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Llewellyn TR, Pimentel ORC, Lenz KD, Montoya MM, Kubicek-Sutherland JZ. Nanodisc assembly from bacterial total lipid extracts. Chem Phys Lipids 2024; 264:105425. [PMID: 39111725 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2024.105425] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Nanodiscs are discoidal lipoproteins that have often been used as vehicles to study membrane proteins in their native configuration. Nanodiscs have been primarily made from synthetic lipids. However, nanodiscs also offer a format by which native lipids can be studied in their natural configuration. Here, we present a method to synthesize nanodiscs from bacterial total lipid extracts using the biothreat agent, Yersinia pestis, as a proof-of-concept. The creation of nanoparticles entirely composed of bacterial lipids supports membrane characterization and vaccine antigen discovery without the inherent safety concerns associated with live bacterial cells of this Tier 1 select agent pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trent R Llewellyn
- Physical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy Group, Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
| | - Olivia R C Pimentel
- Physical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy Group, Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
| | - Kiersten D Lenz
- Physical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy Group, Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
| | - Makaela M Montoya
- Physical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy Group, Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
| | - Jessica Z Kubicek-Sutherland
- Physical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy Group, Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States.
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2
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Jacobsen DE, Montoya MM, Llewellyn TR, Martinez K, Wilding KM, Lenz KD, Manore CA, Kubicek-Sutherland JZ, Mukundan H. Correlating transcription and protein expression profiles of immune biomarkers following lipopolysaccharide exposure in lung epithelial cells. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0293680. [PMID: 38652715 PMCID: PMC11037529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Universal and early recognition of pathogens occurs through recognition of evolutionarily conserved pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by innate immune receptors and the consequent secretion of cytokines and chemokines. The intrinsic complexity of innate immune signaling and associated signal transduction challenges our ability to obtain physiologically relevant, reproducible and accurate data from experimental systems. One of the reasons for the discrepancy in observed data is the choice of measurement strategy. Immune signaling is regulated by the interplay between pathogen-derived molecules with host cells resulting in cellular expression changes. However, these cellular processes are often studied by the independent assessment of either the transcriptome or the proteome. Correlation between transcription and protein analysis is lacking in a variety of studies. In order to methodically evaluate the correlation between transcription and protein expression profiles associated with innate immune signaling, we measured cytokine and chemokine levels following exposure of human cells to the PAMP lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Expression of 84 messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts and 69 proteins, including 35 overlapping targets, were measured in human lung epithelial cells. We evaluated 50 biological replicates to determine reproducibility of outcomes. Following pairwise normalization, 16 mRNA transcripts and 6 proteins were significantly upregulated following LPS exposure, while only five (CCL2, CSF3, CXCL5, CXCL8/IL8, and IL6) were upregulated in both transcriptomic and proteomic analysis. This lack of correlation between transcription and protein expression data may contribute to the discrepancy in the immune profiles reported in various studies. The use of multiomic assessments to achieve a systems-level understanding of immune signaling processes can result in the identification of host biomarker profiles for a variety of infectious diseases and facilitate countermeasure design and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E. Jacobsen
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Makaela M. Montoya
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Trent R. Llewellyn
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Kaitlyn Martinez
- Analytics, Intelligence and Technology Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Kristen M. Wilding
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Kiersten D. Lenz
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Carrie A. Manore
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | | | - Harshini Mukundan
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
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3
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Chary A, Groff K, Stucki AO, Contal S, Stoffels C, Cambier S, Sharma M, Gutleb AC, Clippinger AJ. Maximizing the relevance and reproducibility of A549 cell culture using FBS-free media. Toxicol In Vitro 2022; 83:105423. [PMID: 35753526 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2022.105423] [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] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Scientists are using in vitro methods to answer important research questions and implementing strategies to maximize the reliability and human relevance of these methods. One strategy is to replace the use of fetal bovine serum (FBS)-an undefined and variable mixture of biomolecules-in cell culture media with chemically defined or xeno-free medium. In this study, A549 cells, a human lung alveolar-like cell line commonly used in respiratory research, were transitioned from a culture medium containing FBS to media without FBS. A successful transition was determined based on analysis of cell morphology and functionality. Following transition to commercially available CnT-Prime Airway (CELLnTEC) or X-VIVO™ 10 (Lonza) medium, the cells were characterized by microscopic evaluation and calculation of doubling time. Their genotype, morphology, and functionality were assessed by monitoring the expression of gene markers for lung cell types, surfactant production, cytokine release, the presence of multilamellar bodies, and cell viability following sodium dodecyl sulphate exposure. Our results showed that A549 cells successfully transitioned to FBS-free media under submerged and air-liquid-interface conditions. Cells grown in X-VIVO™ 10 medium mimicked cellular characteristics of FBS-supplemented media while those grown in CnT-Prime Airway medium demonstrated characteristics possibly more reflective of normal human alveolar epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Chary
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
| | - Katherine Groff
- PETA Science Consortium International e.V., Friolzheimer Str. 3, 70499 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Andreas O Stucki
- PETA Science Consortium International e.V., Friolzheimer Str. 3, 70499 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Servane Contal
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
| | - Charlotte Stoffels
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg; University of Luxembourg, 2 Av. de l'Universite, 4365 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
| | - Sébastien Cambier
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
| | - Monita Sharma
- PETA Science Consortium International e.V., Friolzheimer Str. 3, 70499 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Arno C Gutleb
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
| | - Amy J Clippinger
- PETA Science Consortium International e.V., Friolzheimer Str. 3, 70499 Stuttgart, Germany.
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4
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Lenz KD, Klosterman KE, Mukundan H, Kubicek-Sutherland JZ. Lipoprotein capture ELISA method for the sensitive detection of amphiphilic biomarkers. Anal Biochem 2022; 652:114747. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2022.114747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Extracellular Cardiolipin Modulates Select Immune Functions of Astrocytes in Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) 4-Dependent Manner. Mediators Inflamm 2022; 2022:9946439. [PMID: 35369030 PMCID: PMC8975658 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9946439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by chronic neuroinflammation, which is partially mediated by dysregulated functions of glial cells. Cardiolipin (CL) is a phospholipid normally confined to the inner mitochondrial membrane; however, it has been detected in human sera, indicating that it can exist in the extracellular space where it may interact with nearby cells. Although CL has been shown to modulate several functions of microglia in a toll-like receptor (TLR) 4-dependent manner, the effects of extracellular CL on astrocytes are unknown. In addition to their homeostatic functions, astrocytes participate in neuroimmune responses of the brain and express TLR 4. Therefore, we hypothesized that extracellular CL (1) modulates the secretion of cytokines and cytotoxins by astrocytes, as well as their phagocytic activity, and (2) acts by interacting with astrocyte TLR 4. We demonstrate that CL inhibits the lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced secretion of cytotoxins and expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) by human U118 MG astrocytic cells. CL alone upregulates the phagocytic activity of human astrocytic cells and primary murine astrocytes. CL in combination with LPS upregulates secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β by astrocytic cells. Furthermore, CL alone increases the secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 by astrocytic cells, which is blocked by the TLR 4-specific antagonist TAK-242. We demonstrate that CL upregulates MCP-1 secretion in the absence of its natural carrier protein, β2-glycoprotein 1, indicating that CL may be bioactive in the brain where this protein is not present. Lastly, we show that CL downregulates the expression of astrocytic TLR 4, implying that CL engages this receptor, as its activation has been shown to lead to its degradation. Overall, our study extends the list of cell type functions of which CL modulates and provides evidence that CL, or liposomes containing this phospholipid can be used to modulate specific neuroimmune functions of astrocytes.
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Abstract
The successful isolation of mycolactone in a laboratory or from a clinical sample relies on proper handling and storage of the toxin. Mycolactone is a light-sensitive and an amphiphilic toxin produced by Mycobacterium ulcerans. The biochemistry of the toxin makes it unstable in aqueous matrices such as blood, which causes it to self-aggregate or present in complex with carrier molecules. This biochemistry also impacts the use of the toxin in vitro, in that it tends to aggregate and stick to substrates in an aqueous environment, which alters its physiological presentation and limits its availability in a sample. Glass materials (i.e., tubes, vials, syringes, plates) should be used when possible to avoid loss of mycolactone sticking to plastic surfaces. Dark containers such as amber vials or aluminum-foil wrapped tubes should be used to avoid photodegradation of the toxin upon exposure to light. Sample storage in organic solvents is ideal for mycolactone stability and recovery; however, this is not always amenable as multiple diagnostic assays might be performed on a single sample (such as PCR or ELISA). In these cases, samples can be stored in an aqueous solution containing a small amount of detergent to enhance recovery of the toxin, and in order to avoid aggregation. Therefore, the downstream manipulations should be carefully considered prior to sample collection and storage. Here we present considerations for the optimal handling and storage of mycolactone in order to obtain quality yield of the toxin for various research and diagnostic applications.
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Pediatric Tuberculosis: The Impact of "Omics" on Diagnostics Development. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21196979. [PMID: 32977381 PMCID: PMC7582311 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21196979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health concern for all ages. However, the disease presents a larger challenge in pediatric populations, partially owing to the lack of reliable diagnostic standards for the early identification of infection. Currently, there are no biomarkers that have been clinically validated for use in pediatric TB diagnosis. Identification and validation of biomarkers could provide critical information on prognosis of disease, and response to treatment. In this review, we discuss how the “omics” approach has influenced biomarker discovery and the advancement of a next generation rapid point-of-care diagnostic for TB, with special emphasis on pediatric disease. Limitations of current published studies and the barriers to their implementation into the field will be thoroughly reviewed within this article in hopes of highlighting future avenues and needs for combating the problem of pediatric tuberculosis.
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Castellano G, Stasi A, Franzin R, Sallustio F, Divella C, Spinelli A, Netti GS, Fiaccadori E, Cantaluppi V, Crovace A, Staffieri F, Lacitignola L, Grandaliano G, Simone S, Pertosa GB, Gesualdo L. LPS-Binding Protein Modulates Acute Renal Fibrosis by Inducing Pericyte-to-Myofibroblast Trans-Differentiation through TLR-4 Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20153682. [PMID: 31357597 PMCID: PMC6696277 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20153682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
During sepsis, the increased synthesis of circulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP) activates LPS/TLR4 signaling in renal resident cells, leading to acute kidney injury (AKI). Pericytes are the major source of myofibroblasts during chronic kidney disease (CKD), but their involvement in AKI is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the occurrence of pericyte-to-myofibroblast trans-differentiation (PMT) in sepsis-induced AKI. In a swine model of sepsis-induced AKI, PMT was detected within 9 h from LPS injection, as evaluated by the reduction of physiologic PDGFRβ expression and the dysfunctional α-SMA increase in peritubular pericytes. The therapeutic intervention by citrate-based coupled plasma filtration adsorption (CPFA) significantly reduced LBP, TGF-β, and endothelin-1 (ET-1) serum levels, and furthermore preserved PDGFRβ and decreased α-SMA expression in renal biopsies. In vitro, both LPS and septic sera led to PMT with a significant increase in Collagen I synthesis and α-SMA reorganization in contractile fibers by both SMAD2/3-dependent and -independent TGF-β signaling. Interestingly, the removal of LBP from septic plasma inhibited PMT. Finally, LPS-stimulated pericytes secreted LBP and TGF-β and underwent PMT also upon TGF-β receptor-blocking, indicating the crucial pro-fibrotic role of TLR4 signaling. Our data demonstrate that the selective removal of LBP may represent a therapeutic option to prevent PMT and the development of acute renal fibrosis in sepsis-induced AKI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Castellano
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Stasi
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Rossana Franzin
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Fabio Sallustio
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Chiara Divella
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandra Spinelli
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Stefano Netti
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Enrico Fiaccadori
- Nephrology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Cantaluppi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Antonio Crovace
- Veterinary Surgery Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Staffieri
- Veterinary Surgery Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Luca Lacitignola
- Veterinary Surgery Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Grandaliano
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Simona Simone
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Battista Pertosa
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Loreto Gesualdo
- Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
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Kubicek-Sutherland JZ, Vu DM, Anderson AS, Sanchez TC, Converse PJ, Martí-Arbona R, Nuermberger EL, Swanson BI, Mukundan H. Understanding the Significance of Biochemistry in the Storage, Handling, Purification, and Sampling of Amphiphilic Mycolactone. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11040202. [PMID: 30987300 PMCID: PMC6520765 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11040202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycolactone, the amphiphilic macrolide toxin secreted by Mycobacterium ulcerans, plays a significant role in the pathology and manifestations of Buruli ulcer (BU). Consequently, it follows that the toxin is a suitable target for the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for this disease. Yet, several challenges have deterred such development. For one, the lipophilic nature of the toxin makes it difficult to handle and store and contributes to variability associated with laboratory experimentation and purification yields. In this manuscript, we have attempted to incorporate our understanding of the lipophilicity of mycolactone in order to define the optimal methods for the storage, handling, and purification of this toxin. We present a systematic correlation of variability associated with measurement techniques (thin-layer chromatography (TLC), mass spectrometry (MS), and UV-Vis spectrometry), storage conditions, choice of solvents, as well as the impact of each of these on toxin function as assessed by cellular cytotoxicity. We also compared natural mycolactone extracted from bacterial culture with synthesized toxins in laboratory (solvents, buffers) and physiologically relevant (serum) matrices. Our results point to the greater stability of mycolactone in organic, as well as detergent-containing, solvents, regardless of the container material (plastic, glass, or silanized tubes). They also highlight the presence of toxin in samples that may be undetectable by any one technique, suggesting that each detection approach captures different configurations of the molecule with varying specificity and sensitivity. Most importantly, our results demonstrate for the very first time that amphiphilic mycolactone associates with host lipoproteins in serum, and that this association will likely impact our ability to study, diagnose, and treat Buruli ulcers in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dung M Vu
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
| | - Aaron S Anderson
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
| | - Timothy C Sanchez
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
| | - Paul J Converse
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Center for Tuberculosis Research, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| | | | - Eric L Nuermberger
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Center for Tuberculosis Research, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| | - Basil I Swanson
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
| | - Harshini Mukundan
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
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