Biomedical subjects

Dana J Philpott

Publications and source records attributed to Dana J Philpott.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

A critical role for peptidoglycan N-deacetylation in Listeria evasion from the host innate immune system.

Listeria monocytogenes is a human intracellular pathogen that is able to survive in the gastrointestinal environment and replicate in macrophages, thus bypassing the early innate immune defenses. Peptidoglycan (PG) is an essential component of the bacterial cell wall readily exposed to the host and, thus, an important target for the innate immune system. Characterization of the PG from L. monocytogenes demonstrated deacetylation of N-acetylglucosamine residues. We identified a PG N-deacetylase gene, pgdA, in L. monocytogenes genome sequence. Inactivation of pgdA revealed the key role of this PG modification in bacterial virulence because the mutant was extremely sensitive to the bacteriolytic activity of lysozyme, and growth was severely impaired after oral and i.v. inoculations. Within macrophage vacuoles, the mutant was rapidly destroyed and induced a massive IFN-beta response in a TLR2 and Nod1-dependent manner. Together, these results reveal that PG N-deacetylation is a highly efficient mechanism used by Listeria to evade innate host defenses. The presence of deacetylase genes in other pathogenic bacteria indicates that PG N-deacetylation could be a general mechanism used by bacteria to evade the host innate immune system.

Acetylation↗

PubMed2006

Contribution of phagocytosis and intracellular sensing for cytokine production by Staphylococcus aureus-activated macrophages.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in the sensing of microbially derived compounds. We analyzed the contribution of these receptors to cytokine production by macrophages following stimulation with whole bacteria. Using knockout mice, we confirmed that the TLR4 and TLR2 contribution was predominant in the induction of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-10 by gram-negative bacteria. In contrast, the absence of TLR2 and/or TLR4 or TLR9 did not affect the response to gram-positive bacteria. In the absence of TLR2, phagocytosis was essential for cytokine production in response to heat-killed Staphylococcus aureus (HKSA). Because intracellular sensing was important in the absence of TLR2, we evaluated the contribution of Nod1 and Nod2, intracytoplasmic sensors of peptidoglycan-derived muropeptides, to the response to HKSA. By transfecting RAW 264.7 macrophages with dominant negative (DN) forms of Nod1 and Nod2, we showed that both molecules inhibited NF-kappaB activation in response to HKSA. The unexpected interference of DN Nod1 in the response of macrophages to gram-positive bacteria was confirmed with a Nod2 agonist (muramyl dipeptide) in transfection experiments with HEK293T cell. Taken together, these results show the contribution of phagocytosis and Nod molecules to the response to HKSA in macrophages and also identify possible cross talk between Nod1 and Nod2.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2006

Aspergillus fumigatus induces innate immune responses in alveolar macrophages through the MAPK pathway independently of TLR2 and TLR4.

Aspergillus fumigatus causes invasive aspergillosis in immunosuppressed patients. In the immunocompetent host, inhaled conidia are cleared by alveolar macrophages. The signaling pathways of the alveolar macrophage involved in the clearance of A. fumigatus are poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the role of TLRs in the immune response against A. fumigatus and their contribution to the signaling events triggered in murine alveolar macrophages upon infection with A. fumigatus conidia. Specifically, we examined the MAPKs and NF-kappaB activation and cytokine signaling. Our investigations revealed that immunocompetent TLR2, TLR4, and MyD88 knockout mice were not more susceptible to invasive aspergillosis as compared with wild-type mice and that the in vitro phosphorylation of the MAPKs ERK and p38 was not affected in TLR2, TLR4, or MyD88 knockout mice following stimulation with conidia. In vivo experiments suggest that ERK was an essential MAPK in the defense against A. fumigatus, whereas the activation of NF-kappaB appeared to play only a secondary role. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that TLR2/4 recognition and MyD88 signaling are dispensable for the clearance of A. fumigatus under immunocompetent situations. Furthermore, our data stress the important role of ERK activation in innate immunity to A. fumigatus.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2006

Innate immune defense through RNA interference.

RNA interference (RNAi, also known as RNA silencing) has recently emerged as a fundamental and widespread regulator of gene expression. New developments in this field implicate RNAi in the innate immune response to infection in plants and animals. Evidence from plants, tissue culture cells, and Caenorhabditis elegans-based systems previously suggested that RNAi plays a role in the defense against viral infection, but definitive evidence using viruses and whole animals has been lacking. Two recent reports now show that both Drosophila embryos and adult flies mount a substantial innate immune response to insect viruses that requires the RNAi machinery. This innate response is distinct from known bacterial and fungal defense systems provided by the Toll and immune deficiency (Imd) pathways, thus defining a previously unrecognized strategy to fight viral infection. Whether RNAi, aside from its function in counteracting viruses, is also used to fight bacterial infection remained enigmatic. New evidence, however, now shows that in Arabidopsis, the bacterial component, flagellin, induces the expression of a specific microRNA, which in turn leads to the down-regulation of the signaling pathways that are implicated in disease susceptibility. This down-regulation then increases the plant's resistance to infection. Whether RNAi mechanisms also exist for combating bacterial diseases in animals remains an intriguing question for future studies.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

PGRP-LB minds the fort.

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are a class of molecules that play a critical role in Drosophila immunity. In this issue of Immunity, Zaidman-Rémy et al. (2006) show that PGRP-LB controls systemic immune responses as well as homeostasis at the barrier surfaces.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Nod-like proteins in immunity, inflammation and disease.

The intracellular Nod-like proteins or receptors are a family of sensors of intracellularly encountered microbial motifs and 'danger signals' that have emerged as being critical components of the innate immune responses and of inflammation in mammals. Several Nod-like receptors, including Nod1, Nod2, NALP3, Ipaf and Naip, are strongly associated with host responses to intracellular invasion by bacteria or the intracellular presence of specific bacterial products. An additional key function of Nod-like receptors is in inflammatory conditions, which has been emphasized by the identification of several different mutations in the genes encoding Nod1, Nod2 and NALP3 that are associated with susceptibility to inflammatory disorders. Those and other issues related to the Nod-like receptor family are discussed here.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Innate immune sensing of microbes by Nod proteins.

Nod1 and Nod2 are proteins involved in innate immune defense. These intracellular surveillance proteins detect bacterial peptidoglycan, although requiring distinct motifs to achieve sensing. Detection through Nod1 and Nod2 initiates proinflammatory signaling via NF-kappaB activation, which is necessary for clearance of infecting pathogens from the host. The peptidoglycan product sensed by Nod1 is a motif characteristic of Gram-negative bacteria plus some Gram-positive bacteria, such as Bacillus and Listeria spp. The specificity of Nod1 to detect this subset of bacteria might represent a selective advantage for the host in certain cases when Gram-negative bacteria represent the main threat, such as in the epithelial cells lining the intestinal mucosa. In contrast, Nod2 has been implicated as a general sensor for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria since muramyl dipeptide (MDP), which is the minimal motif in all peptidoglycans, is the structure recognized by Nod2. Mutations in Nod2 have been associated with autoinflammatory disease in humans, including Crohn's disease. Interestingly, the most common mutation in Nod2 associated with Crohn's disease results in protein product that no longer detects MDP. Although the implications of these findings are still not fully understood, it appears that lack of bacterial sensing through a loss of interaction between mutant Nod2 and MDP contributes to the pathology of disease. A loss of surveillance activity by Nod2 may result in the inability of local responses in the intestinal mucosa to control bacterial infection, thereby initiating systemic responses and leading to aberrant inflammation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2005

Identification of the critical residues involved in peptidoglycan detection by Nod1.

Nod1 is an intracellular pattern recognition molecule activated following bacterial infection, which senses a specific muropeptide (l-Ala-d-Glu-meso-DAP (diaminopimelic acid); "Tri(DAP)") from peptidoglycan. Here we investigated the molecular basis of Tri(DAP) sensing by human (h) Nod1. Our results identified the domain responsible for Tri(DAP) detection in the center of the concave surface of hNod1 leucine-rich repeat domain. Amino acid residues critical for sensing define a contiguous surface patch that is largely conserved in Nod1 proteins from different species. Accordingly, the distinct specificities of human versus murine Nod1 toward muropeptide detection were also found to lie in this central cleft. Several splicing variants of Nod1 lacking repeats 7-9 have been characterized recently, the relative balance of which is thought to correlate with the onset of asthma or inflammatory bowel disease. We demonstrated that these isoforms failed to transduce NF-kappaB activation upon muropeptide stimulation. This study provided insights into the molecular mechanisms responsible for the detection of bacterial peptidoglycan by Nod1 and suggested that defects in Nod1-dependent peptidoglycan sensing may contribute to elicit certain inflammatory disorders.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2005

Nod1 participates in the innate immune response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The mammalian innate immune system recognizes pathogen-associated molecular patterns through pathogen recognition receptors. Nod1 has been described recently as a cytosolic receptor that detects specifically diaminopimelate-containing muropeptides from Gram-negative bacteria peptidoglycan. In the present study we investigated the potential role of Nod1 in the innate immune response against the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We demonstrate that Nod1 detects the P. aeruginosa peptidoglycan leading to NF-kappaB activation and that this activity is diminished in epithelial cells expressing a dominant-negative Nod1 construct or in mouse embryonic fibroblasts from Nod1 knock-out mice infected with P. aeruginosa. Finally, we demonstrate that the cytokine secretion kinetics and bacterial killing are altered in Nod1-deficient cells infected with P. aeruginosa in the early stages of infection.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2005

The frameshift mutation in Nod2 results in unresponsiveness not only to Nod2- but also Nod1-activating peptidoglycan agonists.

NOD2/CARD15 is the first characterized susceptibility gene in Crohn disease. The Nod2 1007fs (Nod2fs) frameshift mutation is the most prevalent in Crohn disease patients. Muramyl dipeptide from bacterial peptidoglycan is the minimal motif detected by Nod2 but not by Nod2fs. Here we investigated the response of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from Crohn disease patients not only to muramyl dipeptide but also to several other muramyl peptides. Most unexpectedly, we observed that patients homozygous for the Nod2fs mutation were totally unresponsive to MurNAc-L-Ala-D-Glu-meso-diaminopimelic acid (DAP) (M-Tri(DAP)), the specific agonist of Nod1, and to Gram-negative bacterial peptidoglycan. In contrast, PBMCs from a patient homozygous for the Nod2 R702W mutation, also associated with Crohn disease, displayed normal response to Gram-negative bacterial peptidoglycan. In addition, the blockage of the Nod1/M-Tri(DAP) pathway could be partially overcome by co-stimulation with the Toll-like receptors agonists lipoteichoic acid or lipopolysaccharide. Investigation into the mechanism of this finding revealed that Nod2fs did not act as a dominant-negative molecule for the Nod1/M-Tri(DAP) pathway, implying that the blockage is dependent upon the expression or activity of other factors. We demonstrated that PBMCs from Nod2fs patients express high levels of the peptidoglycan recognition protein S, a secreted protein known to interact with muramyl peptides. We proposed that through a scavenger function, peptidoglycan recognition protein S may dampen M-Tri(DAP)-dependent responses in Nod2fs patients. Together, our results identified a cross-talk between the Nod1 and Nod2 pathways and suggested that down-regulation of Nod1/M-Tri(DAP) pathway may be associated with Crohn disease.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

PubMed2005

Synergistic stimulation of human monocytes and dendritic cells by Toll-like receptor 4 and NOD1- and NOD2-activating agonists.

Muropeptides are degradation products of bacterial peptidoglycan (PG) sensed by nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 (NOD1) and NOD2, members of a recently discovered family of pattern recognition molecules (PRM). One of these muropeptides, muramyl dipeptide (MDP) mediates cell signaling by NOD2, exerts adjuvant activity and synergizes with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce pro-inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, few and contradictory results exist about the stimulatory capacity of NOD1 agonists. Thus, the ability of NOD1 (MurNAc-L-Ala--D-Glu-meso-diaminopimelic acid, MtriDAP) and NOD2 (MurNAc-L-Ala-D-isoGln, MDP; MurNAc-L-Ala--D-Glu-L-Lys, MtriLYS) agonists to activate primary human myeloid cells was examined. We show that both CD14+ monocytes and CD1a+ immature dendritic cells (DC) express NOD1 and NOD2 mRNA. Stimulation of primary human monocytes and DC with highly purified muropeptides (MtriDAP, MDP and MtriLYS) induces release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. We reveal here that NOD1 as well as NOD2 agonists act cooperatively with LPS to stimulate the release of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in these myeloid cell subsets. Finally, we report that NOD1 as well as NOD2 agonists synergize with sub-active doses of LPS to induce DC maturation, demonstrating that NOD agonists act cooperatively with molecules sensed by Toll-like receptor 4 to instruct the onset of adaptive immune responses.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2005

NACHT-LRR proteins (NLRs) in bacterial infection and immunity.

Eukaryotes have evolved systems to detect bacterial intrusion. Recognition of bacteria relies on the sensing of pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by host pattern recognition molecules (PRMs), which include various families of leucine-rich repeat (LRR) bearing proteins in plants and animals. Detection of microbes often occurs outside the cell. Recent findings now indicate that mammals have also evolved strategies to recognize bacteria inside the cell via members of the NACHT-LRR protein family (NLRs). Here, we review the biology of these mammalian NLRs and the emerging view of their important, role not solely as PRMs but as signalling platforms and regulators of immunity.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2005

Murine Nod1 but not its human orthologue mediates innate immune detection of tracheal cytotoxin.

Tracheal cytotoxin (TCT) was originally described as the minimal effector that was able to reproduce the cytotoxic response of Bordetella pertussis on ciliated epithelial cells. This molecule triggers pleiotropic effects such as immune stimulation or slow-wave sleep modulation. Further characterization identified TCT as a specific diaminopimelic acid (DAP)-containing muropeptide, GlcNAc-(anhydro)MurNAc-L-Ala-D-Glu-mesoDAP-D-Ala. Here, we show that the biological activity of TCT depends on Nod1, an intracellular sensor of bacterial peptidoglycan. However, Nod1-dependent detection of TCT was found to be host specific, as human Nod1 (hNod1) poorly detected TCT, whereas mouse Nod1 (mNod1) did so efficiently. More generally, hNod1 required a tripeptide (L-Ala-D-Glu-mesoDAP) for efficient sensing of peptidoglycan, whereas mNod1 detected a tetrapeptide structure (L-Ala-D-Glu-mesoDAP-D-Ala). In murine macrophages, TCT stimulated cytokine secretion and NO production through Nod1. Finally, in vivo, injection of the tetrapeptide structure in mice triggered a transient yet strong release of cytokines into the bloodstream and the maturation of macrophages, in a Nod1-dependent manner. This study thereby identifies Nod1 as the long sought after sensor of TCT in mammals.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2005

Recognition of Staphylococcus aureus by the innate immune system.

The gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen responsible for a variety of diseases ranging from minor skin infections to life-threatening conditions such as sepsis. Cell wall-associated and secreted proteins (e.g., protein A, hemolysins, and phenol-soluble modulin) and cell wall components (e.g., peptidoglycan and alanylated lipoteichoic acid) have been shown to be inflammatory, and these staphylococcal components may contribute to sepsis. On the host side, many host factors have been implicated in the innate detection of staphylococcal components. One class of pattern recognition molecules, Toll-like receptor 2, has been shown to function as the transmembrane component involved in the detection of staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid and phenol-soluble modulin and is involved in the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines by monocytes/macrophages in response to these components. Nod2 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2) is the intracellular sensor for muramyl dipeptide, the minimal bioactive structure of peptidoglycan, and it may contribute to the innate immune defense against S. aureus. The staphylococcal virulence factor protein A was recently shown to interact directly with tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 in airway epithelium and to reproduce the effects of tumor necrosis factor alpha. Finally, peptidoglycan recognition protein L is an amidase that inactivates the proinflammatory activities of peptidoglycan. However, peptidoglycan recognition protein L probably plays a minor role in the innate immune response to S. aureus. Thus, several innate immunity receptors may be implicated in host defense against S. aureus.

Humans↗

PubMed2004

Nod1 responds to peptidoglycan delivered by the Helicobacter pylori cag pathogenicity island.

Epithelial cells can respond to conserved bacterial products that are internalized after either bacterial invasion or liposome treatment of cells. We report here that the noninvasive Gram-negative pathogen Helicobacter pylori was recognized by epithelial cells via Nod1, an intracellular pathogen-recognition molecule with specificity for Gram-negative peptidoglycan. Nod1 detection of H. pylori depended on the delivery of peptidoglycan to host cells by a bacterial type IV secretion system, encoded by the H. pylori cag pathogenicity island. Consistent with involvement of Nod1 in host defense, Nod1-deficient mice were more susceptible to infection by cag pathogenicity island-positive H. pylori than were wild-type mice. We propose that sensing of H. pylori by Nod1 represents a model for host recognition of noninvasive pathogens.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2004

Toll-like receptor 2-dependent bacterial sensing does not occur via peptidoglycan recognition.

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) has been shown to recognize several classes of pathogen-associated molecular patterns including peptidoglycan (PG). However, studies linking PG with TLR2 recognition have relied mainly on the use of commercial Staphylococcus aureus PG and have not addressed TLR2 recognition of other PG types. Using highly purified PGs from eight bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Helicobacter pylori, Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae and S. aureus), we show that these PGs are not sensed through TLR2, TLR2/1 or TLR2/6. PG sensing is lost after removal of lipoproteins or lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) from Gram-negative and Gram-positive cell walls, respectively. Accordingly, purified LTAs are sensed synergistically through TLR2/1. Finally, we show that elicited peritoneal murine macrophages do not produce tumour necrosis factor-alpha or interleukin-6 in response to purified PGs, suggesting that PG detection is more likely to occur intracellularly (through Nod1/Nod2) rather than from the extracellular compartment.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Mini-review: the role of peptidoglycan recognition in innate immunity.

The importance of peptidoglycan detection in the host innate immune response has long been underestimated. However, the recent identification of proteins involved in the sensing of peptidoglycan in both mammals and Drosophila has revealed that the detection of this microbial motif is key to the defense response. In Drosophila, the peptidoglycan-recognition proteins (PGRP) are the initial sensors of infecting bacteria that then trigger a cascade ultimately leading to the expression of antimicrobial peptides. In mammals, PGRP also exist and although they bind peptidoglycan, the role of these proteins in innate immune responses remains to be clearly defined. In contrast, the Nod proteins (Nod1 and Nod2), which are also involved in peptidoglycan sensing, appear to play a key role in innate immunity against bacteria by triggering host defense responses through the activation of the transcription factor, NF-kappaB. Interestingly, mutations in Nod2 are related to increased susceptibility to Crohn's disease, thereby implicating defective bacterial sensing in the development at this chronic disease. In this review, we will focus on the recent findings concerning mammalian and Drosophila proteins involved in peptidoglycan recognition and the putative role of these proteins in the innate immune defense response.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Towards an understanding of the role of NOD2/CARD15 in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease.

With the recent discovery of NOD2 as the first susceptibility gene linked with Crohn's disease, research is now focused on attempting to explain the biological role of NOD2 and how mutations can contribute to the development of this inflammatory disease. Biochemical studies have revealed that NOD2 is in fact a protein involved in the innate immune detection of bacterial products. More specifically, NOD2 recognizes a fragment of peptidoglycan, called muramyl dipeptide, that is found in the cell walls of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. This recognition event triggers a pro-inflammatory signalling cascade regulated by the transcription factor NF-kappa B. The complex cellular responses emanating from the interaction of NOD2 and its ligand are thought to touch on many aspects of immune function, including bacterial killing, cytokine release, stimulation and maturation of antigen-presenting cells, and the regulation of the adaptive immune response. Defining these NOD2-regulated responses, and how mutations in the gene encoding this protein disrupt these responses, will be key to understanding the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease.

Carrier Proteins↗