John T. Belisle

Toll-like receptor 2-dependent inhibition of macrophage class II MHC expression and antigen processing by 19-kDa lipoprotein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) induces vigorous immune responses, yet persists inside macrophages, evading host immunity. MTB bacilli or lysate was found to inhibit macrophage expression of class II MHC (MHC-II) molecules and MHC-II Ag processing. This report characterizes and identifies a specific component of MTB that mediates these inhibitory effects. The inhibitor was extracted from MTB lysate with Triton X-114, isolated by gel electroelution, and identified with Abs to be MTB 19-kDa lipoprotein. Electroelution- or immunoaffinity-purified MTB 19-kDa lipoprotein inhibited MHC-II expression and processing of both soluble Ags and Ag 85B from intact MTB bacilli. Inhibition of MHC-II Ag processing by either MTB bacilli or purified MTB 19-kDa lipoprotein was dependent on Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and independent of TLR 4. Synthetic analogs of lipopeptides from Treponema pallidum also inhibited Ag processing. Despite the ability of MTB 19-kDa lipoprotein to activate microbicidal and innate immune functions early in infection, TLR 2-dependent inhibition of MHC-II expression and Ag processing by MTB 19-kDa lipoprotein during later phases of macrophage infection may prevent presentation of MTB Ags and decrease recognition by T cells. This mechanism may allow intracellular MTB to evade immune surveillance and maintain chronic infection.

Different Toll-like receptor agonists induce distinct macrophage responses

We previously reported that gram‐negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activates cells via Toll‐like receptor (TLR) 4, whereas the mycobacterial cell wall glycolipid lipoarabinomannan (LAM) activates cells via TLR2. We also identified a secreted TLR2 agonist activity in short‐term culture filtrates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli, termed soluble tuberculosis factor (STF). Here we show that STF contains mannosylated phosphatidylinositol (PIM) and that purified PIM possesses TLR2 agonist activity. Stimulation of RAW 264.7 macrophages by LPS, LAM, STF, and PIM rapidly activated nuclear factor (NF)‐κB, activator protein‐1 (AP‐1), and mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinases. These TLR agonists induced similar levels of NF‐κB and AP‐1 DNA‐binding activity, as well as trans‐activation function. Unexpectedly, these TLR agonists induced tumor necrosis factor α secretion, whereas only LPS was capable of inducing interleukin‐1β and nitric oxide secretion. Thus, different TLR proteins are still capable of activating distinct cellular responses, in spite of their shared capacities to activate NF‐κB, AP‐1, and MAP kinases.

Langerhans cells utilize CD1a and langerin to efficiently present nonpeptide antigens to T cells

Langerhans cells (LCs) constitute a subset of DCs that initiate immune responses in skin. Using leprosy as a model, we investigated whether expression of CD1a and langerin, an LC-specific C-type lectin, imparts a specific functional role to LCs. LC-like DCs and freshly isolated epidermal LCs presented nonpeptide antigens of Mycobacterium leprae to T cell clones derived from a leprosy patient in a CD1a-restricted and langerin-dependent manner. LC-like DCs were more efficient at CD1a-restricted antigen presentation than monocyte-derived DCs. LCs in leprosy lesions coexpress CD1a and langerin, placing LCs in position to efficiently present a subset of antigens to T cells as part of the host response to human infectious disease.

SecA2 functions in the secretion of superoxide dismutase A and in the virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis remains a severe worldwide health threat. A thorough understanding of Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis will facilitate the development of new treatments for tuberculosis. Numerous bacterial pathogens possess specialized protein secretion systems that are dedicated to the export of virulence factors. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is part of a developing group of pathogenic bacteria that share the uncommon property of possessing two secA genes (secA1 and secA2). In mycobacteria, SecA1 is the essential ‘housekeeping’ SecA protein whereas SecA2 is an accessory secretion factor. Here we demonstrate that SecA2 contributes to the pathogenesis of M. tuberculosis. A deletion of the secA2 gene in M. tuberculosis attenuates the virulence of the organism in mice. By comparing the profile of proteins secreted by wild‐type M. tuberculosis and the ΔsecA2 mutant, we identified superoxide dismutase A (SodA) as a protein dependent on SecA2 for secretion. SodA lacks a classical signal sequence for protein export. Our data suggests that SecA2‐dependent export is a new type of secretion pathway that is part of a virulence mechanism of M. tuberculosis to elude the oxidative attack of macrophages.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis LprG (Rv1411c): A Novel TLR-2 Ligand That Inhibits Human Macrophage Class II MHC Antigen Processing

MHC class II (MHC-II)-restricted CD4+ T cells are essential for control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. This report describes the identification and purification of LprG (Rv1411c) as an inhibitor of primary human macrophage MHC-II Ag processing. LprG is a 24-kDa lipoprotein found in the M. tuberculosis cell wall. Prolonged exposure (>16 h) of human macrophages to LprG resulted in marked inhibition of MHC-II Ag processing. Inhibition of MHC-II Ag processing was dependent on TLR-2. Short-term exposure (<6 h) to LprG stimulated TLR-2-dependent TNF-α production. Thus, LprG can exploit TLR-2 signaling to inhibit MHC-II Ag processing in human macrophages. Inhibition of MHC-II Ag processing by mycobacterial lipoproteins may allow M. tuberculosis, within infected macrophages, to avoid recognition by CD4+ T cells.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Inhibits Macrophage Responses to IFN-γ through Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88-Dependent and -Independent Mechanisms

Mycobacterium tuberculosis overcomes macrophage bactericidal activities and persists intracellularly. One mechanism by which M. tuberculosis avoids macrophage killing might be through inhibition of IFN-γ-mediated signaling. In this study we provide evidence that at least two distinct components of M. tuberculosis, the 19-kDa lipoprotein and cell wall peptidoglycan (contained in the mycolylarabinogalactan peptidoglycan (mAGP) complex), inhibit macrophage responses to IFN-γ at a transcriptional level. Moreover, these components engage distinct proximal signaling pathways to inhibit responses to IFN-γ: the 19-kDa lipoprotein inhibits IFN-γ signaling in a Toll-like receptor (TLR)2-dependent and myeloid differentiation factor 88-dependent fashion whereas mAGP inhibits independently of TLR2, TLR4, and myeloid differentiation factor 88. In addition to inhibiting the induction of specific IFN-γ responsive genes, the 19-kDa lipoprotein and mAGP inhibit the ability of IFN-γ to activate murine macrophages to kill virulent M. tuberculosis without inhibiting production of NO. These results imply that inhibition of macrophage responses to IFN-γ may contribute to the inability of an apparently effective immune response to eradicate M. tuberculosis.

Active Suppression of the Pulmonary Immune Response by Francisella tularensis Schu4

Francisella tularensis is an obligate, intracellular bacterium that causes acute, lethal disease following inhalation. As an intracellular pathogen F. tularensis must invade cells, replicate, and disseminate while evading host immune responses. The mechanisms by which virulent type A strains of Francisella tularensis accomplish this evasion are not understood. Francisella tularensis has been shown to target multiple cell types in the lung following aerosol infection, including dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages. We demonstrate here that one mechanism used by a virulent type A strain of F. tularensis (Schu4) to evade early detection is by the induction of overwhelming immunosuppression at the site of infection, the lung. Following infection and replication in multiple pulmonary cell types, Schu4 failed to induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines or increase the expression of MHCII or CD86 on the surface of resident DC within the first few days of disease. However, Schu4 did induce early and transient production of TGF-β, a potent immunosuppressive cytokine. The absence of DC activation following infection could not be attributed to the apoptosis of pulmonary cells, because there were minimal differences in either annexin or cleaved caspase-3 staining in infected mice compared with that in uninfected controls. Rather, we demonstrate that Schu4 actively suppressed in vivo responses to secondary stimuli (LPS), e.g., failure to recruit granulocytes/monocytes and stimulate resident DC. Thus, unlike attenuated strains of F. tularensis, Schu4 induced broad immunosuppression within the first few days after aerosol infection. This difference may explain the increased virulence of type A strains compared with their more attenuated counterparts.

HLA-E–dependent Presentation of Mtb-derived Antigen to Human CD8+ T Cells

Previous studies in mice and humans have suggested an important role for CD8+ T cells in host defense to Mtb. Recently, we have described human, Mtb-specific CD8+ cells that are neither HLA-A, B, or C nor group 1 CD1 restricted, and have found that these cells comprise the dominant CD8+ T cell response in latently infected individuals. In this report, three independent methods are used to demonstrate the ability of these cells to recognize Mtb-derived antigen in the context of the monomorphic HLA-E molecule. This is the first demonstration of the ability of HLA-E to present pathogen-derived antigen. Further definition of the HLA-E specific response may aid development of an effective vaccine against tuberculosis.

Induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase-NO* by lipoarabinomannan of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is mediated by MEK1-ERK, MKK7-JNK, and NF-kappaB signaling pathways.

ABSTRACT Nitric oxide (NO· ) expression by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is an important host defense mechanism againstMycobacterium tuberculosis in mononuclear phagocytes. The objective of this investigation was to examine the role of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways in the regulation of iNOS and NO· by a mycobacterial cell wall lipoglycan known as mannose-capped lipoarabinomannan (ManLAM). Specific pharmacologic inhibition of the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) or NF-κB pathway revealed that both these signaling cascades were required in gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-ManLAM-induced iNOS protein and NO2− expression in mouse macrophages. Transient cotransfection of dominant-negative protein mutants of the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway revealed that the MAP kinase kinase 7 (MKK7)-JNK cascade also mediated IFN-γ–ManLAM induction of iNOS promoter activity whereas MKK4 did not. Overexpression of null mutant IκBα, a potent inhibitor of NF-κB activation, confirmed that the IκBα kinase (IKK)–NF-κB signaling pathway enhanced IFN-γ–ManLAM-induced iNOS promoter activity. By contrast, activated p38mapk inhibited iNOS induction. These results indicate that combined IFN-γ and ManLAM stimulation induced iNOS and NO· expression and that MEK1-ERK, MKK7-JNK, IKK–NF-κB, and p38mapksignaling pathways play important regulatory roles.

Crystal structure of the secreted form of antigen 85C reveals potential targets for mycobacterial drugs and vaccines.

The antigen 85 (ag85) complex, composed of three proteins (ag85A, B and C), is a major protein component of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell wall. Each protein possesses a mycolyltransferase activity required for the biogenesis of trehalose dimycolate (cord factor), a dominant structure necessary for maintaining cell wall integrity. The crystal structure of recombinant ag85C from M. tuberculosis, refined to a resolution of 1.5 Å, reveals an α/β-hydrolase polypeptide fold, and a catalytic triad formed by Ser 124, Glu 228 and His 260. ag85C complexed with a covalent inhibitor implicates residues Leu 40 and Met 125 as components of the oxyanion hole. A hydrophobic pocket and tunnel extending 21 Å into the core of the protein indicates the location of a probable trehalose monomycolate binding site. Also, a large region of conserved surface residues among ag85A, B and C is a probable site for the interaction of ag85 proteins with human fibronectin.