Kathryn Chmura

Role of the NF-κB Signaling Pathway and κB cis-Regulatory Elements on the IRF-1 and iNOS Promoter Regions in Mycobacterial Lipoarabinomannan Induction of Nitric Oxide

ABSTRACT Nitric oxide (NO·) produced by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is an important host defense molecule against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mononuclear phagocytes. The objective of this study was to determine the role of the IκBα kinase-nuclear factor κB (IKK-NF-κB) signaling pathway in the induction of iNOS and NO· by a mycobacterial cell wall lipoglycan known as mannose-capped lipoarabinomannan (ManLAM) in mouse macrophages costimulated with gamma interferon (IFN-γ). NF-κB was activated by ManLAM as shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, by immunofluorescence of translocated NF-κB in intact cells, and by a reporter gene driven by four NF-κB-binding elements. Transduction of an IκBα mutant (Ser32/36Ala) significantly inhibited NO· expression induced by IFN-γ plus ManLAM. An activated SCF complex, a heterotetramer (Skp1, Cul-1, β-TrCP [F-box protein], and ROC1) involved with ubiquitination, is also required for iNOS-NO· induction. Two NF-κB-binding sites (κBI and κBII) present on the 5′-flanking region of the iNOS promoter bound ManLAM-induced NF-κB similarly. By use of reporter constructs in which one or both sites are mutated, both NF-κB-binding positions were essential in iNOS induction by IFN-γ plus ManLAM. IFN-γ-induced activation of the IRF-1 transcriptional complex is a necessary component in host defense against tuberculosis. Although the 5′-flanking region of the IRF-1 promoter contains an NF-κB-binding site and ManLAM-induced NF-κB also binds to this site, ManLAM was unable to induce IRF-1 expression. The influence of mitogen-activated protein kinases on IFN-γ plus ManLAM induction of iNOS-NO· is not due to any effects on ManLAM induction of NF-κB.

Induction of IL-8 by Mycoplasma pneumoniae membrane in BEAS-2B cells

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is an extracellular pathogen, residing on mucosal surfaces of the respiratory and genital tracts. The lack of cell walls in mycoplasmas facilitates the direct contact of the bacterial membrane with the host cell. The cell membrane of mycoplasma is the major inducer of the host pathogenic response. Airway diseases caused by M. pneumoniae include bronchiolitis, bronchitis, and rarely bronchiectasis. In such disorders, neutrophil infiltration of the airways predominates. More recently, M. pneumoniae has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. Epithelial cells play an important role in recruiting inflammatory cells into the airways. Since M. pneumoniae infection of human epithelial cells induces expression of IL-8-a potent activator of neutrophils-we investigated the signaling and transcriptional mechanisms by which mycoplasma membrane induces expression of this chemokine. In BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells, mycoplasma membrane fraction (MMF) increased IL-8 mRNA and protein production. Activation of the transcriptional elements activating protein-1, nuclear factor-interleukin-6, and particularly NF-kappaB are essential for optimal IL-8 production by MMF. The mitogen-activated protein kinases individually played a modest role in MMF-induced IL-8 production. Toll-like receptor-2 did not play a significant role in MMF-induction of IL-8. Antibiotics with microbicidal activity against M. pneumoniae are also known to have anti-inflammatory effects. Whereas clarithromycin, azithromycin, and moxifloxacin individually were able to inhibit TNF-alpha-induction of IL-8, each failed to inhibit MMF-induction of IL-8.

IL-32 expression in the airway epithelial cells of patients with Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease.

Lung disease due to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) organisms is increasing. A greater understanding of the host immune response to MAC organisms will provide a foundation to develop novel therapies for these recalcitrant infections. IL-32 is a newly described pro-inflammatory cytokine that enhances host immunity against various microbial pathogens. Cytokines that induce IL-32 such as interferon-gamma, IL-18, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha are of considerable importance to mycobacterial immunity. We performed immunohistochemistry and morphometric analysis to quantify IL-32 expression in the lungs of 11 patients with MAC lung disease and 10 controls with normal lung tissues. After normalizing for basement membrane length, there was a profound increase in IL-32 expression in the airway epithelial cells of the MAC-infected lungs compared with controls. Following normalization for alveolar surface area, there was a trend toward increased IL-32 expression in type II alveolar cells and alveolar macrophages in the lungs of MAC patients. Human airway epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) infected with M. avium produced IL-32 by a nuclear factor-kappa B-dependent mechanism. In both BEAS-2B cells and human monocyte-derived macrophages, exogenous IL-32γ significantly reduced the growth of intracellular M. avium. This finding was corroborated by an increase in the number of intracellular M. avium recovered from THP-1 monocytes silenced for endogenous IL-32 expression. The anti-mycobacterial effect of IL-32 may be due, in part, to increased apoptosis of infected cells. These findings indicate that IL-32 facilitates host defense against MAC organisms but may also contribute to the airway inflammation associated with MAC pulmonary disease.

A Middle-Aged Woman with Recurrent Respiratory Infections

aDepartment of Medicine, bProgram in Cell Biology, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, cDivision of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, dDivision of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, eDenver Veterans Administration Medical Center, Denver, Colo., and fDepartment of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C., USA Received: January 19, 2004 Accepted after revision: May 18, 2004

Airway Anatomy and Physiology

With inspiration, air travels from the nares through the nasal cavity, nasopharynx, oropharynx, glottis, and the tracheobronchial tree down to the alveoli, where gas exchange occurs. This chapter focuses on the gross and microscopic anatomy of the conducting and respiratory portions of the airways and the physiology of the airways and highlights the development of the tracheobronchial tree and lung parenchyma. The nasal cavity, naso-oropharynx, and larynx will be discussed in less detail. Critical components of the respiratory system that will be discussed only superficially include the respiratory center in the pons, medulla, and the muscles of respiration. Radiologic, pathologic, and/or physiologic correlations will be provided for some key airway diseases although more detailed patho-radiologic discussions of them are provided in subsequent chapters.