1
|
Xu L, Lin L, Xie N, Chen W, Nong W, Li R. Role of aryl hydrocarbon receptors in infection and inflammation. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1367734. [PMID: 38680494 PMCID: PMC11045974 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1367734] [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: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor that is activated by various ligands, including pollutants, microorganisms, and metabolic substances. It is expressed extensively in pulmonary and intestinal epithelial cells, where it contributes to barrier defense. The expression of AhR is pivotal in regulating the inflammatory response to microorganisms. However, dysregulated AhR expression can result in endocrine disorders, leading to immunotoxicity and potentially promoting the development of carcinoma. This review focuses on the crucial role of the AhR in facilitating and limiting the proliferation of pathogens, specifically in relation to the host cell type and the species of etiological agents involved in microbial pathogen infections. The activation of AhR is enhanced through the IDO1-AhR-IDO1 positive feedback loop, which is manipulated by viruses. AhR primarily promotes the infection of SARS-CoV-2 by inducing the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. AhR also plays a significant role in regulating various types of T-cells, including CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, in the context of pulmonary infections. The AhR pathway plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses within the respiratory and intestinal barriers when they are invaded by viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. Additionally, we propose that targeting the agonist and antagonist of AhR signaling pathways could serve as a promising therapeutic approach for combating pathogen infections, especially in light of the growing prevalence of drug resistance to multiple antibiotics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linglan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Research on Clinical Molecular Diagnosis for High Incidence Diseases in Western Guangxi, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Luping Lin
- Key Laboratory of Research on Clinical Molecular Diagnosis for High Incidence Diseases in Western Guangxi, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi, China
| | - Nan Xie
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Weiwei Chen
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Weihua Nong
- Key Laboratory of Research on Clinical Molecular Diagnosis for High Incidence Diseases in Western Guangxi, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi, China
| | - Ranhui Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
- Hunan Prevention and Treatment Institute for Occupational Diseases and Affiliated Prevention and Treatment Institute for Occupational Diseases, University of South China, Changsha, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ewald S, Nasuhidehnavi A, Feng TY, Lesani M, McCall LI. The intersection of host in vivo metabolism and immune responses to infection with kinetoplastid and apicomplexan parasites. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0016422. [PMID: 38299836 PMCID: PMC10966954 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00164-22] [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] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYProtozoan parasite infection dramatically alters host metabolism, driven by immunological demand and parasite manipulation strategies. Immunometabolic checkpoints are often exploited by kinetoplastid and protozoan parasites to establish chronic infection, which can significantly impair host metabolic homeostasis. The recent growth of tools to analyze metabolism is expanding our understanding of these questions. Here, we review and contrast host metabolic alterations that occur in vivo during infection with Leishmania, trypanosomes, Toxoplasma, Plasmodium, and Cryptosporidium. Although genetically divergent, there are commonalities among these pathogens in terms of metabolic needs, induction of the type I immune responses required for clearance, and the potential for sustained host metabolic dysbiosis. Comparing these pathogens provides an opportunity to explore how transmission strategy, nutritional demand, and host cell and tissue tropism drive similarities and unique aspects in host response and infection outcome and to design new strategies to treat disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Ewald
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Azadeh Nasuhidehnavi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Tzu-Yu Feng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mahbobeh Lesani
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xie H, Yang N, Yu C, Lu L. Uremic toxins mediate kidney diseases: the role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2024; 29:38. [PMID: 38491448 PMCID: PMC10943832 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-024-00550-4] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) was originally identified as an environmental sensor that responds to pollutants. Subsequent research has revealed that AhR recognizes multiple exogenous and endogenous molecules, including uremic toxins retained in the body due to the decline in renal function. Therefore, AhR is also considered to be a uremic toxin receptor. As a ligand-activated transcriptional factor, the activation of AhR is involved in cell differentiation and senescence, lipid metabolism and fibrogenesis. The accumulation of uremic toxins in the body is hazardous to all tissues and organs. The identification of the endogenous uremic toxin receptor opens the door to investigating the precise role and molecular mechanism of tissue and organ damage induced by uremic toxins. This review focuses on summarizing recent findings on the role of AhR activation induced by uremic toxins in chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy and acute kidney injury. Furthermore, potential clinical approaches to mitigate the effects of uremic toxins are explored herein, such as enhancing uremic toxin clearance through dialysis, reducing uremic toxin production through dietary interventions or microbial manipulation, and manipulating metabolic pathways induced by uremic toxins through controlling AhR signaling. This information may also shed light on the mechanism of uremic toxin-induced injury to other organs, and provide insights into clinical approaches to manipulate the accumulated uremic toxins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Xie
- Department of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai, 200065, China
| | - Ninghao Yang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 138 Yixueyuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Chen Yu
- Department of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai, 200065, China.
| | - Limin Lu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 138 Yixueyuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bensalel J, Roberts A, Hernandez K, Pina A, Prempeh W, Babalola BV, Cannata P, Lazaro A, Gallego-Delgado J. Novel Experimental Mouse Model to Study Malaria-Associated Acute Kidney Injury. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12040545. [PMID: 37111431 PMCID: PMC10141210 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of malaria-associated acute kidney injury (MAKI), one of the strongest predictors of death in children with severe malaria (SM), has been largely underestimated and research in this area has been neglected. Consequently, a standard experimental mouse model to research this pathology is still lacking. The purpose of this study was to develop an in vivo model that resembles the pathology in MAKI patients. In this study, unilateral nephrectomies were performed on wild-type mice prior to infection with Plasmodium berghei NK65. The removal of one kidney has shown to be an effective approach to replicating the most common findings in humans with MAKI. Infection of nephrectomized mice, compared to their non-nephrectomized counterparts, resulted in the development of kidney injury, evident by histopathological analysis and elevated levels of acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarkers, including urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, serum Cystatin C, and blood urea nitrogen. Establishment of this in vivo model of MAKI is critical to the scientific community, as it can be used to elucidate the molecular pathways implicated in MAKI, delineate the development of the disease, identify biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis, and test potential adjunctive therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Bensalel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bronx, Lehman College, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10468, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Alexandra Roberts
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bronx, Lehman College, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10468, USA
| | - Kiara Hernandez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bronx, Lehman College, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10468, USA
| | - Angelica Pina
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bronx, Lehman College, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10468, USA
| | - Winifred Prempeh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bronx, Lehman College, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10468, USA
| | - Blessing V. Babalola
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bronx, Lehman College, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10468, USA
| | - Pablo Cannata
- Department of Pathology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Lazaro
- Renal Physiopathology Laboratory, Department of Nephrology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Julio Gallego-Delgado
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bronx, Lehman College, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10468, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Metabolomic Analysis of Diverse Mice Reveals Hepatic Arginase-1 as Source of Plasma Arginase in Plasmodium chabaudi Infection. mBio 2021; 12:e0242421. [PMID: 34607466 PMCID: PMC8546868 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02424-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections disrupt host metabolism, but the factors that dictate the nature and magnitude of metabolic change are incompletely characterized. To determine how host metabolism changes in relation to disease severity in murine malaria, we performed plasma metabolomics on eight Plasmodium chabaudi-infected mouse strains with diverse disease phenotypes. We identified plasma metabolic biomarkers for both the nature and severity of different malarial pathologies. A subset of metabolic changes, including plasma arginine depletion, match the plasma metabolomes of human malaria patients, suggesting new connections between pathology and metabolism in human malaria. In our malarial mice, liver damage, which releases hepatic arginase-1 (Arg1) into circulation, correlated with plasma arginine depletion. We confirmed that hepatic Arg1 was the primary source of increased plasma arginase activity in our model, which motivates further investigation of liver damage in human malaria patients. More broadly, our approach shows how leveraging phenotypic diversity can identify and validate relationships between metabolism and the pathophysiology of infectious disease. IMPORTANCE Malaria is a severe and sometimes fatal infectious disease endemic to tropical and subtropical regions. Effective vaccines against malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites remain elusive, and malaria treatments often fail to prevent severe disease. Small molecules that target host metabolism have recently emerged as candidates for therapeutics in malaria and other diseases. However, our limited understanding of how metabolites affect pathophysiology limits our ability to develop new metabolite therapies. By providing a rich data set of metabolite-pathology correlations and by validating one of those correlations, our work is an important step toward harnessing metabolism to mitigate disease. Specifically, we showed that liver damage in P. chabaudi-infected mice releases hepatic arginase-1 into circulation, where it may deplete plasma arginine, a candidate malaria therapeutic that mitigates vascular stress. Our data suggest that liver damage may confound efforts to increase levels of arginine in human malaria patients.
Collapse
|