Monica C Gestal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
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4
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Peng Y, Williams MM, Xiaoli L, Simon A, Fueston H, Tondella ML, Weigand MR. Strengthening Bordetella pertussis genomic surveillance by direct sequencing of residual positive specimens. J Clin Microbiol 2024; 62:e0165323. [PMID: 38445858 PMCID: PMC11005353 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01653-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of microbial pathogens recovered from patients with infectious disease facilitates high-resolution strain characterization and molecular epidemiology. However, increasing reliance on culture-independent methods to diagnose infectious diseases has resulted in few isolates available for WGS. Here, we report a novel culture-independent approach to genome characterization of Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of pertussis and a paradigm for insufficient genomic surveillance due to limited culture of clinical isolates. Sequencing libraries constructed directly from residual pertussis-positive diagnostic nasopharyngeal specimens were hybridized with biotinylated RNA "baits" targeting B. pertussis fragments within complex mixtures that contained high concentrations of host and microbial background DNA. Recovery of B. pertussis genome sequence data was evaluated with mock and pooled negative clinical specimens spiked with reducing concentrations of either purified DNA or inactivated cells. Targeted enrichment increased the yield of B. pertussis sequencing reads up to 90% while simultaneously decreasing host reads to less than 10%. Filtered sequencing reads provided sufficient genome coverage to perform characterization via whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphisms and whole-genome multilocus sequencing typing. Moreover, these data were concordant with sequenced isolates recovered from the same specimens such that phylogenetic reconstructions from either consistently clustered the same putatively linked cases. The optimized protocol is suitable for nasopharyngeal specimens with diagnostic IS481 Ct < 35 and >10 ng DNA. Routine implementation of these methods could strengthen surveillance and study of pertussis resurgence by capturing additional cases with genomic characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Peng
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Margaret M. Williams
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Ashley Simon
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Heather Fueston
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Maria L. Tondella
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Michael R. Weigand
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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5
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Rivera-Millot A, Harrison LB, Veyrier FJ. Copper management strategies in obligate bacterial symbionts: balancing cost and benefit. Emerg Top Life Sci 2024; 8:29-35. [PMID: 38095549 PMCID: PMC10903467 DOI: 10.1042/etls20230113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria employ diverse mechanisms to manage toxic copper in their environments, and these evolutionary strategies can be divided into two main categories: accumulation and rationalization of metabolic pathways. The strategies employed depend on the bacteria's lifestyle and environmental context, optimizing the metabolic cost-benefit ratio. Environmental and opportunistically pathogenic bacteria often possess an extensive range of copper regulation systems in order to respond to variations in copper concentrations and environmental conditions, investing in diversity and/or redundancy as a safeguard against uncertainty. In contrast, obligate symbiotic bacteria, such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Bordetella pertussis, tend to have specialized and more parsimonious copper regulation systems designed to function in the relatively stable host environment. These evolutionary strategies maintain copper homeostasis even in challenging conditions like encounters within phagocytic cells. These examples highlight the adaptability of bacterial copper management systems, tailored to their specific lifestyles and environmental requirements, in the context of an evolutionary the trade-off between benefits and energy costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Rivera-Millot
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Luke B. Harrison
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Frédéric J. Veyrier
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Bacterial Symbionts Evolution, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
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6
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Jia J, Zoeschg M, Barth H, Pulliainen AT, Ernst K. The Chaperonin TRiC/CCT Inhibitor HSF1A Protects Cells from Intoxication with Pertussis Toxin. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:36. [PMID: 38251252 PMCID: PMC10819386 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16010036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Pertussis toxin (PT) is a bacterial AB5-toxin produced by Bordetella pertussis and a major molecular determinant of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory disease. In this study, we investigate the protective effects of the chaperonin TRiC/CCT inhibitor, HSF1A, against PT-induced cell intoxication. TRiC/CCT is a chaperonin complex that facilitates the correct folding of proteins, preventing misfolding and aggregation, and maintaining cellular protein homeostasis. Previous research has demonstrated the significance of TRiC/CCT in the functionality of the Clostridioides difficile TcdB AB-toxin. Our findings reveal that HSF1A effectively reduces the levels of ADP-ribosylated Gαi, the specific substrate of PT, in PT-treated cells, without interfering with enzyme activity in vitro or the cellular binding of PT. Additionally, our study uncovers a novel interaction between PTS1 and the chaperonin complex subunit CCT5, which correlates with reduced PTS1 signaling in cells upon HSF1A treatment. Importantly, HSF1A mitigates the adverse effects of PT on cAMP signaling in cellular systems. These results provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of PT uptake and suggest a promising starting point for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies to counteract pertussis toxin-mediated pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfang Jia
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacology of Natural Products, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Manuel Zoeschg
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacology of Natural Products, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Holger Barth
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacology of Natural Products, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Katharina Ernst
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacology of Natural Products, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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Držmíšek J, Petráčková D, Dienstbier A, Čurnová I, Večerek B. T3SS chaperone of the CesT family is required for secretion of the anti-sigma factor BtrA in Bordetella pertussis. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2272638. [PMID: 37850324 PMCID: PMC10732220 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2272638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Bordetella pertussis is a Gram-negative, strictly human re-emerging respiratory pathogen and the causative agent of whooping cough. Similar to other Gram-negative pathogens, B. pertussis produces the type III secretion system, but its role in the pathogenesis of B. pertussis is enigmatic and yet to be elucidated. Here, we combined RNA-seq, LC-MS/MS, and co-immunoprecipitation techniques to identify and characterize the novel CesT family T3SS chaperone BP2265. We show that this chaperone specifically interacts with the secreted T3SS regulator BtrA and represents the first non-flagellar chaperone required for the secretion of an anti-sigma factor. In its absence, secretion but not production of BtrA and most T3SS substrates is severely impaired. It appears that the role of BtrA in regulating T3SS extends beyond its activity as an antagonist of the sigma factor BtrS. Predictions made by artificial intelligence system AlphaFold support the chaperone function of BP2265 towards BtrA and outline the structural basis for the interaction of BtrA with its target BtrS. We propose to rename BP2265 to BtcB for the Bordetella type III chaperone of BtrA.In addition, the absence of the BtcB chaperone results in increased expression of numerous flagellar genes and several virulence genes. While increased production of flagellar proteins and intimin BipA translated into increased biofilm formation by the mutant, enhanced production of virulence factors resulted in increased cytotoxicity towards human macrophages. We hypothesize that these phenotypic traits result indirectly from impaired secretion of BtrA and altered activity of the BtrA/BtrS regulatory node.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Držmíšek
- Laboratory of post-transcriptional control of gene expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Denisa Petráčková
- Laboratory of post-transcriptional control of gene expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ana Dienstbier
- Laboratory of post-transcriptional control of gene expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Čurnová
- Laboratory of post-transcriptional control of gene expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Branislav Večerek
- Laboratory of post-transcriptional control of gene expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
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8
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Farman MR, Petráčková D, Kumar D, Držmíšek J, Saha A, Čurnová I, Čapek J, Hejnarová V, Amman F, Hofacker I, Večerek B. Avirulent phenotype promotes Bordetella pertussis adaptation to the intramacrophage environment. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:e2146536. [PMID: 36357372 PMCID: PMC9858536 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2146536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough, is an extracellular, strictly human pathogen. However, it has been shown that B. pertussis cells can escape phagocytic killing and survive in macrophages upon internalization. Our time-resolved RNA-seq data suggest that B. pertussis efficiently adapts to the intramacrophage environment and responds to host bactericidal activities. We show that this adaptive response is multifaceted and, surprisingly, related to the BvgAS two-component system, a master regulator of virulence. Our results show that the expression of this regulatory circuit is downregulated upon internalization. Moreover, we demonstrate that the switch to the avirulent Bvg- phase augments a very complex process based on the adjustment of central and energy metabolism, cell wall reinforcement, maintenance of appropriate redox and metal homeostasis, and repair of damaged macromolecules. Nevertheless, not all observed effects could be simply attributed to the transition to Bvg- phase, suggesting that additional regulators are involved in the adaptation to the intramacrophage environment. Interestingly, a large number of genes required for the metabolism of sulphur were strongly modulated within macrophages. In particular, the mutant lacking two genes encoding cysteine dioxygenases displayed strongly attenuated cytotoxicity toward THP-1 cells. Collectively, our results suggest that intracellular B. pertussis cells have adopted the Bvg- mode to acclimate to the intramacrophage environment and respond to antimicrobial activities elicited by THP-1 cells. Therefore, we hypothesize that the avirulent phase represents an authentic phenotype of internalized B. pertussis cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam R. Farman
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Denisa Petráčková
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dilip Kumar
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Držmíšek
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Argha Saha
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Čurnová
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Čapek
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Václava Hejnarová
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Fabian Amman
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivo Hofacker
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Branislav Večerek
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic, Branislav Večerek Czech Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology, 14220Prague, Czech Republic
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9
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First NJ, Parrish KM, Martínez-Pérez A, González-Fernández Á, Bharrhan S, Woolard M, McLachlan JB, Scott RS, Wang J, Gestal MC. Bordetella spp. block eosinophil recruitment to suppress the generation of early mucosal protection. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113294. [PMID: 37883230 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113294] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bordetella spp. are respiratory pathogens equipped with immune evasion mechanisms. We previously characterized a Bordetella bronchiseptica mutant (RB50ΔbtrS) that fails to suppress host responses, leading to rapid clearance and long-lasting immunity against reinfection. This work revealed eosinophils as an exclusive requirement for RB50ΔbtrS clearance. We also show that RB50ΔbtrS promotes eosinophil-mediated B/T cell recruitment and inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (iBALT) formation, with eosinophils being present throughout iBALT for Th17 and immunoglobulin A (IgA) responses. Finally, we provide evidence that XCL1 is critical for iBALT formation but not maintenance, proposing a novel role for eosinophils as facilitators of adaptive immunity against B. bronchiseptica. RB50ΔbtrS being incapable of suppressing eosinophil effector functions illuminates active, bacterial targeting of eosinophils to achieve successful persistence and reinfection. Overall, our discoveries contribute to understanding cellular mechanisms for use in future vaccines and therapies against Bordetella spp. and extension to other mucosal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J First
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA
| | - Katelyn M Parrish
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA
| | - Amparo Martínez-Pérez
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Immunology Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Galicia Sur (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, 36310 Vigo, Galicia, Spain
| | - África González-Fernández
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Immunology Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Galicia Sur (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, 36310 Vigo, Galicia, Spain
| | - Sushma Bharrhan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA; Immunophenotyping Core, Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA
| | - Matthew Woolard
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA; Immunophenotyping Core, Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA
| | - James B McLachlan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Rona S Scott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA; Bioinformatics and Modeling Core, Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA; Bioinformatics and Modeling Core, Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA
| | - Monica C Gestal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA.
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10
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Mohamed YF, Manivannan K, Fernandez RC. Bordetella pertussis. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:1192-1193. [PMID: 37024321 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Fathy Mohamed
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T1Z3; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt 21521
| | - Kiruthika Manivannan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T1Z3
| | - Rachel C Fernandez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T1Z3.
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11
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Khiter F, Kherrouche Z, Dubois V, Slupek S, Petit E, Debrie AS, Cauchi S, Barois N, Rouanet C, Mielcarek N. Combined regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines production by STAT3 and STAT5 in a model of B. pertussis infection of alveolar macrophages. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1254276. [PMID: 37841236 PMCID: PMC10569487 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1254276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Bordetella pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory pathogen responsible for whooping-cough or pertussis. Despite high vaccination coverage worldwide, this gram-negative bacterium continues to spread among the population. B. pertussis is transmitted by aerosol droplets from an infected individual to a new host and will colonize its upper respiratory tract. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are effector cells of the innate immune system that phagocytose B. pertussis and secrete both pro-inflammatory and antimicrobial mediators in the lungs. However, understanding their role in B. pertussis pathogenesis at the molecular level is hampered by the limited number of primary AMs that can be collected in vivo. In order to decipher the regulation of innate response induced by B. pertussis infection, we used for the first time self-renewing, non-transformed cells, called Max Planck Institute (MPI) cells, which are phenotypically and functionally very close to pulmonary AMs. Using optimized infection conditions, we characterized the entry and the clearance of B. pertussis within MPI macrophages. We showed that under these conditions, MPI cells exhibit a pro-inflammatory phenotype with the production of TNF, IL-1β, IL-6 and MIP-2α, similarly to primary AMs purified from broncho-alveolar fluids of mice. In addition, we explored the yet uncharacterized role of the signal transduction activator of transcription (STAT) proteins family in the innate immune response to B. pertussis infection and showed for the first time the parallel regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines by STAT3 and STAT5 in MPI macrophages infected by B. pertussis. Altogether, this work highlights the interest of using MPI cells for experiments optimization and preliminary data acquisition to understand B. pertussis interaction with AMs, and thus significantly reduce the number of animals to be sacrificed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fethi Khiter
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Zoulika Kherrouche
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020-U1277-CANTHER-Cancer Heterogeneity Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Lille, France
| | - Violaine Dubois
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Stéphanie Slupek
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Emmanuelle Petit
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Debrie
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Stéphane Cauchi
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Nicolas Barois
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Carine Rouanet
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Nathalie Mielcarek
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
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12
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Otsuka N, Koide K, Goto M, Kamachi K, Kenri T. Fim3-dependent autoagglutination of Bordetella pertussis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7629. [PMID: 37165008 PMCID: PMC10172299 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34672-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Autoagglutination (Agg) of Bordetella pertussis is often observed in clinical laboratory. However, its causal factors and frequency in circulating strains are unknown. Repeated single colony isolation enabled us to detect an Agg- mutant in the supernatant of an Agg+ strain of B. pertussis. Whole-genome sequencing and immunoblot analysis disclosed that the Agg- mutant had a single C-deletion in its fim3 promoter region (Pfim3) which abolished Fim3 fimbriae production. A B. pertussis fim3-knock out mutant also lacked the Agg+ phenotype. Agg+ clinical isolates were detected a higher production of Fim3 than Fim3-producing Agg- isolates. B. pertussis is known to harbor multiple Pfim3 poly(C) lengths within a single strain culture and our newly developed PCR/LDR assay revealed that Agg+ isolates harbor the highest Pfim3 poly-14C abundance. We evaluated the frequency of autoagglutination in clinical B. pertussis isolates collected in Japan between 1994 and 2018 (n = 203). Fim3 production was confirmed for 190 isolates and 74.7% of them displayed the Agg+ phenotype. The Agg+ phenotype was strongly associated with Pfim3 poly-14C abundance. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that B. pertussis autoagglutination occurs in response to high Fim3 levels and the Agg+ strain has predominated in Japan over the past two decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nao Otsuka
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.
| | - Kentaro Koide
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan
| | - Masataka Goto
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan
| | - Kazunari Kamachi
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Kenri
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan
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Belhart K, Sisti F, Gestal MC, Fernández J. Bordetella bronchiseptica diguanylate cyclase BdcB inhibits the type three secretion system and impacts the immune response. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7157. [PMID: 37130958 PMCID: PMC10154355 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34106-x] [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: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Bordetella bronchiseptica is a gram-negative bacterium that causes respiratory diseases in different animals, including mice, making B. bronchiseptica the gold-standard model to investigate host-pathogen interaction at the molecular level. B. bronchiseptica utilizes many different mechanisms to precisely regulate the expression of virulence factors. Cyclic di-GMP is a second messenger synthesized by diguanylate cyclases and degraded by phosphodiesterases that regulates the expression of multiple virulence factors including biofilm formation. As in other bacteria, we have previously shown that c-di-GMP regulates motility and biofilm formation in B. bronchiseptica. This work describes the diguanylate cyclase BdcB (Bordetella diguanylate cyclase B) as an active diguanylate cyclase that promotes biofilm formation and inhibits motility in B. bronchiseptica. The absence of BdcB increased macrophage cytotoxicity in vitro and induced a greater production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 by macrophages. Our study reveals that BdcB regulates the expression of components of T3SS, an important virulence factor of B. bronchiseptica. The Bb∆bdcB mutant presented increased expression of T3SS-mediated toxins such as bteA, responsible for cytotoxicity. Our in vivo results revealed that albeit the absence of bdcB did not affect the ability of B. bronchiseptica to infect and colonize the respiratory tract of mice, mice infected with Bb∆bdcB presented a significantly higher pro-inflammatory response than those infected with wild type B. bronchiseptica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keila Belhart
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM)-CCT-CONICET-La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Federico Sisti
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM)-CCT-CONICET-La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Mónica C Gestal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA.
| | - Julieta Fernández
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM)-CCT-CONICET-La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
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14
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Bitzer G, Weaver K, Barbier M, Damron FH. Protocol for aerosolization challenge of mice with Bordetella pertussis. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:101979. [PMID: 36598856 PMCID: PMC9826968 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough and is transmitted via respiratory droplets. Here, we present a protocol to challenge mice with Bordetella pertussis. We describe bacteria preparation and long-term storage, followed by manufacturing a challenge dose for use in a commercial exposure chamber with controlled nebulization of B. pertussis into aerosols. We then detail the aerosol challenge of mice through a more natural administration than intranasal instillation and post-challenge data collection. This protocol allows for better comparisons between preclinical pertussis studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Bitzer
- Vaccine Development Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology at West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
| | - Kelly Weaver
- Vaccine Development Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology at West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
| | - Mariette Barbier
- Vaccine Development Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology at West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
| | - F Heath Damron
- Vaccine Development Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology at West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA.
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Fullen AR, Gutierrez-Ferman JL, Rayner RE, Kim SH, Chen P, Dubey P, Wozniak DJ, Peeples ME, Cormet-Boyaka E, Deora R. Architecture and matrix assembly determinants of Bordetella pertussis biofilms on primary human airway epithelium. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011193. [PMID: 36821596 PMCID: PMC9990917 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, whooping cough or pertussis caused by the obligate human pathogen Bordetella pertussis (Bp) is described as an acute disease with severe symptoms. However, many individuals who contract pertussis are either asymptomatic or show very mild symptoms and yet can serve as carriers and sources of bacterial transmission. Biofilms are an important survival mechanism for bacteria in human infections and disease. However, bacterial determinants that drive biofilm formation in humans are ill-defined. In the current study, we show that Bp infection of well-differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cells leads to formation of bacterial aggregates, clusters, and highly structured biofilms which are colocalized with cilia. These findings mimic observations from pathological analyses of tissues from pertussis patients. Distinct arrangements (mono-, bi-, and tri-partite) of the polysaccharide Bps, extracellular DNA, and bacterial cells were visualized, suggesting complex heterogeneity in bacteria-matrix interactions. Analyses of mutant biofilms revealed positive roles in matrix production, cell cluster formation, and biofilm maturity for three critical Bp virulence factors: Bps, filamentous hemagglutinin, and adenylate cyclase toxin. Adherence assays identified Bps as a new Bp adhesin for primary human airway cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate the multi-factorial nature of the biofilm extracellular matrix and biofilm development process under conditions mimicking the human respiratory tract and highlight the importance of model systems resembling the natural host environment to investigate pathogenesis and potential therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audra R. Fullen
- The Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jessica L. Gutierrez-Ferman
- The Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Rachael E. Rayner
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Sun Hee Kim
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Phylip Chen
- Center for Vaccines and Immunity, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Purnima Dubey
- The Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Wozniak
- The Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Mark E. Peeples
- Center for Vaccines and Immunity, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Estelle Cormet-Boyaka
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Rajendar Deora
- The Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
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16
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Carrica MDC, Gorgojo JP, Lamberti YA, Valdez HA, Rodriguez ME. Bordetella parapertussis adenylate cyclase toxin promotes the bacterial survival to the encounter with macrophages. Microb Pathog 2023; 174:105898. [PMID: 36460144 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105898] [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: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
B. parapertussis is a whooping cough etiological agent, whose incidence in the population has increased remarkably. Virulence factors involved in the bacterial infection, however, remain poorly investigated. We here studied the role of adenylate cyclase (CyaA), the main toxin of B. parapertussis, in the outcome of the bacterial interaction with macrophages. Our results showed that B. parapertussis CyaA intoxicates human macrophages, prevents bacterial phagocytosis and precludes phago-lysosomal fusion eventually promoting the bacterial survival to the encounter with these immune cells. Accordingly, we found that B. parapertussis CyaA induces the transcriptional downregulation of host genes encoding for antimicrobial peptides, proteins involved in bacterial intracellular killing, and the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α, while induces the upregulation of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Together with previous reports suggesting a protective role of B. parapertussis CyaA against neutrophils bactericidal activity, the results of this study suggest a central role of CyaA in B. parapertussis immune evasion and persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariela Del Carmen Carrica
- CINDEFI (UNLP CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
| | - Juan Pablo Gorgojo
- CINDEFI (UNLP CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Yanina Andrea Lamberti
- CINDEFI (UNLP CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Hugo Alberto Valdez
- CINDEFI (UNLP CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Maria Eugenia Rodriguez
- CINDEFI (UNLP CONICET La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
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Wang P, Ramadan S, Dubey P, Deora R, Huang X. Development of carbohydrate based next-generation anti-pertussis vaccines. Bioorg Med Chem 2022; 74:117066. [PMID: 36283250 PMCID: PMC9925305 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2022.117066] [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: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen, Bordetella pertussis. Despite high global vaccination rates, pertussis is resurging worldwide. Here we discuss the development of current pertussis vaccines and their limitations, which highlight the need for new vaccines that can protect against the disease and prevent development of the carrier state, thereby reducing transmission. The lipo-oligosaccharide of Bp is an attractive antigen for vaccine development as the anti-glycan antibodies could have bactericidal activities. The structure of the lipo-oligosaccharide has been determined and its immunological properties analyzed. Strategies enabling the expression, isolation, and bioconjugation have been presented. However, obtaining the saccharide on a large scale with high purity remains one of the main obstacles. Chemical synthesis provides a complementary approach to accessing the carbohydrate epitopes in a pure and structurally well-defined form. The first total synthesis of the non-reducing end pertussis pentasaccharide is discussed. The conjugate of the synthetic glycan with a powerful immunogenic carrier, bacteriophage Qβ, results in high levels and long-lasting anti-glycan IgG antibodies, paving the way for the development of a new generation of anti-pertussis vaccines with high bactericidal activities and biocompatibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 S. Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Sherif Ramadan
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 S. Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, Qaliobiya 13518, Egypt
| | - Purnima Dubey
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Rajendar Deora
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Xuefei Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 S. Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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18
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Bps polysaccharide of Bordetella pertussis resists antimicrobial peptides by functioning as a dual surface shield and decoy and converts Escherichia coli into a respiratory pathogen. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010764. [PMID: 35969621 PMCID: PMC9410548 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections and disease caused by the obligate human pathogen Bordetella pertussis (Bp) are increasing, despite widespread vaccinations. The current acellular pertussis vaccines remain ineffective against nasopharyngeal colonization, carriage, and transmission. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that Bordetella polysaccharide (Bps), a member of the poly-β-1,6-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (PNAG/PGA) family of polysaccharides promotes respiratory tract colonization of Bp by resisting killing by antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Genetic deletion of the bpsA-D locus, as well as treatment with the specific glycoside hydrolase Dispersin B, increased susceptibility to AMP-mediated killing. Bps was found to be both cell surface-associated and released during laboratory growth and mouse infections. Addition of bacterial supernatants containing Bps and purified Bps increased B. pertussis resistance to AMPs. By utilizing ELISA, immunoblot and flow cytometry assays, we show that Bps functions as a dual surface shield and decoy. Co-inoculation of C57BL/6J mice with a Bps-proficient strain enhanced respiratory tract survival of the Bps-deficient strain. In combination, the presented results highlight the critical role of Bps as a central driver of B. pertussis pathogenesis. Heterologous production of Bps in a non-pathogenic E. coli K12 strain increased AMP resistance in vitro, and augmented bacterial survival and pathology in the mouse respiratory tract. These studies can serve as a foundation for other PNAG/PGA polysaccharides and for the development of an effective Bp vaccine that includes Bps.
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Abstract
Copper is essential to most living beings but also highly toxic and as such is an important player at the host-pathogen interface. Bacteria have thus developed homeostatic mechanisms to tightly control its intracellular concentration. Known Cu export and import systems are under transcriptional control, whereas posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms are yet to be characterized. We identified a three-gene operon, bp2923-bfrG-bp2921, downregulated by copper and notably encoding a TonB-dependent transporter in Bordetella pertussis. We show here that the protein encoded by the first gene, which is a member of the DUF2946 protein family, represents a new type of upstream Open Reading Frame (uORF) involved in posttranscriptional regulation of the downstream genes. In the absence of copper, the entire operon is transcribed and translated. Perception of copper by the nascent bp2923-coded protein via its conserved CXXC motif triggers Rho-dependent transcription termination between the first and second genes by relieving translation arrest on a conserved C-terminal RAPP motif. Homologs of bp2923 are widespread in bacterial genomes, where they head operons predicted to participate in copper homeostasis. This work has thus unveiled a new mode of genetic regulation by a transition metal and identified a regulatory function for a member of an uncharacterized family of bacterial proteins that we have named CruR, for copper-responsive upstream regulator.
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Klimova N, Holubova J, Streparola G, Tomala J, Brazdilova L, Stanek O, Bumba L, Sebo P. Pertussis toxin suppresses dendritic cell-mediated delivery of B. pertussis into lung-draining lymph nodes. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010577. [PMID: 35666769 PMCID: PMC9216613 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The adenylate cyclase (ACT) and the pertussis (PT) toxins of Bordetella pertussis exert potent immunomodulatory activities that synergize to suppress host defense in the course of whooping cough pathogenesis. We compared the mouse lung infection capacities of B. pertussis (Bp) mutants (Bp AC− or Bp PT–) producing enzymatically inactive toxoids and confirm that ACT action is required for maximal bacterial proliferation in the first days of infection, whereas PT action is crucial for persistence of B. pertussis in mouse lungs. Despite accelerated and near complete clearance from the lungs by day 14 of infection, the PT− bacteria accumulated within the lymphoid tissue of lung-draining mediastinal lymph nodes (mLNs). In contrast, the wild type or AC− bacteria colonized the lungs but did not enter into mLNs. Lung infection by the PT− mutant triggered an early arrival of migratory conventional dendritic cells with associated bacteria into mLNs, where the PT− bacteria entered the T cell-rich paracortex of mLNs by day 5 and proliferated in clusters within the B-cell zone (cortex) of mLNs by day 14, being eventually phagocytosed by infiltrating neutrophils. Finally, only infection by the PT− bacteria triggered an early production of anti-B. pertussis serum IgG antibodies already within 14 days of infection. These results reveal that action of the pertussis toxin blocks DC-mediated delivery of B. pertussis bacteria into mLNs and prevents bacterial colonization of mLNs, thus hampering early adaptive immune response to B. pertussis infection. Of the three classical Bordetella species causing respiratory infections in mammals, only the human-specialized whooping cough agent B. pertussis produces the pertussis toxin (PT) as its major virulence factor. Human pertussis is an acute respiratory illness and the pleiotropic activities of pertussis toxin account for the characteristic systemic manifestations of the disease, such as hyperleukocytosis, histamine sensitization, hyperinsulinemia, or inflammatory lung pathology. We found that PT activity inhibits the migration of infected dendritic cells from the lungs into the draining mediastinal lymph nodes (mLNs). This prevents mLN infection by bacteria evading from migratory cells and delivery of bacterial antigens into mLNs. As a result, the induction of adaptive serum antibody responses to infection is delayed. We thus propose that PT action serves to create a time window for proliferation of B. pertussis on airway mucosa to facilitate transmission of the pathogen among humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nela Klimova
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences,Prague, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Holubova
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences,Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Gaia Streparola
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences,Prague, Czech Republic
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Tomala
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences,Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ludmila Brazdilova
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences,Prague, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Stanek
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences,Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ladislav Bumba
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences,Prague, Czech Republic
- * E-mail: (LB); (PS)
| | - Peter Sebo
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences,Prague, Czech Republic
- * E-mail: (LB); (PS)
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Macadangdang BR, Makanani SK, Miller JF. Accelerated Evolution by Diversity-Generating Retroelements. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:389-411. [PMID: 35650669 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-030322-040423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Diversity-generating retroelements (DGRs) create vast amounts of targeted, functional diversity by facilitating the rapid evolution of ligand-binding protein domains. Thousands of DGRs have been identified in bacteria, archaea, and their respective viruses. They are broadly distributed throughout the microbial world, with enrichment observed in certain taxa and environments. The diversification machinery works through a novel mechanism termed mutagenic retrohoming, whereby nucleotide sequence information is copied from an invariant DNA template repeat (TR) into an RNA intermediate, selectively mutagenized at TR adenines during cDNA synthesis by a DGR-encoded reverse transcriptase, and transferred to a variable repeat (VR) region within a variable-protein gene (54). This unidirectional flow of information leaves TR-DNA sequences unmodified, allowing for repeated rounds of mutagenic retrohoming to optimize variable-protein function. DGR target genes are often modular and can encode one or more of a wide variety of discrete functional domains appended to a diversifiable ligand-binding motif. Bacterial variable proteins often localize to cell surfaces, although a subset appear to be cytoplasmic, while phage-encoded DGRs commonly diversify tail fiber-associated receptor-binding proteins. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the mechanism and consequences of accelerated protein evolution by these unique and beneficial genetic elements. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 76 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Macadangdang
- Division of Neonatology and Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; .,California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sara K Makanani
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; .,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA;
| | - Jeff F Miller
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; .,Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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22
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Novel Strategies to Inhibit Pertussis Toxin. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14030187. [PMID: 35324684 PMCID: PMC8951090 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14030187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a respiratory disease caused by infection with Bordetella pertussis, which releases several virulence factors, including the AB-type pertussis toxin (PT). The characteristic symptom is severe, long-lasting paroxysmal coughing. Especially in newborns and infants, pertussis symptoms, such as leukocytosis, can become life-threatening. Despite an available vaccination, increasing case numbers have been reported worldwide, including Western countries such as Germany and the USA. Antibiotic treatment is available and important to prevent further transmission. However, antibiotics only reduce symptoms if administered in early stages, which rarely occurs due to a late diagnosis. Thus, no causative treatments against symptoms of whooping cough are currently available. The AB-type protein toxin PT is a main virulence factor and consists of a binding subunit that facilitates transport of an enzyme subunit into the cytosol of target cells. There, the enzyme subunit ADP-ribosylates inhibitory α-subunits of G-protein coupled receptors resulting in disturbed cAMP signaling. As an important virulence factor associated with severe symptoms, such as leukocytosis, and poor outcomes, PT represents an attractive drug target to develop novel therapeutic strategies. In this review, chaperone inhibitors, human peptides, small molecule inhibitors, and humanized antibodies are discussed as novel strategies to inhibit PT.
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23
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Cimolai N. Non-primate animal models for pertussis: back to the drawing board? Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:1383-1398. [PMID: 35103810 PMCID: PMC8803574 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11798-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Despite considerable progress in the understanding of clinical pertussis, the contemporary emergence of antimicrobial resistance for Bordetella pertussis and an evolution of concerns with acellular component vaccination have both sparked a renewed interest. Although simian models of infection best correlate with the observed attributes of human infection, several animal models have been used for decades and have positively contributed in many ways to the related science. Nevertheless, there is yet the lack of a reliable small animal model system that mimics the combination of infection genesis, variable upper and lower respiratory infection, systemic effects, infection resolution, and vaccine responses. This narrative review examines the history and attributes of non-primate animal models for pertussis and places context with the current use and needs. Emerging from the latter is the necessity for further such study to better create the optimal model of infection and vaccination with use of current molecular tools and a broader range of animal systems. Key points • Currently used and past non-primate animal models of B. pertussis infection often have unique and focused applications. • A non-primate animal model that consistently mimics human pertussis for the majority of key infection characteristics is lacking. • There remains ample opportunity for an improved non-primate animal model of pertussis with the use of current molecular biology tools and with further exploration of species not previously considered. Graphical abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevio Cimolai
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. .,Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia, 4480 Oak Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6H3V4, Canada.
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