Cheng Yuan Kao

IL-17 Markedly Up-Regulates β-Defensin-2 Expression in Human Airway Epithelium via JAK and NF-κB Signaling Pathways

Using microarray gene expression analysis, we first observed a profound elevation of human β-defensin-2 (hBD-2) message in IL-17-treated primary human airway epithelial cells. Further comparison of this stimulation with a panel of cytokines (IL-1α, 1β, 2–13, and 15–18; IFN-γ; GM-CSF; and TNF-α) demonstrated that IL-17 was the most potent cytokine to induce hBD-2 message (>75-fold). IL-17-induced stimulation of hBD-2 was time and dose dependent, and this stimulation also occurred at the protein level. Further studies demonstrated that hBD-2 stimulation was attenuated by IL-17R-specific Ab, but not by IL-1R antagonist or the neutralizing anti-IL-6 Ab. This suggests an IL-17R-mediated signaling pathway rather than an IL-17-induced IL-1αβ and/or IL-6 autocrine/paracrine loop. hBD-2 stimulation was sensitive to the inhibition of the JAK pathway, and to the inhibitors that affect NF-κB translocation and the DNA-binding activity of its p65 NF-κB subunit. Transient transfection of airway epithelial cells with an hBD-2 promoter-luciferase reporter gene expression construct demonstrated that IL-17 stimulated promoter-reporter gene activity, suggesting a transcriptional mechanism for hBD-2 induction. These results support an IL-17R-mediated signaling pathway involving JAK and NF-κB in the transcriptional stimulation of hBD-2 gene expression in airway epithelium. Because IL-17 has been identified in a number of airway diseases, especially diseases related to microbial infection, these findings provide a new insight into how IL-17 may play an important link between innate and adaptive immunity, thereby combating infection locally within the airway epithelium.

Differential regulation of dual NADPH oxidases/peroxidases, Duox1 and Duox2, by Th1 and Th2 cytokines in respiratory tract epithelium

Partially reduced metabolites of molecular oxygen, superoxide ( O 2 ‐ ) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), are detected in respiratory tract lining fluid, and it is assumed that these are key components of innate immunity. Whether these reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced specifically by the respiratory epithelium in response to infection, or are a non‐specific by‐product of oxidant‐producing inflammatory cells is not well characterized. Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that the dual function NAD(P)H oxidases/peroxidases, Duox1 and Duox2, are important sources of regulated H2O2 production in respiratory tract epithelium. However, no studies to date have characterized the regulation of Duox gene expression. Accordingly, we examined Duox1 and Duox2 mRNA expression by real‐time PCR in primary respiratory tract epithelial cultures after treatment with multiple cytokines. Herein, we determined that Duox1 expression was increased several‐fold by treatment with the Th2 cytokines IL‐4 and IL‐13, whereas Duox2 expression was highly induced following treatment with the Th1 cytokine IFN‐γ. Duox2 expression was also elevated by polyinosine‐polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) and rhinovirus infection. Diphenyleneiodonium (DPI)‐inhibitable apical H2O2 production was similarly increased by the addition of Th1 or Th2 cytokines. These results demonstrate for the first time the regulation of Duox expression by immunomodulatory Th1 and Th2 cytokines, and suggest a mechanism by which ROS production can be regulated in the respiratory tract as part of the host defense response.

Up-Regulation of CC Chemokine Ligand 20 Expression in Human Airway Epithelium by IL-17 through a JAK-Independent but MEK/NF-κB-Dependent Signaling Pathway

CCL20, like human β-defensin (hBD)-2, is a potent chemoattractant for CCR6-positive immature dendritic cells and T cells in addition to recently found antimicrobial activities. We previously demonstrated that IL-17 is the most potent cytokine to induce an apical secretion and expression of hBD-2 by human airway epithelial cells, and the induction is JAK/NF-κB-dependent. Similar to hBD-2, IL-17 also induced CCL20 expression, but the nature of the induction has not been elucidated. Compared with a panel of cytokines (IL-1α, 1β, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, IFN-γ, GM-CSF, and TNF-α), IL-17 was as potent as IL-1α, 1β, and TNF-α, with a time- and dose-dependent phenomenon in stimulating CCL20 expression in both well-differentiated primary human and mouse airway epithelial cell culture systems. The stimulation was largely dependent on the treatment of polarized epithelial cultures from the basolateral side with IL-17, achieving an estimated 4- to 10-fold stimulation at both message and protein levels. More than 90% of induced CCL20 secretion was toward the basolateral compartment (23.02 ± 1.11 ng/chamber/day/basolateral vs 1.82 ± 0.82 ng/chamber/day/apical). Actinomycin D experiments revealed that enhanced expression did not occur at mRNA stability. Inhibitor studies showed that enhanced expression was insensitive to inhibitors of JAK/STAT, p38, JNK, and PI3K signaling pathways, but sensitive to inhibitors of MEK1/2 and NF-κB activation, suggesting a MEK/NF-κB-based mechanism. These results suggest that IL-17 can coordinately up-regulate both hBD-2 and CCL20 expressions in airways through differentially JAK-dependent and -independent activations of NF-κB-based transcriptional mechanisms, respectively.

Requirement for Both JAK-Mediated PI3K Signaling and ACT1/TRAF6/TAK1-Dependent NF-κB Activation by IL-17A in Enhancing Cytokine Expression in Human Airway Epithelial Cells

Through DNA microarray analysis and quantitative PCR verification, we have identified additional IL-17A-inducible genes—IL-19, CXCL-1, -2, -3, -5, and -6—in well-differentiated normal human bronchial epithelial cells. These genes, similar to previously described human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2) and CCL-20, were induced by a basolateral treatment of IL-17A, and regulated by PI3K signaling and NF-κB activation. For PI3K signaling, increases of cellular PIP3 and phosphorylation of downstream molecules, such as Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) (S9), were detected. Induced gene expression and HBD-2 promoter activity were attenuated by LY294002, p110α small-interfering RNA (siRNA), as well as by an overexpression of constitutively active GSK3β(S9A) or wild-type phosphatase and tensin homolog. Increased phosphorylation of JAK1/2 after IL-17A treatment was detected in primary normal human bronchial epithelium cells. Transfected siRNAs of JAK molecules and JAK inhibitor I decreased IL-17A-induced gene expression and GSK3β(S9) phosphorylation. However, both JAK inhibitor I and PI3K inhibitor had no effect on the DNA-binding activities of p65 and p50 to NF-κB consensus sequences. This result suggested a JAK-associated PI3K signaling axis is independent from NF-κB activation. With siRNA to knockdown STIR (similar expression to fibroblast growth factor and IL-17R; Toll-IL-1R)-related signaling molecules, such as Act1, TNFR-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), and TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), and transfection of A52R, an inhibitor of the MyD88/TRAF6 complex, or dominant-negative TAK1, IL-17A-inducible gene expression and HBD-2 promoter activity were reduced. Additionally, IL-17A-induced p65 and p50 NF-κB activations were confirmed and their nuclear translocations were down-regulated by siRNAs of TRAF6 and TAK1. These results suggest that two independent and indispensable signaling pathways—1) JAK1-associated PI3K signaling and 2) Act1/TRAF6/TAK1-mediated NF-κB activation—are stimulated by IL-17A to regulate gene induction in human airway epithelial cells.

Hypoxia and the Hypoxic Response Pathway Protect against Pore-Forming Toxins in C. elegans

Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are by far the most abundant bacterial protein toxins and are important for the virulence of many important pathogens. As such, cellular responses to PFTs critically modulate host-pathogen interactions. Although many cellular responses to PFTs have been recorded, little is understood about their relevance to pathological or defensive outcomes. To shed light on this important question, we have turned to the only genetic system for studying PFT-host interactions—Caenorhabditis elegans intoxication by Crystal (Cry) protein PFTs. We mutagenized and screened for C. elegans mutants resistant to a Cry PFT and recovered one mutant. Complementation, sequencing, transgenic rescue, and RNA interference data demonstrate that this mutant eliminates a gene normally involved in repression of the hypoxia (low oxygen response) pathway. We find that up-regulation of the C. elegans hypoxia pathway via the inactivation of three different genes that normally repress the pathway results in animals resistant to Cry PFTs. Conversely, mutation in the central activator of the hypoxia response, HIF-1, suppresses this resistance and can result in animals defective in PFT defenses. These results extend to a PFT that attacks mammals since up-regulation of the hypoxia pathway confers resistance to Vibrio cholerae cytolysin (VCC), whereas down-regulation confers hypersusceptibility. The hypoxia PFT defense pathway acts cell autonomously to protect the cells directly under attack and is different from other hypoxia pathway stress responses. Two of the downstream effectors of this pathway include the nuclear receptor nhr-57 and the unfolded protein response. In addition, the hypoxia pathway itself is induced by PFT, and low oxygen is protective against PFT intoxication. These results demonstrate that hypoxia and induction of the hypoxia response protect cells against PFTs, and that the cellular environment can be modulated via the hypoxia pathway to protect against the most prevalent class of weapons used by pathogenic bacteria.

Requirements for two proximal NF-κB binding sites and IκB-ζ in IL-17A-induced human β-defensin 2 expression by conducting airway epithelium

Among a panel of 21 cytokines (IL-1α, -1β, -2–13, and -15–18; interferon-γ; granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor; and tumor necrosis factor α), we have recently observed that IL-17A is the most potent inducer for human β-defensin 2 (hBD-2) in conducting airway epithelial cells (Kao, C. Y., Chen, Y., Thai, P., Wachi, S., Huang, F., Kim, C., Harper, R. W., and Wu, R. (2004) J. Immunol. 173, 3482–3491). The molecular basis of this regulation is not known. In this study, we demonstrated a coordinated degradation of inhibitory κB(IκB)-α followed by a nuclear translocation of p50 and p65 NF-κB subunits and their binding to NF-κB sites of hBD-2 promoter region. With site-directed mutagenesis, we demonstrated the requirement of two proximal NF-κB binding sites (pκB1, -205 to -186; pκB2, -596 to -572) but not the distal site (dκB, -2193 to -2182) in supporting IL-17A-induced hBD-2 promoter activity. These results are consistent with the data of the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, which showed enhanced p50 binding to these pκB sites but not the dκB site in cells after IL-17A treatment. We also found that the NF-κB binding cofactor, IκB-ζ, was up-regulated by IL-17A, and the knockdown of IκB-ζ significantly diminished the IL-17A-induced hBD-2 expression. This is the first demonstration of the involvement of two proximal NF-κB sites and IκB-ζ in the regulation of hBD-2 by IL-17A, two important genes responsible for host defense.

WWP-1 Is a Novel Modulator of the DAF-2 Insulin-Like Signaling Network Involved in Pore-Forming Toxin Cellular Defenses in Caenorhabditis elegans

Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are the single largest class of bacterial virulence factors. The DAF-2 insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling pathway, which regulates lifespan and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans, is known to mutate to resistance to pathogenic bacteria. However, its role in responses against bacterial toxins and PFTs is as yet unexplored. Here we reveal that reduction of the DAF-2 insulin-like pathway confers the resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans to cytolitic crystal (Cry) PFTs produced by Bacillus thuringiensis. In contrast to the canonical DAF-2 insulin-like signaling pathway previously defined for aging and pathogenesis, the PFT response pathway diverges at 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK-1) and appears to feed into a novel insulin-like pathway signal arm defined by the WW domain Protein 1 (WWP-1). In addition, we also find that WWP-1 not only plays an important role in the intrinsic cellular defense (INCED) against PFTs but also is involved in innate immunity against pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and in lifespan regulation. Taken together, our data suggest that WWP-1 and DAF-16 function in parallel within the fundamental DAF-2 insulin/IGF-1 signaling network to regulate fundamental cellular responses in C. elegans.

Statin-conferred enhanced cellular resistance against bacterial pore-forming toxins in airway epithelial cells.

Statins are widely used to prevent cardiovascular disease. In addition to their inhibitory effects on cholesterol synthesis, statins have beneficial effects in patients with sepsis and pneumonia, although molecular mechanisms have mostly remained unclear. Using human airway epithelial cells as a proper in vitro model, we show that prior exposure to physiological nanomolar serum concentrations of simvastatin (ranging from 10-1,000 nM) confers significant cellular resistance to the cytotoxicity of pneumolysin, a pore-forming toxin and the main virulence factor of Streptococcus pneumoniae. This protection could be demonstrated with a different statin, pravastatin, or on a different toxin, α-hemolysin. Furthermore, through the use of gene silencing, pharmacological inhibitors, immunofluorescence microscopy, and biochemical and metabolic rescue approaches, we demonstrate that the mechanism of protection conferred by simvastatin at physiological nanomolar concentrations could be different from the canonical mevalonate pathways seen in most other mechanistic studies conducted with statins at micromolar levels. All of these data are integrated into a protein synthesis-dependent, calcium-dependent model showing the interconnected pathways used by statins in airway epithelial cells to elicit an increased resistance to pore-forming toxins. This research fills large gaps in our understanding of how statins may confer host cellular protection against bacterial infections in the context of airway epithelial cells without the confounding effect from the presence of immune cells. In addition, our discovery could be potentially developed into a host-centric strategy for the adjuvant treatment of pore-forming toxin associated bacterial infections.

Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 deficiency regulates gut microbiome and transcriptome response against diet-induced obesity in mice.

The gut microbiota plays profound roles in host metabolism and the inflammatory response associated with the development of obesity. Dusp6-deficient mice have been shown to be resistant to diet-induced obesity, but the mechanism behind this remains unclear. 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis demonstrated that dusp6-deficient mice harbour unique gut microbiota with resistance to diet-induced-obesity-mediated alteration of the gut microbiome. Using a germ-free mouse model, we found that faecal/gut microbiota derived from dusp6-deficient mice significantly increased energy expenditure and reduced weight gain in recipient wild-type mice fed on a high-fat diet. On analysis of the intestinal transcriptome of dusp6-deficient mice, we found that dusp6 deficiency mainly induced biological processes involved in metabolism and the extracellular matrix, particularly the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparγ) pathway and tight-junction genes. Furthermore, dusp6-deficient mice have a high-fat-diet-specific transcriptomic response to reverse the expression of genes associated with intestinal barrier functions and mucosal immunity involved in microbiome homeostasis. This study demonstrates that dusp6 deficiency is a strong genetic factor shaping gut microbiota, and that it confers obesity protection by ameliorating the gut microbiota response to diet-mediated stress.

HLH-30/TFEB-mediated autophagy functions in a cell-autonomous manner for epithelium intrinsic cellular defense against bacterial pore-forming toxin in C. elegans

ABSTRACT Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved intracellular system that maintains cellular homeostasis by degrading and recycling damaged cellular components. The transcription factor HLH-30/TFEB-mediated autophagy has been reported to regulate tolerance to bacterial infection, but less is known about the bona fide bacterial effector that activates HLH-30 and autophagy. Here, we reveal that bacterial membrane pore-forming toxin (PFT) induces autophagy in an HLH-30-dependent manner in Caenorhabditis elegans. Moreover, autophagy controls the susceptibility of animals to PFT toxicity through xenophagic degradation of PFT and repair of membrane-pore cell-autonomously in the PFT-targeted intestinal cells in C. elegans. These results demonstrate that autophagic pathways and autophagy are induced partly at the transcriptional level through HLH-30 activation and are required to protect metazoan upon PFT intoxication. Together, our data show a new and powerful connection between HLH-30-mediated autophagy and epithelium intrinsic cellular defense against the single most common mode of bacterial attack in vivo.