Kristin L. DeBord

Exogenous and endogenous glycolipid antigens activate NKT cells during microbial infections

CD1d-restricted natural killer T (NKT) cells are innate-like lymphocytes that express a conserved T-cell receptor and contribute to host defence against various microbial pathogens. However, their target lipid antigens have remained elusive. Here we report evidence for microbial, antigen-specific activation of NKT cells against Gram-negative, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-negative alpha-Proteobacteria such as Ehrlichia muris and Sphingomonas capsulata. We have identified glycosylceramides from the cell wall of Sphingomonas that serve as direct targets for mouse and human NKT cells, controlling both septic shock reaction and bacterial clearance in infected mice. In contrast, Gram-negative, LPS-positive Salmonella typhimurium activates NKT cells through the recognition of an endogenous lysosomal glycosphingolipid, iGb3, presented by LPS-activated dendritic cells. These findings identify two novel antigenic targets of NKT cells in antimicrobial defence, and show that glycosylceramides are an alternative to LPS for innate recognition of the Gram-negative, LPS-negative bacterial cell wall.

LcrV Plague Vaccine with Altered Immunomodulatory Properties

ABSTRACT Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, secretes LcrV (low-calcium-response V or V antigen) during infection. LcrV triggers the release of interleukin 10 (IL-10) by host immune cells and suppresses proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and gamma interferon as well as innate defense mechanisms required to combat the pathogenesis of plague. Although immunization of animals with LcrV elicits protective immunity, the associated suppression of host defense mechanisms may preclude the use of LcrV as a human vaccine. Here we show that short deletions within LcrV can reduce its immune modulatory properties. An LcrV variant lacking amino acid residues 271 to 300 (rV10) elicited immune responses that protected mice against a lethal challenge with Y. pestis. Compared to full-length LcrV, rV10 displayed a reduced ability to release IL-10 from mouse and human macrophages. Furthermore, the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated release of proinflammatory cytokines by human or mouse macrophages was inhibited by full-length LcrV but not by the rV10 variant. Thus, it appears that LcrV variants with reduced immune modulatory properties could be used as a human vaccine to generate protective immunity against plague.

Bacillus anthracis Sortase A (SrtA) Anchors LPXTG Motif-Containing Surface Proteins to the Cell Wall Envelope

Cell wall-anchored surface proteins of gram-positive pathogens play important roles during the establishment of many infectious diseases, but the contributions of surface proteins to the pathogenesis of anthrax have not yet been revealed. Cell wall anchoring in Staphylococcus aureus occurs by a transpeptidation mechanism requiring surface proteins with C-terminal sorting signals as well as sortase enzymes. The genome sequence of Bacillus anthracis encodes three sortase genes and eleven surface proteins with different types of cell wall sorting signals. Purified B. anthracis sortase A cleaved peptides encompassing LPXTG motif-type sorting signals between the threonine (T) and the glycine (G) residues in vitro. Sortase A activity could be inhibited by thiol-reactive reagents, similar to staphylococcal sortases. B. anthracis parent strain Sterne 34F(2), but not variants lacking the srtA gene, anchored the collagen-binding MSCRAMM (microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules) BasC (BA5258/BAS4884) to the bacterial cell wall. These results suggest that B. anthracis SrtA anchors surface proteins bearing LPXTG motif sorting signals to the cell wall envelope of vegetative bacilli.

Immunogenicity and Protective Immunity against Bubonic Plague and Pneumonic Plague by Immunization of Mice with the Recombinant V10 Antigen, a Variant of LcrV

ABSTRACT In contrast to Yersinia pestis LcrV, the recombinant V10 (rV10) variant (lacking residues 271 to 300) does not suppress the release of proinflammatory cytokines by immune cells. Immunization with rV10 generates robust antibody responses that protect mice against bubonic plague and pneumonic plague, suggesting that rV10 may serve as an improved plague vaccine.

Roles of LcrG and LcrV during type III targeting of effector Yops by Yersinia enterocolitica.

Yersinia enterocolitica target effector Yop proteins into the cytosol of eukaryotic cells by a mechanism requiring the type III machinery. LcrG and LcrV have been suggested to fulfill essential functions during the type III targeting of effector Yops. It is reported here that knockout mutations of lcrG caused mutant yersiniae to prematurely secrete Yops into the extracellular medium without abolishing the type III targeting mechanism (Los phenotype [loss of type III targeting specificity]). Knockout mutations in lcrV reduced type III targeting of mutant yersiniae but did not promote secretion into the extracellular medium (Not [no type III targeting]). However, knockout mutations in both genes caused DeltalcrGV yersiniae to display a Los phenotype similar to that of strains carrying knockout mutations in lcrG alone. LcrG binding to LcrV resulted in the formation of soluble LcrGV complexes in the bacterial cytoplasm. Membrane-associated, bacterial-surface-displayed or -secreted LcrG could not be detected. Most of LcrV was located in the bacterial cytoplasm; however, small amounts were secreted into the extracellular medium. These data support a model whereby LcrG may act as a negative regulator of type III targeting in the bacterial cytoplasm, an activity that is modulated by LcrG binding to LcrV. No support could be gathered for the hypothesis whereby LcrG and LcrV may act as a bacterial surface receptor for host cells, allowing effector Yop translocation across the eukaryotic plasma membrane.

Pneumonic plague pathogenesis and immunity in Brown Norway rats.

The Brown Norway rat was recently described as a bubonic plague model that closely mimics human disease. We therefore evaluated the Brown Norway rat as an alternative small animal model for pneumonic plague and characterized both the efficacy and potency of vaccine candidates. When infected by intranasal instillation, these rats rapidly developed fatal pneumonic plague within 2 to 4 days of infection. Plague disease was characterized by severe alveolar edema and vascular hemorrhage in the lung in addition to fulminant necrotizing pneumonia caused by massive bacterial replication and inflammation. Twenty-four hours before death, animals developed systemic disease with an apparent delayed inflammatory response. We evaluated the ability of the protective antigen, LcrV, and a mutant derivative, V10, to protect these rats from pneumonic plague. Both were highly effective vaccines because complete protection was observed at challenge doses of 7500 LD(50). Antibody analyses suggested stronger potency of V10 immune sera compared with LcrV in the passive transfer of immunity to bubonic plague, with multiple neutralizing epitopes in LcrV. Taken together, these data demonstrate the effectiveness of inhibiting type III secretion in the prevention of pneumonic plague in rats and reveal critical contributions from both the cellular and humoral immune systems. Thus, the Brown Norway rat is an appealing alternative small animal model for the study of pneumonic plague pathogenesis and immunity.

The ttsA Gene Is Required for Low-Calcium-Induced Type III Secretion of Yop Proteins and Virulence of Yersinia enterocolitica W22703

Pathogenic Yersinia species use a virulence-plasmid encoded type III secretion pathway to escape the innate immune response and to establish infections in lymphoid tissues. At least 22 secretion machinery components are required for type III transport of 14 different Yop proteins, and 10 regulatory factors are responsible for activating this pathway in response to environmental signals. Although the genes for these products are located on the 70-kb virulence plasmid of Yersinia, this extrachromosomal element does not appear to harbor genes that provide for the sensing of environmental signals, such as calcium-, glutamate-, or serum-sensing proteins. To identify such genes, we screened transposon insertion mutants of Y. enterocolitica W22703 for defects in type III secretion and identified ttsA, a chromosomal gene encoding a polytopic membrane protein. ttsA mutant yersiniae synthesize reduced amounts of Yops and display a defect in low-calcium-induced type III secretion of Yop proteins. ttsA mutants are also severely impaired in bacterial motility, a phenotype which is likely due to the reduced expression of flagellar genes. All of these defects were restored by complementation with plasmid-encoded wild-type ttsA. LcrG is a repressor of the Yersinia type III pathway that is activated by an environmental calcium signal. Mutation of the lcrG gene in a ttsA mutant strain restored the type III secretion of Yop proteins, although the double mutant strain secreted Yops in the presence and absence of calcium, similar to the case for mutants that are defective in lcrG gene function alone. To examine the role of ttsA in the establishment of infection, we measured the bacterial dose required to produce an acute lethal disease following intraperitoneal infection of mice. The ttsA insertion caused a greater-than-3-log-unit reduction in virulence compared to that of the parental strain.

Identification of Chromosomal Genes in Yersinia pestis that Influence Type III Secretion and Delivery of Yops into Target Cells

Pathogenic Yersinia species possess a type III secretion system, which is required for the delivery of effector Yop proteins into target cells during infection. Genes encoding the type III secretion machinery, its substrates, and several regulatory proteins all reside on a 70-Kb virulence plasmid. Genes encoded in the chromosome of yersiniae are thought to play important roles in bacterial perception of host environments and in the coordinated activation of the type III secretion pathway. Here, we investigate the contribution of chromosomal genes to the complex regulatory process controlling type III secretion in Yersinia pestis. Using transposon mutagenesis, we identified five chromosomal genes required for expression or secretion of Yops in laboratory media. Four out of the five chromosomal mutants were defective to various extents at injecting Yops into tissue culture cells. Interestingly, we found one mutant that was not able to secrete in vitro but was fully competent for injecting Yops into host cells, suggesting independent mechanisms for activation of the secretion apparatus. When tested in a mouse model of plague disease, three mutants were avirulent, whereas two strains were severely attenuated. Together these results demonstrate the importance of Y. pestis chromosomal genes in the proper function of type III secretion and in the pathogenesis of plague.