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Dhital S, Deo P, Stuart I, Huang C, Zavan L, Han ML, Kaparakis-Liaskos M, Ramm G, Schittenhelm RB, Howden B, Naderer T. Characterization of outer membrane vesicles released by clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300087. [PMID: 38059892 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The sexually transmitted pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae releases membrane vesicles including outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) during infections. OMVs traffic outer membrane molecules, such as the porin PorB and lipo-oligosaccharide (LOS), into host innate immune cells, eliciting programmed cell death pathways, and inflammation. Little is known, however, about the proteome and LOS content of OMVs released by clinical strains isolated from different infection sites, and whether these vesicles similarly activate immune responses. Here, we characterized OMVs from four N. gonorrhoeae isolates and determined their size, abundance, proteome, LOS content, and activation of inflammatory responses in macrophages. The overall proteome of the OMVs was conserved between the four different isolates, which included major outer membrane and periplasm proteins. Despite this, we observed differences in the rate of OMV biogenesis and the relative abundance of membrane proteins and LOS. Consequently, OMVs from clinical isolates induced varying rates of macrophage cell death and the secretion of interleukin-1 family members, such as IL-1α and IL-1β. Overall, these findings demonstrate that clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae utilize membrane vesicles to release proteins and lipids, which affects innate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhash Dhital
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Pankaj Deo
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Isabella Stuart
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cheng Huang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lauren Zavan
- Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Research Centre for Extracellular Vesicles, School of Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mei-Ling Han
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maria Kaparakis-Liaskos
- Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Research Centre for Extracellular Vesicles, School of Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Georg Ramm
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo Electron Microscopy, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ralf B Schittenhelm
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Benjamin Howden
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas Naderer
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Akinboro MK, Mmaduabuchi J, Beeko PKA, Egwuonwu OF, Oluwalade OP, Akueme NT, Iyioku BO, Okobi OE, Oghenetega EP. Epidemiological Trends and Factors Associated With the Morbidity Rate of Gonorrhea: A CDC-WONDER Database Analysis. Cureus 2023; 15:e42981. [PMID: 37671232 PMCID: PMC10476233 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.42981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Gonorrhea is a prevalent sexually transmitted illness caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, leading to serious health consequences such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and increased susceptibility to HIV infection. Despite advancements in prevention and treatment, gonorrhea remains a significant public health problem in the United States (US) due to its widespread incidence, potential consequences, and the growth of antibiotic resistance. This study investigates the epidemiological trends and morbidity rates of gonorrhea using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database. The aim is to identify temporal patterns, demographic characteristics, and notable changes in gonorrhea epidemiology to inform targeted therapies and interventions. METHODS The CDC WONDER database, which provides extensive national and state-level data on reported causes of death in the United States, was utilized for this study. We examined the developments in gonorrhea morbidity rates over time, identified demographic differences based on age, gender, and race/ethnicity, and analyzed the disease's regional distribution through a systematic analysis of the database. Aggregate data for selected time periods (1996-2014) were summarized using the morbidity rate per 100,000 people and the total number of cases across the years. RESULTS This database analysis identified a total of 6,454,097 individuals diagnosed with gonorrhea between 1996 and 2014. The calculated total morbidity rate during this period was 115.4 per 100,000 individuals. The highest morbidity rates were observed in the years 1999 (129.2 per 100,000 people), 1998 (129.1 per 100,000 people), and 2001 (126.8 per 100,000 people), respectively. The District of Columbia reported the highest morbidity rate (478.25 per 100,000 people). In males, the overall morbidity rate over the years was reported to be comparable to females (114 per 100,000 people and 116.3 per 100,000 people, respectively). The analysis revealed consistently higher morbidity rates among individuals aged between 19 and 24 years (525.2 per 100,000 people). Moreover, black or African American individuals consistently exhibited higher morbidity rates (506.1 per 100,000 people) compared to white individuals (16.1 per 100,000 people). CONCLUSION The analysis of gonorrhea cases between 1996 and 2014 revealed that the highest rates occurred during specific years, with a particular concentration observed in the District of Columbia. Additionally, certain demographic groups, such as individuals aged 19-24 and the black or African American population, consistently exhibited higher morbidity rates compared to others. These findings emphasize the importance of targeted interventions to address the observed temporal patterns and demographic disparities, in order to effectively combat the spread of gonorrhea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micheal K Akinboro
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University School of Public Health, College Station, USA
| | - John Mmaduabuchi
- Emergency Department, Eastway Medical Center and Urgent Care, Charlotte, USA
| | | | - Obinna F Egwuonwu
- Family Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, NGA
| | | | - Ngozi T Akueme
- Dermatology, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City, NGA
| | | | - Okelue E Okobi
- Family Medicine, Larkin Community Hospital Palm Springs Campus, Miami, USA
- Family Medicine, Medficient Health Systems, Laurel, USA
- Family Medicine, Lakeside Medical Center, Belle Glade, USA
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Variable Expression of Opa Proteins by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Influences Bacterial Association and Phagocytic Killing by Human Neutrophils. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0003522. [PMID: 35343795 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00035-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection is characterized by local and abundant recruitment of neutrophils. Despite neutrophils' antimicrobial activities, viable N. gonorrhoeae is recovered from infected individuals, leading to the question of how N. gonorrhoeae survives neutrophil attack. One feature impacting N. gonorrhoeae-neutrophil interactions is the phase-variable opacity-associated (Opa) proteins. Most Opa proteins engage human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) to facilitate bacterial binding and invasion. Neutrophils express two transmembrane CEACAMs, CEACAM1 and the granulocyte-specific CEACAM3. While N. gonorrhoeae isolated from infected individuals is frequently Opa+, expression of OpaD from strain FA1090, which interacts with CEACAMs 1 and 3, is associated with reduced N. gonorrhoeae survival after exposure to human neutrophils. In this study, we hypothesized that the receptor-binding capability of individual Opa proteins impacts bacterial survival in the presence of neutrophils. To test this hypothesis, we introduced opa genes that are constitutively expressed into a derivative of strain FA1090 with all 11 opa genes deleted. The engineered genes encode Opa proteins that bind CEACAM1 and -3, CEACAM1 but not CEACAM3, or neither CEACAM1 nor -3. N. gonorrhoeae expressing CEACAM3-binding Opa proteins survived significantly less well than bacteria expressing other Opa proteins when exposed to primary human neutrophils. The CEACAM3-binding N. gonorrhoeae had significantly greater association with and internalization by neutrophils. However, once internalized, bacteria were similarly killed inside neutrophils, regardless of Opa expression. Furthermore, Opa expression did not significantly impact neutrophil granule mobilization. Our findings indicate that the extent to which Opa proteins mediate nonopsonic binding is the predominant determinant of bacterial survival from neutrophils. IMPORTANCE Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the cause of gonorrhea, is an urgent-threat pathogen due to increasing numbers of infections and increased antibiotic resistance. Many surface components of N. gonorrhoeae are phase variable, including the Opa protein family of adhesins and invasins. While Opa protein expression is selected for in vivo, bacteria expressing some Opa proteins are readily killed by neutrophils, which are recruited to sites of infection. The reason for this discrepancy has remained unresolved. Our work shows that Opa-dependent differences in bacterial survival after exposure to primary human neutrophils correlates with Opa-dependent bacterial binding and phagocytosis. These findings underscore how the ability of N. gonorrhoeae to change Opa expression through phase variation contributes to bacterial resistance to neutrophil clearance.
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