Pro-inflammatory properties of aureocin A53.

Aureocin A53 is a peptide bacteriocin produced by an opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus strain A53. The spatial structure of aureocin, unlike its amino acid sequence, is similar to the bacteriocin BacSp222, which was recently found to have the ability to induce the inflammatory response in the host cells. The presented research aimed to verify such properties also for aureocin A53. We demonstrated that the synthetic aureocin has slight cytotoxic activity towards murine monocytic-macrophage cells. This molecule was also able to activate murine P388.D1 and RAW 264.7 cells to IFN-γ-dependent production of nitric oxide and to activate production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine - TNF. We also proved that the observed pro-inflammatory activity of the studied bacteriocin is related to the stimulation of the TLR2/TLR6 heterodimer and, consequently, activation of the NF-κB transcription factor. To sum up, A53 is the second bacteriocin described in the literature, showing the pro-inflammatory activity against murine macrophage-like cells.

Immune priming modulates Galleria mellonella and Pseudomonas entomophila interaction. Antimicrobial properties of Kazal peptide Pr13a.

Galleria mellonella larvae repeatedly infected with Pseudomonas entomophila bacteria re-induced their immune response. Its parameters, i.e. the defence activities of cell-free hemolymph, the presence and activity of antimicrobial peptides, and the expression of immune-relevant genes were modulated after the re-challenge in comparison to non-primed infected larvae, resulting in better protection. No enhanced resistance was observed when the larvae were initially infected with other microorganisms, and larvae pre-infected with P. entomophila were not more resistant to further infection with other pathogens. Then, the peptide profiles of hemolymph from primed- and non-primed larvae infected with P. entomophila were compared by quantitative RP-HPLC (Reverse Phase - High Performance Liquid Chromatography). The level of carbonic anhydrase, anionic peptide-1, proline peptide-2, and finally, unknown so far, putative Kazal peptide Pr13a was higher in the primed infected animals than in the larvae infected with P. entomophila for the first time. The expression of the Pr13a gene increased two-fold after the infection, but only in the primed animals. To check whether the enhanced level of Pr13a could have physiological significance, the peptide was purified to homogeneity and checked for its defence properties. In fact, it had antibacterial activity: at the concentration of 15 µM and 7.5 µM it reduced the number of P. entomophila and Bacillus thuringiensis CFU, respectively, to about 40%. The antibacterial activity of Pr13a was correlated with changes observed on the surface of the peptide-treated bacteria, e.g. surface roughness and adhesion force. The presented results bring us closer to finding hemolymph constituents responsible for the effect of priming on the immune response in re-infected insects.

Defence response of Galleria mellonella larvae to oral and intrahemocelic infection with Pseudomonasentomophila.

We report differences in the course of infection of G. mellonella larvae with P. entomophila via intrahemocelic and oral routes. Survival curves, larval morphology, histology, and induction of defence response were investigated. Larvae injected with 10 and 50 cells of P. entomophila activated a dose-dependent immune response, which was manifested by induction of immune-related genes and dose-dependent defence activity in larval hemolymph. In contrast, after the oral application of the pathogen, antimicrobial activity was detected in whole hemolymph of larvae infected with the 103 but not 105 dose in spite of the induction of immune response manifested as immune-relevant gene expression and defence activity of electrophoretically separated low-molecular hemolymph components. Among known proteins induced after the P. entomophila infection, we identified proline-rich peptide 1 and 2, cecropin D-like peptide, galiomycin, lysozyme, anionic peptide 1, defensin-like peptide, and a 27 kDa hemolymph protein. The expression of the lysozyme gene and the amount of protein in the hemolymph were correlated with inactivity of hemolymph in insects orally infected with a higher dose of P. entomophila, pointing to its role in the host-pathogen interaction.

BacSp222 bacteriocin as a novel ligand for TLR2/TLR6 heterodimer.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: BacSp222 bacteriocin is a bactericidal and proinflammatory peptide stimulating immune cells to produce selected cytokines and NO in NF-ĸB dependent manner. This study aims to identify the receptor which mediates this activity. METHODS: We applied fluorescently labeled BacSp222 and a confocal microscopy imaging to analyze the direct interaction of the bacteriocin with the cells. Reporter HEK-Blue cells overexpressing human toll-like receptors (TLR2, TLR4, TLR5 or TLR2/TLR1 and TLR2/TLR6 heterodimers) were stimulated with BacSp222, and then the activity of NF-ĸB-dependent secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) was measured. In turn, formylated peptide receptor (FPR) or TLR2 antagonists were used to verify bacteriocin-stimulated TNF production by murine monocyte-macrophage cell lines. RESULTS: BacSp222 undergoes internalization into cells without disturbing the cell membrane. FPR antagonists do not affect TNF produced by BacSp222-stimulated murine macrophage-like cells. In contrast, BacSp222 stimulates NF-ĸB activation in HEK-Blue overexpressing TLR2 or TLR2/TLR6 heterodimer, but not TLR2/TLR1, TLR4 or TLR5 receptors. Moreover, TLR2-specific antagonists inhibit NF-ĸB signaling in BacSp222-stimulated HEK-Blue TLR2/TLR6 cells and reduce TNF release by BacSp222-treated RAW 264.7 and P388.D1. CONCLUSIONS: BacSp222 is a novel ligand for TLR2/TLR6 heterodimer. By binding TLR complex the bacteriocin undergoes internalization, inducing proinflammatory signaling that employs MyD88 and NF-ĸB pathways.