Macrophage Microbicidal Mechanisms Research Articles

Whole-Transcriptome Analysis Highlights Adenylyl Cyclase Toxins-Derived Modulation of NF-κB and ERK1/2 Pathways in Macrophages.

Edema toxin (ET), one of the main toxic factors of Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis), is a kind of potent adenylate cyclase (AC). B. anthracis has adapted to resist macrophage microbicidal mechanisms in part by secreting ET. To date, there is limited information on the pathogenic mechanisms used by ET to manipulate macrophage function, especially at the transcriptome level. We used RNA sequencing to study transcriptional changes in RAW264.7 cells treated with ET. We aimed to identify molecular events associated with the establishment of infection and followed changes in cellular proteins. Our results indicate that ET inhibited TNF-α expression in the RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cell line by activating the cAMP/PKA pathway. ET challenge of macrophages induced a differential expression of genes that participate in multiple macrophage effector functions such as cytokine production, cell adhesion, and the inflammatory response. Furthermore, ET influenced the expression of components of the ERK1/2, as well as the NF-αB signaling pathways. We also showed that ET treatments inhibit the phosphorylation of the ERK1/2 protein. ET also attenuated NF-αB subunit p65 phosphorylation and transcriptional activity of NF-αB via the cAMP/PKA pathway in macrophages. Since the observed modulatory effects were characteristic only of the bacterial exotoxin ET, we propose this may be a mechanism used by B. anthracis to manipulate macrophages and establish systemic infection.

Alive Pathogenic and Saprophytic Leptospires Enter and Exit Human and Mouse Macrophages With No Intracellular Replication.

Leptospira interrogans are pathogenic bacteria responsible for leptospirosis, a zoonosis impacting 1 million people per year worldwide. Leptospires can infect all vertebrates, but not all hosts develop similar symptoms. Human and cattle may suffer from mild to acute illnesses and are therefore considered as sensitive to leptospirosis. In contrast, mice and rats remain asymptomatic upon infection, although they get chronically colonized in their kidneys. Upon infection, leptospires are stealth pathogens that partially escape the recognition by the host innate immune system. Although leptospires are mainly extracellular bacteria, it was suggested that they could also replicate within macrophages. However, contradictory data in the current literature led us to reevaluate these findings. Using a gentamicin–protection assay coupled to high-content (HC) microscopy, we observed that leptospires were internalized in vivo upon peritoneal infection of C57BL/6J mice. Additionally, three different serotypes of pathogenic L. interrogans and the saprophytic L. biflexa actively infected both human (PMA differentiated) THP1 and mouse RAW264.7 macrophage cell lines. Next, we assessed the intracellular fate of leptospires using bioluminescent strains, and we observed a drastic reduction in the leptospiral intracellular load between 3 h and 6 h post-infection, suggesting that leptospires do not replicate within these cells. Surprisingly, the classical macrophage microbicidal mechanisms (phagocytosis, autophagy, TLR–mediated ROS, and RNS production) were not responsible for the observed decrease. Finally, we demonstrated that the reduction in the intracellular load was associated with an increase of the bacteria in the supernatant, suggesting that leptospires exit both human and murine macrophages. Overall, our study reevaluated the intracellular fate of leptospires and favors an active entrance followed by a rapid exit, suggesting that leptospires do not have an intracellular lifestyle in macrophages.

Vitamin D increases killing of intracellular Leishmania amazonensis in vitro independently of macrophage oxidative mechanisms.

Vitamin D has been reported to activate macrophage microbicidal mechanisms by inducing the production of antimicrobial peptides and nitric oxide (NO), but conversely has been shown to contribute to a greater susceptibility to Leishmania amazonensis infection in mice. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the role of vitamin D during intracellular infection with L. amazonensis by examining its effect on macrophage oxidative mechanisms and parasite survival in vitro. Vitamins D2 and D3 significantly inhibited promastigote and amastigote growth in vitro. Vitamin D3 was not able to induce NO and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in uninfected macrophages or macrophages infected with L. amazonensis. In addition, vitamin D3 in combination with interferon (IFN)-γ did not enhance amastigote killing and in fact, significantly reduced NO and ROS production when compared with the effect of IFN-γ alone. In this study, we demonstrated that vitamin D directly reduces parasite growth in infected macrophages (approximately 50-60% at 50 μm) but this effect is independent of the activation of macrophage oxidative mechanisms. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of the role of vitamin D in cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Lower levels of leptin are associated with severity parameters in visceral leishmaniasis patients.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most severe clinical form of leishmaniasis, and if untreated may be fatal. It affects important organs of the immune system and is characterized by a specific immunosuppression, along with intense cellular activation and cytokine storm. Moreover, VL is now recognized as a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), in which multiple cytokines and other pro-inflammatory molecules are released. The action of these inflammatory mediators may be considered risk factors for poor prognosis and death. Leptin, a hormone derived from adipose tissue, has been described with several immunoregulatory functions in vitro and in vivo Leishmania infection models, particularly for enhancing the macrophage microbicidal mechanisms. Considering that evaluation of immunologic parameters that may be associated with this clinical scenario may help to decrease VL lethality, we evaluated whether leptin is associated with VL pathogenesis. Thirty-one patients were recruited in the active phase of VL, of which 22 were followed up until one month after therapy (1mpt). Except for creatinine levels, all clinical parameters were altered in active VL patients, especially leucocyte counts and albumin and hemoglobin levels. Also, elevated levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), immunoglobulins (Ig)G1 and G3 anti-Leishmania and interleukins (IL)-6 and -10 were higher than in healthy individuals. In contrast, active VL patients presented diminished serum leptin levels and positive correlation with leukocytes counts and hemoglobin and albumin levels. After 1mpt, VL patients showed a significant increase in leptin levels, reaching values similar to healthy volunteers. As expected, only LPS levels remained elevated after 1mpt. These findings suggest that leptin levels are affected in Leishmania infection and the correlation with important parameters associated with the prognosis of VL points to the involvement of this molecule in VL immunopathogenesis. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the possibility of leptin as a prognostic marker of VL.

Effects of antisense oligo DNA on the antimicrobial activity of reactive oxygen intermediates and antimycobacterial agents against Mycobacterium avium complex

There has not yet been systematic studies which attempt to elucidate detailed profiles of the interaction between antimicrobial drugs and macrophage microbicidal mechanisms. We examined the effects of antisense oligo DNAs (AsDNAs) against oxyR and ahpC on the susceptibility of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) to the H2O2-halogenation system and combined antimycobacterial drugs [clarithromycin (CAM) + rifampicin (RFP)], both separately and in combination. It was found that AsDNA treatment of MAC did not affect the susceptibility of the organisms to any of the antimicrobial systems tested. Since the present AsDNAs did not efficiently reduce the expression of AhpC mRNA, attempts to increase bacterial uptake of AsDNAs are necessary to achieve significant increase in the drug susceptibility of MAC organisms due to AsDNA treatment.

Mycobacterium bovis BCG urease attenuates major histocompatibility complex class II trafficking to the macrophage cell surface.

We have previously shown that Mycobacterium tuberculosis attenuates cell surface expression of major histocompatibility complex class II molecules in response to gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) by a mechanism dependent on intracellular sequestration of alpha,beta dimers. In this study we examined whether intracellular alkalinization due to mycobacterial urease could account for the defect in intracellular trafficking of class II molecules. Phagocytosis of wild-type Mycobacterium bovis BCG was associated with secretion of ammonia intracellularly, which increased substantially upon addition of exogenous urea to the culture medium. Increased intracellular ammonia, due to urea degradation by the bacterium, correlated with inhibition of class II surface expression. Conversely, no ammonia was detected in cells infected with a urease-negative mutant strain of M. bovis BCG, which also displayed a reduced effect on surface expression of class II molecules. A direct cause-effect relationship between urease and class II molecule trafficking was established with experiments where cells ingesting beads coated with purified urease showed an increased ammonia level and decreased surface expression of class II in response to IFN-gamma. In contrast to BCG, infection of macrophages with Mycobacterium smegmatis, which expresses relatively greater urease activity in cell-free culture, had a marginal effect on both the intracellular level of ammonia and class II expression. The limited effect of M. smegmatis was consistent with a failure to resist intracellular killing, suggesting that urease alone is not sufficient to resist macrophage microbicidal mechanisms and that this is required for a more distal effect on cell regulation. Our results demonstrate that alkalinization of critical intracellular organelles by pathogenic mycobacteria expressing urease contributes significantly to the intracellular retention of class II dimers.

Role of peroxynitrite in macrophage microbicidal mechanisms in vivo revealed by protein nitration and hydroxylation

The cytotoxins produced by phagocytic cells lacking peroxidases such as macrophages remain elusive. To elucidate macrophage microbicidal mechanisms in vivo, we compared the lesion tissue responses of resistant (C57Bl/6) and susceptible (BALB/c) mice to Leishmania amazonensis infection. This comparison demonstrated that parasite control relied on lesion macrophage activation with inducible nitric oxide synthase expression (iNOS), nitric oxide synthesis, and extensive nitration of parasites inside macrophage phagolysosomes at an early infection stage. Nitration and iNOS expression were monitored by confocal microscopy; nitric oxide synthesis was monitored by EPR. The main macrophage nitrating agent was shown to be peroxynitrite derived because parasite nitration occurred in the virtual absence of polymorphonuclear cells (monitored as peroxidase activity) and was accompanied by protein hydroxylation (monitored as 3-hydroxytyrosine levels). In vitro studies confirmed that peroxynitrite is cytotoxic to parasites whereas nitric oxide is cytostatic. The results indicate that peroxynitrite is likely to be produced close to the parasites and most of it reacts with carbon dioxide to produce carbonate radical anion and nitrogen dioxide whose concerted action leads to parasite nitration. In parallel, some peroxynitrite decomposition to the hydroxyl radical should occur due to the detection of hydroxylated proteins in the healing tissues. Consequently, peroxynitrite and derived radicals are likely to be important macrophage-derived cytotoxins.

Tick salivary gland extract inhibits killing of Borrelia afzelii spirochetes by mouse macrophages.

Salivary gland extract (SGE) from Ixodes ricinus ticks inhibited the killing of Borrelia afzelii spirochetes by murine macrophages. SGE also reduced the production of two major defense molecules of phagocytes, superoxide and nitric oxide. It is likely that the suppression of macrophage microbicidal mechanisms contributes to the inhibitory effect of tick saliva on the killing of B. afzelii spirochetes, thus facilitating the transmission of this important pathogen.

Experimental leishmaniasis: synergistic effect of ion channel blockers and interferon-gamma on the clearance of Leishmania major by macrophages.

We have previously shown that cultured Leishmania promastigotes are sensitive to drugs blocking K+ and Na+ channels and Na+/H+ transport systems and that the percentage of parasite-infected macrophages decreases significantly in the presence of the drugs. In the present work, we analyzed whether this drug susceptibility of intracellular amastigotes was associated with the activation of macrophage microbicidal mechanisms. Pretreatment of the cells with glibenclamide (GLIB) increased their resistance to infection with Leishmania, an effect that may be mediated by calcium fluxes since it was reversed by ethylene glycol bis-(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). It was noteworthy that in infected macrophages post-treated with the drugs the clearance of parasites was strongly enhanced when the cells were treated simultaneously with GLIB and interferon-gamma; this effect correlated with an increased production of reactive nitrogen intermediates. In conclusion, the data suggest that GLIB treatment increases the resistance of macrophages to infection with Leishmania and potentiates the interferon-gamma-stimulated clearance of parasites via the induction of nitric oxide.

Visceral leishmanicidal activity of hexadecylphosphocholine (miltefosine) in mice deficient in T cells and activated macrophage microbicidal mechanisms.

Hexadecylphosphocholine (miltefosine), a membrane-active alkylphospholipid, may be the first effective oral agent for visceral leishmaniasis, an intracellular protozoal infection of tissue macrophages. In vitro, miltefosine stimulates T cells and macrophages to respond to and secrete activating cytokines, including interferon (IFN)-gamma, and enhances macrophage production of microbicidal reactive nitrogen and oxygen intermediates (RNIs and ROIs, respectively). To determine whether these effects mediate miltefosine's in vivo leishmanicidal efficacy, genetically deficient mice were infected with Leishmania donovani. Intracellular visceral killing was retained in mice lacking or deficient in T cells, endogenous IFN-gamma, and macrophage generation of leishmanicidal RNIs and ROIs. Although mutant mice responded to miltefosine in the absence of tissue granulomas, treatment enhanced granuloma assembly in normal animals. These results suggest that miltefosine's visceral leishmanicidal effect does not require host T cell-dependent or activated macrophage-mediated mechanisms; thus, this agent may potentially be useful in treating T cell-deficient patients with kala-azar.

Inhibition of Ca(2+) signaling by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is associated with reduced phagosome-lysosome fusion and increased survival within human macrophages.

Complement receptor (CR)-mediated phagocytosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by macrophages results in intracellular survival, suggesting that M. tuberculosis interferes with macrophage microbicidal mechanisms. As increases in cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration (¿Ca(2+)(c)) promote phagocyte antimicrobial responses, we hypothesized that CR phagocytosis of M. tuberculosis is accompanied by altered Ca(2+) signaling. Whereas the control complement (C)-opsonized particle zymosan (COZ) induced a 4.6-fold increase in ¿Ca(2+)(c) in human macrophages, no change in ¿Ca(2+)(c) occurred upon addition of live, C-opsonized virulent M. tuberculosis. Viability of M. tuberculosis and ingestion via CRs was required for infection of macrophages in the absence of increased ¿Ca(2+)(c), as killed M. tuberculosis or antibody (Ab)-opsonized, live M. tuberculosis induced elevations in ¿Ca(2+)(c) similar to COZ. Increased ¿Ca(2+)(c) induced by Ab-opsonized bacilli was associated with a 76% reduction in intracellular survival, compared with C-opsonized M. tuberculosis. Similarly, reversible elevation of macrophage ¿Ca(2+)(c) with the ionophore A23187 reduced intracellular viability by 50%. Ionophore-mediated elevation of ¿Ca(2+)(c) promoted the maturation of phagosomes containing live C-opsonized bacilli, as evidenced by acidification and accumulation of lysosomal protein markers. These data demonstrate that M. tuberculosis inhibits CR-mediated Ca(2+) signaling and indicate that this alteration of macrophage activation contributes to inhibition of phagosome-lysosome fusion and promotion of intracellular mycobacterial survival.

Roles of endogenous gamma interferon and macrophage microbicidal mechanisms in host response to chemotherapy in experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

In experimental visceral leishmaniasis, in which the tissue macrophage is the target, in vivo responsiveness to conventional chemotherapy (pentavalent antimony [Sb]) requires a T-cell-dependent mechanism. To determine if this mechanism involves gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-induced activation and/or specific IFN-gamma-regulated macrophage leishmanicidal mechanisms (generation of reactive nitrogen or oxygen intermediates, we treated gene-deficient mice infected with Leishmania donovani. In IFN-gamma gene knockout (GKO) mice, Sb inhibited but did not kill intracellular L. donovani (2% killing versus 76% in controls). Sb was active (>94% killing), however, in both inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) knockout (KO) and respiratory burst (phagocyte oxidase)-deficient chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD) mice. Sb's efficacy was also maintained in doubly deficient animals (X-CGD mice treated with an iNOS inhibitor). In contrast to Sb, amphotericin B (AmB) induced high-level killing in GKO mice; AmB was also fully active in iNOS KO and X-CGD animals. Although resolution of L. donovani infection requires iNOS, residual visceral infection remained largely suppressed in iNOS KO mice treated with Sb or AmB. These results indicate that endogenous IFN-gamma regulates the leishmanicidal response to Sb and achieves this effect via a pathway unrelated to the macrophage's primary microbicidal mechanisms. The role of IFN-gamma is selective, since it is not a cofactor in the response to AmB. Treatment with either Sb or AmB permits an iNOS-independent mechanism to emerge and control residual intracellular L. donovani infection.

Differential expression of chemokines in patients with localized and diffuse cutaneous American leishmaniasis.

The abundance of macrophages in localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) lesions and differences in the composition of T cell subsets indicate involvement of cell-specific chemotaxis processes. The expression of macrophage chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1 alpha and -1 beta, RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted), I-309, and interleukin-8 were investigated in lesions of patients with LCL or DCL. In LCL, high levels of MCP-1 and moderate levels of MIP-1 alpha were detected. In DCL, MCP-1 expression was significantly lower and MIP-1 alpha expression was predominant. All other chemokines investigated were minimally expressed or absent. These findings suggest that MCP-1 and MIP-alpha are responsible for the recruitment of macrophages and T cells in cutaneous leishmaniasis. The results show that self-healing LCL is associated with higher levels of MCP-1, which may stimulate macrophage microbicidal mechanisms, and nonhealing DCL is associated with higher levels of MIP-alpha.

Protein synthesis in Brucella abortus induced during macrophage infection.

Brucella abortus is a facultative, intracellular, pathogenic bacterium that replicates within macrophages and resists macrophage microbicidal mechanisms. To study gene expression and to elucidate the defense mechanisms used by B. abortus to resist destruction within macrophages, protein synthesis by B. abortus was examined by pulse-labeling techniques during intracellular growth within J774A.1, a macrophage-like cell line. Prominent changes observed include increased synthesis of Brucella proteins with estimated molecular masses of 62, 28, 24, and 17 kDa. The 62-kDa protein was identified by immunoprecipitation analysis as Hsp62, a GroEL homolog. A protein of 60 kDa was expressed during acid shock and may represent a modified form of Hsp62. The 28- and 17-kDa proteins have not been observed under any in vitro stress condition and presumably represent macrophage-specific induction. The 24-kDa protein comigrates with an unidentified protein induced by acid shock, designated Asp24. Expression of Asp24 is optimal at pH values below 4.0 and within the first 3 h following a shift from pH 7.3 to 3.8. This corresponds directly with a period of optimal bacterial survival at a reduced pH and suggests an active role for this protein in resistance to such environments. The identification of these gene products and the mechanisms controlling their expression is an important step in understanding the resistance of Brucella spp. to intracellular destruction within macrophages.

Induction of stress protein synthesis inHistoplasma capsulatumby heat, low pH and hydrogen peroxide

It is well known that some micro-organisms synthesize proteins when stressed by heat or other factors. The function of these proteins is not yet clear, but some of them are believed to be related to resistance against a hostile environment. Histoplasma capsulatum is an intracellular pathogenic fungus that multiplies inside macrophages and resists macrophage microbicidal mechanisms. To study the defense mechanisms of H. capsulatum and mimic the hostile environment the fungus may encounter during infection, we investigated protein synthesis by H. capsulatum (isolate G217B) when stressed by heat (40 degrees C), low pH (pH 4), or oxidative products (H2O2) using [35S]-methionine labelling. Analysis of cytosol proteins by SDS-PAGE and fluorography disclosed that H. capsulatum increased synthesis of six constitutive proteins and decreased synthesis of six proteins when stressed at 40 degrees C. When stressed by pH 4 or H2O2, H. capsulatum increased the synthesis of eight and five constitutive proteins, respectively, and decreased the synthesis of three proteins. Estimation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase enzymatic activity in cytosols from stressed H. capsulatum did not reveal an increase of these enzymatic activities compared to cytosols from non-stressed H. capsulatum. These results suggest that H. capsulatum increases the synthesis of some constitutive proteins when stressed by heat, low pH or H2O2, which might relate to pathogenicity, and are thus worthy of further study. These induced proteins are apparently different from SOD or catalase.

Stimulation of macrophage H2O2 release by resident thymocytes: effect of a soluble factor distinct from interferon-gamma.

Activated T cells are known to stimulate macrophage oxidative metabolism and antimicrobial activity through release of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). In contrast, the role of nonactivated T cells in regulating macrophage effector functions is less well defined. We have previously reported that a low molecular weight soluble factor derived from resident (nonactivated) thymocytes enhances macrophage receptor-mediated phagocytosis. In the present study, we examined the capacity of resident murine thymocytes to stimulate the respiratory burst and microbicidal activity of peritoneal macrophages. Macrophages cultured for 1-2 days with cell-free thymocyte supernatant (TS) released two to three times more H2O2 in response to PMA or opsonized zymosan than did control macrophages. The H2O2-stimulating factor in TS was distinguished from IFN-gamma by its heat stability (100 degrees C, 20 min), approximate MW of 2400 Da (gel filtration high-pressure liquid chromatography), and absence of interferon activity in both antiviral and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. TS-treated macrophages, however, did not exhibit a greater capacity to kill or inhibit the intracellular growth of Toxoplasma gondii, indicating that the thymocyte factor did not fully activate macrophage microbicidal mechanisms. These data suggest that thymocytes can increase the respiratory burst capacity of macrophages in the absence of antigen-specific immune responses.

Macrophage oxygen-dependent antimicrobial activity. III. Enhanced oxidative metabolism as an expression of macrophage activation.

The capacity of 15 separate populations of mouse peritoneal macrophages to generate and release H2O2 (an index of oxidative metabolism) was compared with their ability to inhibit the intracellular replication of virulent Toxoplasma gondii. Resident macrophages and those elicited by inflammatory agents readily supported toxoplasma multiplication and released 4-20X less H2O2 than macrophages activated in vivo by systemic infection with Bacille Calmette-Guérin or T. gondii, or by immunization with Corynebacterium parvum. Immunologically activated cells consistently displayed both enhanced H2O2 production and antitoxoplasma activity. Exposure to lymphokines generated from cultures of spleen cells from T. gondii immune mice and toxoplasma antigen preserved both the antitoxoplasma activity and the heightened H2O2 release of toxoplasma immune and immune-boosted macrophages, which otherwise were lost after 48-72 h of cultivation. In vitro activation of resident and chemically-elicited cells by 72 h of exposure to mitogen- and antigen-prepared lymphokines, conditions that induce trypanocidal (5) and leishmanicidal activity (14), stimulated O2- and H2O2 release, and enhanced nitroblue tetrazolium reduction in response to toxoplasma ingestion. Such treatment, however, failed to confer any antitoxoplasma activity, indicating that intracellular pathogens may vary in their susceptibility to macrophage microbicidal mechanisms, including specific oxygen intermediates. In contrast, cocultivating normal macrophages with lymphokine plus heart infusion broth for 18H rendered these cells toxoplasmastatic. This in vitro-acquired activity was inhibited by scavengers of O2-, H2O2, OH., and 1O2, demonstrating a role for oxidative metabolites in lymphokine-induced enhancement of macrophage antimicrobial activity. These findings indicate that augmented oxidative metabolism is an consistent marker of macrophage activation, and that oxygen intermediates participate in the resistance of both in vivo- and vitro-activated macrophages toward the intracellular parasite, T. gondii.