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Innate immune response of Aedes aegypti.

Insects are able to protect themselves from invasion by pathogens by a rapid and potent arsenal of inducible immune peptides. This fast, extremely effective response is part of the innate immunity exhibited by all insects and many invertebrates, and shows striking similarities with the innate immune response of vertebrates. In Aedes aegypti invasion of the hemocoel by bacteria elicits the production of defensins, cecropins, a peptide active only against Gram-negative bacteria, and several other peptides that we are now characterizing. However, not all insects utilize the same peptides in the same concentrations, which may reflect the pathogens to which they may have been exposed through evolutionary time. These protective measures we see in mosquitoes are the current state of the evolution of a rapid immune response that has contributed to the success of insects in inhabiting essentially every niche on earth. The molecules involved in the response of Aedes aegypti to pathogens, and the potential role of these peptides against eukaryotic parasites ingested and transmitted by mosquitoes are discussed.

Aedes↗

Staphylococcal enterotoxins condition cells of the innate immune system for Toll-like receptor 4 stimulation.

In this report we examined overlap between superantigen (SAg) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) stimulation of the innate immune system. Before in vivo stimulation we found that mouse splenic DCs expressed unexpectedly low levels of surface TLR4 compared to macrophages. In response to LPS, TLR4 gene expression in fractionated spleen cells was downregulated. By comparison, surface TLR4 staining with the Sa15-21 mAb showed little downregulation, and the anti-TLR4 MTS510 mAb showed decreased staining, suggesting that LPS was bound to TLR4 at the time points examined. Interestingly, SAg stimulation induced decreased TLR4 staining as measured by the MTS510 mAb, even though the TLR4 gene was not downregulated. Nevertheless, LPS potently induced DCs to produce TNF and IL-12, but SAg did not, even though they efficiently activated DCs. Notwithstanding, in vivo stimulation with staphylococcal enterotoxin SAg conditioned the innate immune system to hyper-respond to various pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Specifically, pre-priming with SAg enhanced LPS-mediated DC synthesis of TNF and IL-12. Thus, SAgs may exert their pathogenesis on the host by conditioning DCs, in a T cell activation dependent manner to potentiate responses to PAMPs.

Animals↗

The use of protoplasts to study innate immune responses.

The use of plant protoplast transient expression system has facilitated the discovery and dissection of many signal transduction pathways in response to hormones, metabolites, and stresses. Recently, Arabidopsis protoplasts also have been used successfully to study plant innate immune responses triggered by pathogen-derived elicitors. Here, we describe the detailed protocols for studying innate immune responses, including cell death and early defense gene regulation activated by two types of elicitors, pathogen-associated molecular patterns and bacterial type III effectors in Arabidopsis protoplasts. This cell-based system simplifies the complex pathogen-plant interactions to pure individual signals and synchronized cell-autonomous responses. The application of this novel approach provides high temporal and spatial resolution to enhance our understanding of the distinct and overlapping signaling events in pathogen-associated molecular pattern- and bacterial type III effector-activated immune responses at the molecular and cellular level.

Arabidopsis↗

Impaired innate immunity predicts frailty in old age. The Leiden 85-plus study.

Aging is associated with an impaired capacity of the immune system to respond properly to danger signals, such as infection and cancer. Here, we provide evidence that an impaired innate immune response, as measured by a low production capacity of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines upon ex vivo standardized danger signalling with bacterial LPS, is predictive for frailty in elderly people: participants who at age 85-year produced low levels of LPS-induced IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-1Ra and IL-10, were found to have a more than 2-fold elevated overall mortality risk, independent of chronic illnesses (relative risk is 2.21, 95% confidence interval 1.27-3.82, P = 0.005), compared to peers with a higher production of any of the pro- and/or anti-inflammatory cytokines. A significant genetic association with the IL-10 promoter gene was found, indicating that people who are genetically predisposed low cytokine producers are at a higher risk of losing the capacity to respond properly to danger signals with aging. We conclude that a malfunctioning innate immune response predicts frailty in old age and is under specific (immuno-) genetic control.

Aged↗

Innate immune responses to environmental allergens.

Aero-allergens, including plant pollens, house dust mite particles, fungal spores, and mycelium fragments, are continuously inhaled and deposited on the airway mucosa. These particles and their soluble components actively interact with innate recognition systems present in the mucosal layer (e.g., surfactant proteins) and with various receptors present on a diversity of cells in the airways. Deposited particles are first removed by active transportation, the rate of which is either enhanced or inhibited by components present in the inhaled substances. Cleaning further depends on innate recognition, beginning with (a) soluble factors released into the mucosal surface layer that bind different bio-organic components; (b) innate receptors on phagocytic cells, alveolar macrophages, and dendritic monocytes; and (c) innate receptors on airway epithelial cells. Different innate receptor families (Toll-like receptors [TLRs], nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain receptors, and protein-activated receptors [PARs]) have been demonstrated on airway cells, including alveolar macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, and airway tissue cells (e.g., epithelial cells and mast cells). However, although the functional role of these receptors has been studied for infectious diseases, the functional role for reaction of airways to inhaled bio-organic substances, including allergens, is largely unexplored. Indirect evidence for functional interactions has come from in vivo animal studies, as well as in vitro studies with monocytes, macrophages, and epithelial cells, which have demonstrated release of cytokines and chemokines after contact with allergens such as house dust mite, cat, pollen, and fungi. Most allergens show direct activation of airway epithelial cells, suggesting a role for the innate receptors. However, the role of TLRs, PARs, and other receptors was studied for only a limited number of allergens. Current studies indicate synergistic interactions between members of the same receptor family (TLRs) as well as synergistic interactions between members of different families (TLRs, PARs, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain receptors), modulating responses into feed-forward or inhibitory actions. Study of these synergistic interactions and their genetic variations will provide insight regarding how the innate immune system determines the inflammatory reactions of the airways and the outcome of the T-helper-1- and T-helper-2-type responses to inhaled allergens.

Air Pollutants↗

EV-B 3D polymerase remodels viral populations through 5'UTR recombination to subvert cardiac antiviral innate immunity.

Viral myocarditis, a leading cause of morbidity in young populations, is strongly linked to Coxsackievirus B (CV-B) infections harboring dominant 5'-terminally deleted (5'TD) and minor full-length (FL) CV-B RNA populations in cardiac tissues. Here, we demonstrate how viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (3Dpol)-driven recombination in the 5'UTR orchestrates viral RNA populations dynamics and subverts type I interferon responses. In primary human cardiomyocytes (HCMs), 3Dpol-mediated copy-choice recombination enhances 5'TD RNA replication while suppressing FL populations. Infection of immunocompetent mice with recombination-deficient CV-B3 (3Dpol Y276H) shifted 5'TD populations ratios toward immune-sensing viral RNAs, elevating cardiac IFN-β/ISG15 and accelerating viral clearance. Transfection experiments confirmed that 50-nt 5'TD RNAs (TD50) evade innate immunity, whereas shorter deletions (9-36-nt, TD15) restore type I interferon responses in HCMs. Our findings establish 3Dpol-driven recombination as a critical mechanism sustaining pathogenic 5'TD RNAs that subvert antiviral innate immunity, highlighting recombination inhibition as a promising therapeutic strategy against CV-B myocarditis.

Animals↗

Absence of CC chemokine receptor 8 enhances innate immunity during septic peritonitis.

An effective clearance of microbes is crucial in host defense during infection. In the present study, we demonstrate that CC chemokine receptor 8 (CCR8) skews innate immune response during septic peritonitis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). CCR8 was expressed in resident peritoneal macrophages and elicited leukocytes during CLP in the wild-type CCR8+/+ mice. CCR8-/- mice were resistant to CLP-induced lethality relative to CCR8+/+ mice, and this resistance was associated with an augmented bacterial clearance in CCR8-/- mice. In vitro, peritoneal macrophages from CCR8-/- mice, but not neutrophils, exhibited enhanced bactericidal activities relative to those from CCR8+/+ mice. Upon stimulation with the bacterial component LPS, elevated levels of superoxide generation, lysosomal enzyme release, and nitric oxide generation, effector molecules for bacterial killing were detected in CCR8-/- macrophages relative to CCR8+/+ macrophages. In addition, CCR8-/- macrophages produced significantly higher levels than CCR8+/+ macrophages of several cytokines and chemokines known to augment bactericidal activities of leukocytes that include TNF-alpha, IL-12, macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2, and KC. Altogether, these results indicate that CCR8 may have a negative impact on host defense during septic peritonitis, providing a new paradigm for the role of CCR8 in innate immunity.

Animals↗

Leukotrienes: underappreciated mediators of innate immune responses.

Leukotrienes are bronchoconstrictor and vasoactive lipid mediators that are targets in the treatment of asthma. Although they are increasingly recognized to exert broad proinflammatory effects, their role in innate immune responses is less well appreciated. These molecules are indeed synthesized by resident and recruited leukocytes during infection. Acting via cell surface G protein-coupled receptors and subsequent intracellular signaling events, they enhance leukocyte accumulation, phagocyte capacity for microbial ingestion and killing, and generation of other proinflammatory mediators. Interestingly, a variety of acquired states of immunodeficiency, such as HIV infection and malnutrition, are characterized by a relative deficiency of leukotriene synthesis. The data reviewed herein point to leukotrienes as underappreciated yet highly relevant mediators of innate immunity.

Animals↗

Innate immunity and its evasion and suppression by hymenopteran endoparasitoids.

Recent studies suggest that insects use pattern recognition molecules to distinguish prokaryotic pathogens and fungi from "self" structures. Less understood is how the innate immune system of insects recognizes endoparasitic Hymenoptera and other eukaryotic invaders as foreign. Here we discuss candidate recognition factors and the strategies used by parasitoids to overcome host defense responses. We suggest that host-parasitoid systems are important experimental models for studying how the innate immune system of insects recognizes foreign invaders that are phylogenetically more closely related to their hosts. The strategies used by parasitoids suggest that insects may employ "hidden-self" recognition molecules for attacking foreign objects intruding the open circulatory system. BioEssays 23:344-351, 2001.

Animals↗

Activation of the innate immune system and alcoholic liver disease: effects of ethanol per se or enhanced intestinal translocation of bacterial toxins induced by ethanol?

It is generally accepted that activation of the innate immune system and increased release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators plays an important role in the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The mechanisms involved in the ethanol-induced activation of monocytes/macrophages (including Kupffer cells) are however, still a matter of debate. The brief review will summarize the published data from the literature on the two main pathomechanisms discussed until now: I) Gut-derived bacterial toxins, specially endotoxin; and II) metabolic changes induced by alcohol oxidation (independent of mechanism I). For pathomechanism I, clear evidence has been published from numerous groups: Alcohol induces mucosal injury in the upper gastrointestinal tract and leads to marked increase in the permeability of the gut mucosa to macromolecules such as endotoxin. The resulting endotoxemia then leads to activation of Kupffer cells and other macrophages. The increased release of pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g., TNF-alpha, Il-1, reacting oxygen species) and infiltration of other inflammatory cells (e.g., neutrophils) finally causes liver damage. Regarding the second pathomechanism it has repeatedly been argued that the metabolic alterations which are induced by chronic administration of ethanol to rats or mice might increase the sensitivity of monocytes/macrophages to secrete TNF-alpha and other pro-inflammatory mediators thereby increasing the susceptibility to ethanol-induced liver injury. However, in all feeding experiments the effect of ethanol on intestinal permeability and enhanced translocation of bacterial toxins (endotoxin) is likely to occur (or at least cannot be excluded). The latter holds true also for experiments using isolated macrophages/Kupffer cells from ethanol fed animals. Therefore, to clarify whether or not alterations related to ethanol metabolism ("direct" effects of ethanol) contribute to the activation of the innate immune system studies using germ-free animals are needed to exclude the "indirect" effect of ethanol via gut-derived bacterial toxins.

Animals↗

Innate immunity: cells, receptors, and signaling pathways.

Essential differences between the innate and acquired branches of immunity are described. These differences concern the detection system (receptors and pathogen structures) and the cells engaged in both systems as well as the effectory mechanisms. In contrast to those of the acquired system, receptors of the innate system, which developed during evolution, recognize unchanged structures on large groups of pathogens (e.g. lipopolysaccharide in Gram-negative bacteria). Two lineages, natural killer (NK) and dendritic cells (DCs), play important roles in the innate system. Phenotypic and functional differentiation is observed among NKs and DCs, so each of their sublineages plays a different role in the innate system. Every lineage of cells of the innate immune system express different stimulatory and sometimes also inhibitory receptors on their surfaces (e.g. NK cells). Among the stimulatory are Toll-like receptors (TLRs), mannose and scavenger receptors, and the stimulatory receptors of NK cells. All TLRs show similarity in structure and in the kind of molecules involved in intracellular signaling. The immune reactions of the innate system involve cytokine-dependent resistance of cells against infection with pathogen, production of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor, interferons, interleukins, chemokines) and MHC-independent killing. Although these reactions protect the host from invasion by microorganisms, they can also be responsible for significant tissue damage or may stimulate the development of autoimmunity. Therefore innate immunity must be under rigorous control. The possible regulatory mechanisms of innate immunity are discussed.

Animals↗

CXCR3+CD4+ T cells mediate innate immune function in the pathophysiology of liver ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), an innate immune-dominated inflammatory response, develops in the absence of exogenous Ags. The recently highlighted role of T cells in IRI raises a question as to how T lymphocytes interact with the innate immune system and function with no Ag stimulation. This study dissected the mechanism of innate immune-induced T cell recruitment and activation in rat syngeneic orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) model. Liver IRI was induced after cold storage (24-36 h) at 4 degrees C in University of Wisconsin solution. Gene products contributing to IRI were identified by cDNA microarray at 4-h posttransplant. IRI triggered increased intrahepatic expression of CXCL10, along with CXCL9 and 11. The significance of CXCR3 ligand induction was documented by the ability of neutralizing anti-CXCR3 Ab treatment to ameliorate hepatocellular damage and improve 14-day survival of 30-h cold-stored OLTs (95 vs 40% in controls; p < 0.01). Immunohistology analysis confirmed reduced CXCR3+ and CD4+ T cell infiltration in OLTs after treatment. Interestingly, anti-CXCR3 Ab did not suppress innate immune activation in the liver, as evidenced by increased levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, inducible NO synthase, and multiple neutrophil/monokine-targeted chemokine programs. In conclusion, this study demonstrates a novel mechanism of T cell recruitment and function in the absence of exogenous Ag stimulation. By documenting that the execution of innate immune function requires CXCR3+CD4+ T cells, it highlights the critical role of CXCR3 chemokine biology for the continuum of innate to adaptive immunity in the pathophysiology of liver IRI.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rotavirus nonstructural protein 1 subverts innate immune response by inducing degradation of IFN regulatory factor 3.

IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), a constitutively expressed protein localizing largely to the cytoplasm, is a primary effector of the innate immune response. Infection can trigger the phosphorylation, dimerization, and nuclear translocation of IRF3, where the factor stimulates the expression and release of IFN. In this study, we determined that the rotavirus gene 5 product, nonstructural protein 1 (NSP1), interacts with IRF3 in the infected cell. To understand the importance of the interaction, we compared IRF3 activation by rotaviruses expressing wild-type and C-truncated forms of NSP1. The analysis showed that IRF3 underwent dimerization and nuclear translocation and stimulated IFN promoter activity in infected cells expressing truncated NSP1. In contrast, infected cells expressing wild-type NSP1 were characterized by the rapid degradation of IRF3 during the replication cycle, severe decreases in IRF3 dimerization and nuclear translocation, and lack of IFN promoter activity. The implication of these results, that wild-type NSP1 is an antagonist of the IFN-signaling pathway, was confirmed in transient expression assays, which showed that wild-type NSP1, but not the C-truncated protein, induced the degradation of IRF3 fusion proteins. Related experiments indicated that NSP1 mediates IRF3 degradation through a proteasome-dependent pathway. The critical role of NSP1 in promoting cell-to-cell spread of rotavirus was demonstrated by using gene 5-specific short interfering RNAs in plaque assays. Although several viruses have been described that subvert the innate immune response by preventing IRF3 activation, rotavirus is identified as one that accomplishes this task by inducing the degradation of IRF3.

Animals↗

Pentraxins as a key component of innate immunity.

Pentraxins are a complex superfamily of multifunctional molecules characterized by a multimeric structure. C-reactive protein and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) are prototypic molecules of the short and long pentraxin family, respectively. PTX3 is conserved in evolution and produced by innate immune cells. Evidence suggests that PTX3 acts as a non-redundant component of the humoral arm of innate immunity, downstream of, and complementary to, cellular recognition, as well as a tuner of inflammation.

Animals↗

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) modulates innate immune responses induced by endotoxin and Gram-negative bacteria.

Discovered in the early 1960s as a T-cell cytokine, MIF has emerged to be an important mediator of the innate immune system. MIF was identified recently to be released by a vast array of cells, including monocytes/macrophages, T-cells, B-cells, endocrine cells and epithelial cells in response to infection and stress. Bacteria, microbial toxins and cytokines have been shown to be powerful inducers of MIF secretion by macrophages. MIF stimulates the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators by immune cells and functions to counterbalance the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of glucocorticoids. Like TNF and IL-1, MIF plays an important role in host responses to infection. Recombinant MIF was found to exacerbate lethal endotoxemia or bacterial sepsis when co-injected with LPS or Escherichia coli in mice. Conversely, MIF knockout mice or mice treated with anti-MIF antibodies were protected from shock induced by LPS, staphylococcal exotoxins or bacterial peritonitis, even when anti-MIF therapy was started after the onset of infection. Given the central role played by MIF in innate immune responses against microbial pathogens and in the regulation of inflammatory responses, pharmacological modulation of MIF production or neutralization of MIF activity could have broad clinical applications and may offer new treatment options for the management of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.

Animals↗

Induction of nitric oxide release from the human alveolar epithelial cell line A549: an in vitro correlate of innate immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In view of the presence of a large number of epithelial cells in the alveoli of the lung and their ability to produce various cytokines and chemokines, the possible role of alveolar epithelial cells in the innate immune response to tuberculosis was examined. The human alveolar epithelial cell line A549 was used as a model. The ability of A549 cells to induce nitric oxide (NO) in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was taken as an in vitro correlate of innate immunity. M. tuberculosis infection induced A549 cells to produce significant levels of NO and to express inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA at 48 hr of infection. However, the amount of NO released at this point was not mycobactericidal. Cytokine stimulation (interferon-gamma, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, alone or in combination) of the infected A549 cells induced a higher concentration of NO. The study of colony-forming units (CFU) as a measure of the mycobactericidal capacity of A549 cells revealed a reduction in CFU of M. tuberculosis by 39.29% (from 10.62 +/- 0.48 - 6.392 +/- 0.54) following cytokine stimulation of the infected cells. Interestingly gamma-irradiated M. tuberculosis H37Rv could also induce higher than basal level of NO. Therefore we examined mycobacterial antigenic components for their possible role in NO production. We observed that A549 cells produced significantly higher amounts of NO at 48 hr when treated with mycobacterial whole cell lysates, cell wall or cell membrane preparations. The release of NO and the resultant mycobactericidal activity could be further enhanced by simultaneously conditioning the M. tuberculosis infected A549 cells with cytokine and mycobacterial components. These results suggest that alveolar epithelial cells respond to their microenvironment, which is constituted of various cytokines and macrophage-processed antigens and may contribute to the innate immune response to tuberculosis.

Cell Line↗

Genetic analysis of the innate immune responses in wild-derived inbred strains of mice.

The vertebrate immune system has evolved to recognize nucleic acids of bacterial and viral origin. Microbial DNA, as well as synthetic oligonucleotides based on these motifs, activates innate immune pathways mediated by the family of Toll-like receptors (TLR) initiating a cascade of signals in immune cells necessary for responses to pathogens. However, not all of the proteins that participate in TLR-mediated responses have been identified. In studies described herein, we observed significant variation in innate immune responses among selected wild-derived strains of mice. Specifically, we show that mice of MOLF/Ei, Czech/Ei, and MSM/Ms strains are hypo-responsive to polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) because of a mutation in Tlr3. In addition, we discovered a hypo-response to cytosine guanine dinucleotide in MOLF/Ei mice and established that it is not linked to Tlr9, but to another locus. Further inquiry revealed that this hypo-response is transmitted as a monogenic dominant trait that can be mapped and cloned through positional cloning methods. These results suggest the existence of a novel molecule that can alter pro-inflammatory signals or activate additional signal transduction pathways. In addition, they support the wild-derived mouse strain as a forward genetic tool for the identification of novel immunological phenotypes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Mast cells, which interact with Escherichia coli, up-regulate genes associated with innate immunity and become less responsive to Fc(epsilon)RI-mediated activation.

Mast cells, which are associated with T helper cell type 2-dependent inflammation, have now been implicated in the innate immune response. To further characterize how mast cells are programmed to respond to infectious organisms, we used expression profiling using DNA microarray analysis of gene expression by human mast cells (huMC) during ingestion of Escherichia coli and examined immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated degranulation. Analysis of data revealed that specific groups of genes were modulated, including genes encoding transcription factors, cell signaling molecules, cell cycle regulators, enzymes, cytokines, novel chemokines of the CC family, adhesion molecules, and costimulatory molecules. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis confirmed the production of tumor necrosis factor and the chemokines CC chemokine ligand (CCL)-1/I-309, CCL-19/macrophage-inflammatory protein-3beta (MIP-3beta), and CCL-18/MIP-4; flow cytometry confirmed the up-regulation of carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1, the integrin CD49d, and CD80. Coincubation with E. coli down-regulated Fc receptor for IgE I (FcepsilonRI) expression and FcepsilonRI-mediated huMC degranulation. These data are consistent with the concept that bacterial exposure directs mast cell responses toward innate immunity and away from IgE-mediated effects.

Cell Adhesion Molecules↗