Jafar Mahdavi

Laminin receptor initiates bacterial contact with the blood brain barrier in experimental meningitis models

A diverse array of infectious agents, including prions and certain neurotropic viruses, bind to the laminin receptor (LR), and this determines tropism to the CNS. Bacterial meningitis in childhood is almost exclusively caused by the respiratory tract pathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae, but the mechanism by which they initiate contact with the vascular endothelium of the blood brain barrier (BBB) is unknown. We hypothesized that an interaction with LR might underlie their CNS tropism. Using affinity chromatography, coimmunoprecipitation, retagging, and in vivo imaging approaches, we identified 37/67-kDa LR as a common receptor for all 3 bacteria on the surface of rodent and human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Mutagenesis studies indicated that the corresponding bacterial LR-binding adhesins were pneumococcal CbpA, meningococcal PilQ and PorA, and OmpP2 of H. influenzae. The results of competitive binding experiments suggest that a common adhesin recognition site is present in the carboxyl terminus of LR. Together, these findings suggest that disruption or modulation of the interaction of bacterial adhesins with LR might engender unexpectedly broad protection against bacterial meningitis and may provide a therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of disease.

Role of ABO Secretor Status in Mucosal Innate Immunity and H. pylori Infection

The fucosylated ABH antigens, which constitute the molecular basis for the ABO blood group system, are also expressed in salivary secretions and gastrointestinal epithelia in individuals of positive secretor status; however, the biological function of the ABO blood group system is unknown. Gastric mucosa biopsies of 41 Rhesus monkeys originating from Southern Asia were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. A majority of these animals were found to be of blood group B and weak-secretor phenotype (i.e., expressing both Lewis a and Lewis b antigens), which are also common in South Asian human populations. A selected group of ten monkeys was inoculated with Helicobacter pylori and studied for changes in gastric mucosal glycosylation during a 10-month period. We observed a loss in mucosal fucosylation and concurrent induction and time-dependent dynamics in gastric mucosal sialylation (carbohydrate marker of inflammation), which affect H. pylori adhesion targets and thus modulate host–bacterial interactions. Of particular relevance, gastric mucosal density of H. pylori, gastritis, and sialylation were all higher in secretor individuals compared to weak-secretors, the latter being apparently “protected.” These results demonstrate that the secretor status plays an intrinsic role in resistance to H. pylori infection and suggest that the fucosylated secretor ABH antigens constitute interactive members of the human and primate mucosal innate immune system.

The MUC5AC glycoprotein is the primary receptor for Helicobacter pylori in the human stomach.

Background and objectives.  Helicobacter pylori shows a characteristic tropism for the mucus‐producing gastric epithelium. In infected patients, H. pylori colocalizes in situ with the gastric secretory mucin MUC5AC. The carbohydrate blood‐group antigen Lewis B (LeB) was deemed responsible for the adherence of H. pylori to the gastric surface epithelium. We sought to determine if MUC5AC is the carrier of LeB, and thus if MUC5AC is the underlying gene product functioning as the main receptor for H. pylori in the stomach.

Effects of pH on Helicobacter pylori binding to human gastric mucins: identification of binding to non-MUC5AC mucins

Helicobacter pylori causes gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The microbe is found in the gastric mucus layer where a pH gradient ranging from acidic in the lumen to neutral at the cell surface is maintained. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of pH on H. pylori binding to gastric mucins from healthy individuals. At pH 3, all strains bound to the most charged MUC5AC glycoform and to a putative mucin of higher charge and larger size than subunits of MUC5AC and MUC6, irrespective of host blood-group. In contrast, at pH 7.4 only Le(b)-binding BabA-positive strains bound to Le(b)-positive MUC5AC and to smaller mucin-like molecules, including MUC1. H. pylori binding to the latter component(s) seems to occur via the H-type-1 structure. All strains bound to a proteoglycan containing chondroitin sulphate/dermatan sulphate side chains at acidic pH, whereas binding to secreted MUC5AC and putative membrane-bound strains occurred both at neutral and acidic pH. The binding properties at acidic pH are thus common to all H. pylori strains, whereas mucin binding at neutral pH occurs via the bacterial BabA adhesin and the Le(b) antigen/related structures on the glycoprotein. Our work shows that microbe binding to membrane-bound mucins must be considered in H. pylori colonization, and the potential of these glycoproteins to participate in signalling events implies that microbe binding to such structures may initiate signal transduction over the epithelial layer. Competition between microbe binding to membrane-bound and secreted mucins is therefore an important aspect of host-microbe interaction.

Retagging Identifies Dendritic Cell-specific Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-3 (ICAM3)-grabbing Non-integrin (DC-SIGN) Protein as a Novel Receptor for a Major Allergen from House Dust Mite

Background: Allergen uptake by DCs is central to allergic sensitization. Results: DC-SIGN recognizes major allergens from house dust mite and dog. However, silencing DC-SIGN leads to Th2 differentiation. Conclusion: DC-SIGN is a newly identified receptor for Der p 1 and Can f 1 that appears to support Th1 cell differentiation. Significance: Understanding of how allergic responses are selected and propagated is essential for developing novel therapies. Dendritic cells (DCs) have been shown to play a key role in the initiation and maintenance of immune responses to microbial pathogens as well as to allergens, but the exact mechanisms of their involvement in allergic responses and Th2 cell differentiation have remained elusive. Using retagging, we identified DC-SIGN as a novel receptor involved in the initial recognition and uptake of the major house dust mite and dog allergens Der p 1 and Can f 1, respectively. To confirm this, we used gene silencing to specifically inhibit DC-SIGN expression by DCs followed by allergen uptake studies. Binding and uptake of Der p 1 and Can f 1 allergens was assessed by ELISA and flow cytometry. Intriguingly, our data showed that silencing DC-SIGN on DCs promotes a Th2 phenotype in DC/T cell co-cultures. These findings should lead to better understanding of the molecular basis of allergen-induced Th2 cell polarization and in doing so paves the way for the rational design of novel intervention strategies by targeting allergen receptors on innate immune cells or their carbohydrate counterstructures on allergens.

Limited Role of Lipopolysaccharide Lewis Antigens in Adherence of Helicobacter pylori to the Human Gastric Epithelium

ABSTRACT In vitro and in vivo studies from various groups have suggested that Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Lewis x (Lex) antigens mediate bacterial adhesion. We have now reevaluated this hypothesis by studying the adherence in situ of H. pylori strain 11637 and its corresponding Lex-negative rfbM mutant to human gastric mucosa from patients (n = 22) with various gastric pathologies. Significant binding of the parent strain was observed in only 8 out of 22 sections; in four out of eight patients, the Lex-negative mutant bound less well. One of these four patients displayed no gastric abnormalities, and the other three showed dysplasia, metaplasia, and adenocarcinoma, respectively; hence, we are unable to define the circumstances under which LPS-mediated adhesion takes place. We conclude that H. pylori LPS plays a distinct but minor role in adhesion.

Identification of glycoprotein receptors within the human salivary proteome for the lectin-like BabA and SabA adhesins of Helicobacter pylori by fluorescence-based 2-D bacterial overlay

Because gastric infection by Helicobacter pylori takes place via the oral route, possible interactions of this bacterium with human salivary proteins could occur. By using modified 1‐ and 2‐D bacterial overlay, binding of H. pylori adhesins BabA and SabA to the whole range of salivary proteins was explored. Bound salivary receptor molecules were identified by MALDI‐MS and by comparison to previously established proteome maps of whole and glandular salivas. By use of adhesin‐deficient mutants, binding of H. pylori to MUC7 and gp‐340 could be linked to the SabA and BabA adhesins, respectively, whereas binding to MUC5B was associated with both adhesins. Binding of H. pylori to the proline‐rich glycoprotein was newly detected and assigned to BabA adhesin whereas the SabA adhesin was found to mediate binding to newly detected receptor molecules, including carbonic anhydrase VI, secretory component, heavy chain of secretory IgA1, parotid secretory protein and zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein. Some of these salivary glycoproteins are known to act as scavenger molecules or are involved in innate immunity whereas others might come to modify the pathogenetic properties of this organism. In general, this 2‐D bacterial overlay technique represents a useful supplement in adhesion studies of bacteria with complex protein mixtures.

Analysis of proteomic profiles and functional properties of human peripheral blood myeloid dendritic cells, monocyte-derived dendritic cells and the dendritic cell-like KG-1 cells reveals distinct characteristics

BackgroundDendritic cells (DCs) are specialized antigen presenting cells that play a pivotal role in bridging innate and adaptive immune responses. Given the scarcity of peripheral blood myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) investigators have used different model systems for studying DC biology. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) and KG-1 cells are routinely used as mDC models, but a thorough comparison of these cells has not yet been carried out, particularly in relation to their proteomes. We therefore sought to run a comparative study of the proteomes and functional properties of these cells.ResultsDespite general similarities between mDCs and the model systems, moDCs and KG-1 cells, our findings identified some significant differences in the proteomes of these cells, and the findings were confirmed by ELISA detection of a selection of proteins. This was particularly noticeable with proteins involved in cell growth and maintenance (for example, fibrinogen γ chain (FGG) and ubiquinol cytochrome c) and cell-cell interaction and integrity (for example, fascin and actin). We then examined the surface phenotype, cytokine profile, endocytic and T-cell-activation ability of these cells in support of the proteomic data, and obtained confirmatory evidence for differences in the maturation status and functional attributes between mDCs and the two DC models.ConclusionWe have identified important proteomic and functional differences between mDCs and two DC model systems. These differences could have major functional implications, particularly in relation to DC-T cell interactions, the so-called immunological synapse, and, therefore, need to be considered when interpreting data obtained from model DC systems.

A novel O-linked glycan modulates Campylobacter jejuni major outer membrane protein-mediated adhesion to human histo-blood group antigens and chicken colonization

Campylobacter jejuni is an important cause of human foodborne gastroenteritis; strategies to prevent infection are hampered by a poor understanding of the complex interactions between host and pathogen. Previous work showed that C. jejuni could bind human histo-blood group antigens (BgAgs) in vitro and that BgAgs could inhibit the binding of C. jejuni to human intestinal mucosa ex vivo. Here, the major flagella subunit protein (FlaA) and the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) were identified as BgAg-binding adhesins in C. jejuni NCTC11168. Significantly, the MOMP was shown to be O-glycosylated at Thr268; previously only flagellin proteins were known to be O-glycosylated in C. jejuni. Substitution of MOMP Thr268 led to significantly reduced binding to BgAgs. The O-glycan moiety was characterized as Gal(β1–3)-GalNAc(β1–4)-GalNAc(β1–4)-GalNAcα1-Thr268; modelling suggested that O-glycosylation has a notable effect on the conformation of MOMP and this modulates BgAg-binding capacity. Glycosylation of MOMP at Thr268 promoted cell-to-cell binding, biofilm formation and adhesion to Caco-2 cells, and was required for the optimal colonization of chickens by C. jejuni, confirming the significance of this O-glycosylation in pathogenesis.

Colonic endocrine cells in patients with carcinoma of the colon

Objective To investigate the colonic endocrine cells in patients with colon carcinoma in order to establish a possible abnormality. Patients Twelve patients with colon adenocarcinoma (eight women and four men; mean age 69 years; range 52–88 years) were studied. As controls, macroscopically and histologically normal tissues from the colon of 12 patients (eight women and four men; mean age 66 years; range 34–86 years) were examined. These patients suffered from polyps, prolapsus, chronic diverticulitis, volvulus or haemorrhoids Methods Macroscopically and histologically normal tissues from the colon of the patients, about 10 cm from the tumour, and of the controls were examined. Endocrine cells were immunostained with the avidin-biotin-complex method, and were quantified by computer image analysis using an automatic standard sequence analysis operation. Three parameters were used: (1) the number of endocrine cells per mm3 of epithelial cells; (2) the cell secretory index (CSI); and (3) the nuclear volume. Results The numbers of somatostatin- and serotonin-immunoreactive cells were significantly reduced in patients with colon carcinoma (P=0.03 and 0.009, respectively). There was no difference between patients and controls regarding the numbers of PYY- PP- and enteroglucagon-immunoreactive cells. The CSI of somatostatin- and serotonin-immunoreactive cells were significantly decreased. There was no difference in the CSI between the patients and controls regarding PYY PP- or enteroglucagon-immunoreactive cells. The nuclear volumes of PYY- and enteroglucagon-immunoreactive cells increased significantly in the patients. The nuclear volume of PP- somatostatin- and serotonin cells did not differ from those of the controls. Conclusion The present results support the assumption that a disturbance in the colonic neuroendocrine system occurs in patients with colon carcinoma, which might affect the development of the tumour. The decrease In the number and CSI of somatostatin cells may account for the decrease of the colonic content of this peptide observed previously in these patients. The decrease in the number and CSI of serotonin-immunoreactive cells in patients with colon adenocarcinoma might be a method by which the body defends itself against this mitogenic substance.