Gram-positive Lipoteichoic Acid Research Articles

Virulence of Filifactor alocis lipoteichoic acid on human gingival fibroblast

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to investigate virulence of lipoteichoic acid extracted from Filifactor alocis (F. alocis) through comparison of previously known bacterial virulence factors. DesignF. alocis was cultured in columbia media including L-arginine and L-cysteine, and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from F. alocis was purified using organic solvent and bead extraction. Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) were treated with the extracted LTA and other Gram-positive LTA or lipopolysaccharide of other periodontopathogens. The induction of cytokine expression was examined by real-time RT-PCR and ELISA, and the stimulated signaling pathway by the LTA was investigated by immunoblotting and various inhibitors. ResultsLTA induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and Matrix-metalloprotein 2. Also, F. alocis LTA induced expression pro-inflammatory cytokines similar to Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide. The LTA activated NF-κB and MAP kinase pathway. Furthermore, the induction of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and MMP-2 expression by F. alocis LTA was reduced by the inhibitor of NF-κB, ERK, JNK, and p38 pathway. ConclusionsLTA of F. alocis, a bacterium recently detected in periodontal patients, may play an important role in inducing periodontitis by induction of expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-dependent uptake of Gram-positive lipoteichoic acid and Gram-negative lipopolysaccharide occurs through LDL receptor

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are bacterial lipids that stimulate pro-inflammatory cytokine production, thereby exacerbating sepsis pathophysiology. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) negatively regulates uptake of cholesterol by downregulating hepatic lipoprotein receptors, including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR) and possibly LDLR-related protein-1 (LRP1). PCSK9 also negatively regulates Gram-negative LPS uptake by hepatocytes, however this mechanism is not completely characterized and mechanisms of Gram-positive LTA uptake are unknown. Therefore, our objective was to elucidate the mechanisms through which PCSK9 regulates uptake of LTA and LPS by investigating the roles of lipoproteins and lipoprotein receptors. Here we show that plasma PCSK9 concentrations increase transiently over time in septic and non-septic critically ill patients, with highly similar profiles over 14 days. Using flow cytometry, we demonstrate that PCSK9 negatively regulates LDLR-mediated uptake of LTA and LPS by HepG2 hepatocytes through an LDL-dependent mechanism, whereas LRP1 and high-density lipoprotein do not contribute to this uptake pathway. Bacterial lipid uptake by hepatocytes was not associated with cytokine production or hepatocellular injury. In conclusion, our study characterizes an LDL-dependent and LDLR-mediated bacterial lipid uptake pathway regulated by PCSK9, and provides evidence in support of PCSK9 inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy for sepsis.

Innate immune responses induced by lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid in primary goat mammary epithelial cells

BackgroundInnate immune responses induced by in vitro stimulation of primary mammary epithelial cells (MEC) using Gram-negative lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Gram-positive lipoteichoic acid (LTA) bacterial cell wall components are well- characterized in bovine species. The objective of the current study was to characterize the downstream regulation of the inflammatory response induced by Toll-like receptors in primary goat MEC (pgMEC). We performed quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qPCR) to measure mRNA levels of 9 genes involved in transcriptional regulation or antibacterial activity: Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), interferon induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3 (IFIT3), interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MYD88), nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells 1 (NFKB1), Toll interacting protein (TOLLIP), and lactoferrin (LTF). Furthermore, we analyzed 7 cytokines involved in Toll-like receptor signaling pathways: C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 6 (CXCL6), interleukin 8 (CXCL8), interleukin 1 beta (IL1B), interleukin 6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF).ResultsStimulation of pgMEC with LPS for 3 h led to an increase in expression of CCL2, CXCL6, IL6, CXCL8, PTGS2, IFIT3, MYD88, NFKB1, and TLR4 (P < 0.05). Except for IL6, and PTGS2, the same genes had greater expression than controls at 6 h post-LPS (P < 0.05). Expression of CCL5, PTGS2, IFIT3, NFKB1, TLR4, and TOLLIP was greater than controls after 3 h of incubation with LTA (P < 0.05). Compared to controls, stimulation with LTA for 6 h led to greater expression of PTGS2, IFIT3, NFKB1, and TOLLIP (P < 0.05) whereas the expression of CXCL6, CXCL8, and TLR4 was lower (P < 0.05). At 3 h incubation with both toxins compared to controls a greater expression (P < 0.05) of CCL2, CCL5, CXCL6, CXCL8, IL6, PTGS2, IFIT3, IRF3, MYD88, and NFKB1 was detected. After 6 h of incubation with both toxins, the expression of CCL2, CXCL6, IFIT3, MYD88, NFKB1, and TLR4 was higher than the controls (P < 0.05).ConclusionsData indicate that in the goat MEC, LTA induces a weaker inflammatory response than LPS. This may be related to the observation that gram-positive bacteria cause chronic mastitis more often than gram-negative infections.

Inflammatory responses of stromal fibroblasts to inflammatory epithelial cells are involved in the pathogenesis of bovine mastitis

Hypernomic secretion of epithelial cytokines has several effects on stromal cells. The contributions of inflammatory epithelial cells to stromal fibroblasts in bovine mammary glands with mastitis remain poorly understood. Here, we established an inflammatory epithelial cell model of bovine mastitis with gram-negative lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and gram-positive lipoteichoic acid (LTA) bacterial cell wall components. We characterized immune responses of mammary stromal fibroblasts induced by inflammatory epithelial cells. Our results showed that inflammatory epithelial cells affected stromal fibroblast characteristics by increasing inflammatory mediator expression, elevating extracellular matrix protein deposition, decreasing proliferation capacity, and enhancing migration ability. The changes in stromal fibroblast proliferation and migration abilities were mediated by signal molecules, such as WNT signal pathway components. LPS- and LTA-induced inflammatory epithelial cells triggered different immune responses in stromal fibroblasts. Thus, in mastitis, bovine mammary gland stromal fibroblasts were affected by inflammatory epithelial cells and displayed inflammation-specific changes, suggesting that fibroblasts play crucial roles in bovine mastitis.

Manduca sexta gloverin binds microbial components and is active against bacteria and fungi

Hyalophora gloveri gloverin is a glycine-rich and heat stable antimicrobial protein with activity mainly against Escherichia coli. However, Spodoptera exigua gloverin is active against a Gram-positive bacterium but inactive against E. coli. In this study, we investigated expression profile, binding ability and antimicrobial activity of Manduca sexta gloverin (MsGlv). Msglv transcript was detected in several tissues of naïve larvae with higher levels in the midgut and testis. Expression of Msglv mRNA in larvae was up-regulated by active Spätzle-C108 and peptidoglycans (PGs) of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and the activation was blocked by pre-injection of antibody to M. sexta Toll, suggesting that Msglv expression is regulated by the Toll–Spätzle pathway. Recombinant MsGlv bound to the O-specific antigen and outer core carbohydrate of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Gram-positive lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and PG, and laminarin, but not to E. coli PG or mannan. MsGlv was active against Bacillus cereus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Cryptococcus neoformans, but was almost inactive against E. coli and S. aureus. Our results suggest that gloverins are active against some bacteria and fungi.

CKD712, (S)-1-(α-naphthylmethyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, inhibits the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated secretion of HMGB1 by inhibiting PI3K and classical protein kinase C

CKD712, (S)-1-(α-naphthylmethyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, was considered as a new effective drug candidate to sepsis, based on its anti-inflammatory activity. It was reported that CKD712 inhibited various signal pathways which play a key role in production of proinflammatory cytokines. Here, we examined the effect of CKD712 on the secretion of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), which is one of the proinflammatory cytokines. CKD712 can reduce Gram-negative lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and Gram-positive lipoteichoic acid (LTA)-stimulated HMGB1 secretion in RAW264.7 and human peripheral blood monocytes (PBMo), and also reduce LPS-induced nucleocytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 1h before or after LPS treatment. CKD712 could dose-dependently inhibit the activation of PI3K and PI3K-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1), which are involved in HMGB1 secretion signaling pathway. In addition, CKD712 inhibited classical protein kinase C (cPKC), the effective kinase for phosphorylation of HMGB1 for secretion, however, had no effect on histone acetyl-transferase activity, which is another mechanism known for HMGB1 secretion. Thus, we suggest that CKD712 could inhibit LPS- and LTA-stimulated HMGB1 secretion through the inhibition of HMGB1 phosphorylation by inhibiting PI3K-PKC signaling pathway.

Lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid induce different innate immune responses in bovine mammary epithelial cells

The objective of the present study was to characterize the innate immune responses induced by in vitro stimulation of bovine primary mammary epithelial cells (bMEC) using gram-negative lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and gram-positive lipoteichoic acid (LTA) bacterial cell wall components. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to examine the mRNA expression of a panel of 22 cytokines, chemokines, β-defensins and components of the Toll-Like Receptor signaling pathway. Stimulation of bMEC with LPS for 24 h elicited a marked increase in mRNA expression for IL-1β, IL-8, TNFα, CXCL6 and β-defensin while members of the Toll-Like Receptor pathway, although present, were largely unaffected. Surprisingly, stimulation of these cells with LTA for 24 h did not significantly alter the expression of these genes. A time course of the expression of IL-1β, IL-8, TNFα, CXCL6 and β-defensin was subsequently performed. The mRNA levels of all genes increased rapidly after stimulation for 2–4 h with both LPS and LTA but only the former treatment resulted in sustained responses. In contrast, the increased gene expression for LTA stimulated cells returned to resting levels after 8–16 h with the exception of β-defensin, which remained up-regulated. The limited and unsustained cytokine response to LTA may explain why mastitis caused by gram-positive bacteria has greater potential for chronic intra-mammary infection than gram-negative infection. It was concluded that bovine mammary epithelial cells have a strong but differential capacity to mount innate immune responses to bacterial cell wall components.

MD-2 enables Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)-mediated responses to lipopolysaccharide and enhances TLR2-mediated responses to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and their cell wall components.

MD-2 is associated with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on the cell surface and enables TLR4 to respond to LPS. We tested whether MD-2 enhances or enables the responses of both TLR2 and TLR4 to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and their components. TLR2 without MD-2 did not efficiently respond to highly purified LPS and LPS partial structures. MD-2 enabled TLR2 to respond to nonactivating protein-free LPS, LPS mutants, or lipid A and enhanced TLR2-mediated responses to both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and their LPS, peptidoglycan, and lipoteichoic acid components. MD-2 enabled TLR4 to respond to a wide variety of LPS partial structures, Gram-negative bacteria, and Gram-positive lipoteichoic acid, but not to Gram-positive bacteria, peptidoglycan, and lipopeptide. MD-2 physically associated with TLR2, but this association was weaker than with TLR4. MD-2 enhanced expression of both TLR2 and TLR4, and TLR2 and TLR4 enhanced expression of MD-2. Thus, MD-2 enables both TLR4 and TLR2 to respond with high sensitivity to a broad range of LPS structures and to lipoteichoic acid, and, moreover, MD-2 enhances the responses of TLR2 to Gram-positive bacteria and peptidoglycan, to which the TLR4-MD-2 complex is unresponsive.

Role of MD-2 in TLR2- and TLR4-mediated recognition of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and activation of chemokine genes

MD-2 is associated with TLR4 on the cell surface and enables TLR4 to respond to LPS. TLR2 without MD-2 does not respond to pure protein-free endotoxic LPS, ReLPS, and lipid A. MD-2 enables TLR2 to respond to non-activating LPS, ReLPS, and lipid A, and enhances TLR2-mediated responses to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, protein-containing LPS, peptidoglycan, and lipoteichoic acid. MD-2 enables TLR4 to respond to a wide variety of endotoxic LPS partial structures, Gram-negative bacteria, and Gram-positive lipoteichoic acid, but not to Gram-positive bacteria, peptidoglycan, and lipopeptide. MD-2 physically associates with both TLR4 and TLR2, but the association with TLR2 is weaker than with TLR4. Also, MD-2 and TLR2 and TLR4 enhance each other's expression. The highest induced genes in human monocytes stimulated with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cell wall components are chemokine genes, and IL-8 is the highest induced chemokine. Both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria activate TLR2→ MyD88→IRAK→TRAF→NIK→IKK→NF-κB signal transduction pathway that induces transcription of the IL-8 gene. Therefore, TLR2 is a functional receptor for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and it induces activation of IL-8.

Role of MD-2 in TLR2- and TLR4-mediated recognition of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and activation of chemokine genes.

MD-2 is associated with TLR4 on the cell surface and enables TLR4 to respond to LPS. TLR2 without MD-2 does not respond to pure protein-free endotoxic LPS, ReLPS, and lipid A. MD-2 enables TLR2 to respond to non-activating LPS, ReLPS, and lipid A, and enhances TLR2-mediated responses to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, protein-containing LPS, peptidoglycan, and lipoteichoic acid. MD-2 enables TLR4 to respond to a wide variety of endotoxic LPS partial structures, Gram-negative bacteria, and Gram-positive lipoteichoic acid, but not to Gram-positive bacteria, peptidoglycan, and lipopeptide. MD-2 physically associates with both TLR4 and TLR2, but the association with TLR2 is weaker than with TLR4. Also, MD-2 and TLR2 and TLR4 enhance each other's expression. The highest induced genes in human monocytes stimulated with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cell wall components are chemokine genes, and IL-8 is the highest induced chemokine. Both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria activate TLR2-->MyD88-->IRAK-->TRAF-->NIK-->IKK-->NF-->kappaB signal transduction pathway that induces transcription of the IL-8 gene. Therefore, TLR2 is a functional receptor for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and it induces activation of IL-8.