Nonspecific lipid-transfer proteins trigger TLR2 and NOD2 signaling and undergo ligand-dependent endocytosis in epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Allergens can cross the epithelial barrier to enter the body but how this cellular passage affects protein structures and the downstream interactions with the immune system are still open questions. OBJECTIVE: We sought to show the molecular details and the effects of 3 nonspecific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs; Mal d 3 [allergenic nsLTP1 from apple], Cor a 8 [allergenic nsLTP1 from hazelnut], and Pru p 3 [allergenic nsLTP1 from peach]) on epithelial cell uptake and transport. METHODS: We used fluorescent imaging, flow cytometry, and proteomic and lipidomic screenings to identify the mechanism involved in nsLTP cellular uptake and signaling on selected epithelial and transgenic cell lines. RESULTS: nsLTPs are transported across the epithelium without affecting cell membrane stability or viability, and allergen uptake was largely impaired by inhibition of clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Analysis of the lipidome associated with nsLTPs showed a wide variety of lipid ligands predicted to bind inside the allergen hydrophobic cavity. Importantly, the internalization of nsLTPs was contingent on these ligands in the protein complex. nsLTPs were found to initiate cellular signaling via Toll-like receptor 2 but not the cluster of differentiation 1 protein receptor, despite neither being essential for nsLTP endocytosis. We also provide evidence that the 3 allergens induced intracellular stress signaling through activation of the NOD2 pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our work consolidates the current model on nsLTP-epithelial cell interplay and adds molecular details about cell transport and signaling. In addition, we have developed a versatile toolbox to extend these investigations to other allergens and cell types.

Human Sterols Are Overproduced, Stored and Excreted in Yeasts.

Sterols exert a profound influence on numerous cellular processes, playing a crucial role in both health and disease. However, comprehending the effects of sterol dysfunction on cellular physiology is challenging. Consequently, numerous processes affected by impaired sterol biosynthesis still elude our complete understanding. In this study, we made use of yeast strains that produce cholesterol instead of ergosterol and investigated the cellular response mechanisms on the transcriptome as well as the lipid level. The exchange of ergosterol for cholesterol caused the downregulation of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine and upregulation of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. Additionally, a shift towards polyunsaturated fatty acids was observed. While the sphingolipid levels dropped, the total amounts of sterols and triacylglycerol increased, which resulted in 1.7-fold enlarged lipid droplets in cholesterol-producing yeast cells. In addition to internal storage, cholesterol and its precursors were excreted into the culture supernatant, most likely by the action of ABC transporters Snq2, Pdr12 and Pdr15. Overall, our results demonstrate that, similarly to mammalian cells, the production of non-native sterols and sterol precursors causes lipotoxicity in K. phaffii, mainly due to upregulated sterol biosynthesis, and they highlight the different survival and stress response mechanisms on multiple, integrative levels.

orsai, the Drosophila homolog of human ETFRF1, links lipid catabolism to growth control.

BACKGROUND: Lipid homeostasis is an evolutionarily conserved process that is crucial for energy production, storage and consumption. Drosophila larvae feed continuously to achieve the roughly 200-fold increase in size and accumulate sufficient reserves to provide all energy and nutrients necessary for the development of the adult fly. The mechanisms controlling this metabolic program are poorly understood. RESULTS: Herein we identified a highly conserved gene, orsai (osi), as a key player in lipid metabolism in Drosophila. Lack of osi function in the larval fat body, the regulatory hub of lipid homeostasis, reduces lipid reserves and energy output, evidenced by decreased ATP production and increased ROS levels. Metabolic defects due to reduced Orsai (Osi) in time trigger defective food-seeking behavior and lethality. Further, we demonstrate that downregulation of Lipase 3, a fat body-specific lipase involved in lipid catabolism in response to starvation, rescues the reduced lipid droplet size associated with defective orsai. Finally, we show that osi-related phenotypes are rescued through the expression of its human ortholog ETFRF1/LYRm5, known to modulate the entry of ß-oxidation products into the electron transport chain; moreover, knocking down electron transport flavoproteins EtfQ0 and walrus/ETFA rescues osi-related phenotypes, further supporting this mode of action. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that Osi may act in concert with the ETF complex to coordinate lipid homeostasis in the fat body in response to stage-specific demands, supporting cellular functions that in turn result in an adaptive behavioral response.

Antimicrobial peptide activity in asymmetric bacterial membrane mimics.

We report on the response of asymmetric lipid membranes composed of palmitoyl oleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine and palmitoyl oleoyl phosphatidylglycerol, to interactions with the frog peptides L18W-PGLa and magainin 2 (MG2a), as well as the lactoferricin derivative LF11-215. In particular we determined the peptide-induced lipid flip-flop, as well as membrane partitioning of L18W-PGLa and LF11-215, and vesicle dye-leakage induced by L18W-PGLa. The ability of L18W-PGLa and MG2a to translocate through the membrane appears to correlate with the observed lipid flip-flop, which occurred at the fastest rate for L18W-PGLa. The higher structural flexibility of LF11-215 in turn allows this peptide to insert into the bilayers without detectable changes of membrane asymmetry. The increased vulnerability of asymmetric membranes to L18W-PGLa in terms of permeability, appears to be a consequence of tension differences between the compositionally distinct leaflets, but not due to increased peptide partitioning.

Deciphering lipid structures based on platform-independent decision rules.

We achieve automated and reliable annotation of lipid species and their molecular structures in high-throughput data from chromatography-coupled tandem mass spectrometry using decision rule sets embedded in Lipid Data Analyzer (LDA; http://genome.tugraz.at/lda2). Using various low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry instruments with several collision energies, we proved the method's platform independence. We propose that the software's reliability, flexibility, and ability to identify novel lipid molecular species may now render current state-of-the-art lipid libraries obsolete.

Viewing pre-60S maturation at a minute's timescale.

The formation of ribosomal subunits is a highly dynamic process that is initiated in the nucleus and involves more than 200 trans-acting factors, some of which accompany the pre-ribosomes into the cytoplasm and have to be recycled into the nucleus. The inhibitor diazaborine prevents cytoplasmic release and recycling of shuttling pre-60S maturation factors by inhibiting the AAA-ATPase Drg1. The failure to recycle these proteins results in their depletion in the nucleolus and halts the pathway at an early maturation step. Here, we made use of the fast onset of inhibition by diazaborine to chase the maturation path in real-time from 27SA2 pre-rRNA containing pre-ribosomes localized in the nucleolus up to nearly mature 60S subunits shortly after their export into the cytoplasm. This allows for the first time to put protein assembly and disassembly reactions as well as pre-rRNA processing into a chronological context unraveling temporal and functional linkages during ribosome maturation.

Myeloperoxidase-Derived 2-Chlorohexadecanal Is Generated in Mouse Heart during Endotoxemia and Induces Modification of Distinct Cardiomyocyte Protein Subsets In Vitro.

Sepsis is a major cause of mortality in critically ill patients and associated with cardiac dysfunction, a complication linked to immunological and metabolic aberrations. Cardiac neutrophil infiltration and subsequent release of myeloperoxidase (MPO) leads to the formation of the oxidant hypochlorous acid (HOCl) that is able to chemically modify plasmalogens (ether-phospholipids) abundantly present in the heart. This reaction gives rise to the formation of reactive lipid species including aldehydes and chlorinated fatty acids. During the present study, we tested whether endotoxemia increases MPO-dependent lipid oxidation/modification in the mouse heart. In hearts of lipopolysaccharide-injected mice, we observed significantly higher infiltration of MPO-positive cells, increased fatty acid content, and formation of 2-chlorohexadecanal (2-ClHDA), an MPO-derived plasmalogen modification product. Using murine HL-1 cardiomyocytes as in vitro model, we show that exogenously added HOCl attacks the cellular plasmalogen pool and gives rise to the formation of 2-ClHDA. Addition of 2-ClHDA to HL-1 cardiomyocytes resulted in conversion to 2-chlorohexadecanoic acid and 2-chlorohexadecanol, indicating fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase-mediated redox metabolism. However, a recovery of only 40% indicated the formation of non-extractable (protein) adducts. To identify protein targets, we used a clickable alkynyl analog, 2-chlorohexadec-15-yn-1-al (2-ClHDyA). After Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 5-tetramethylrhodamine azide (N3-TAMRA) and two dimensional-gel electrophoresis (2D-GE), we were able to identify 51 proteins that form adducts with 2-ClHDyA. Gene ontology enrichment analyses revealed an overrepresentation of heat shock and chaperone, energy metabolism, and cytoskeletal proteins as major targets. Our observations in a murine endotoxemia model demonstrate formation of HOCl-modified lipids in the heart, while pathway analysis in vitro revealed that the chlorinated aldehyde targets specific protein subsets, which are central to cardiac function.

Homocysteine regulates fatty acid and lipid metabolism in yeast.

S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (AdoHcy hydrolase; Sah1 in yeast/AHCY in mammals) degrades AdoHcy, a by-product and strong product inhibitor of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet)-dependent methylation reactions, to adenosine and homocysteine (Hcy). This reaction is reversible, so any elevation of Hcy levels, such as in hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), drives the formation of AdoHcy, with detrimental consequences for cellular methylation reactions. HHcy, a pathological condition linked to cardiovascular and neurological disorders, as well as fatty liver among others, is associated with a deregulation of lipid metabolism. Here, we developed a yeast model of HHcy to identify mechanisms that dysregulate lipid metabolism. Hcy supplementation to wildtype cells up-regulated cellular fatty acid and triacylglycerol content and induced a shift in fatty acid composition, similar to changes observed in mutants lacking Sah1. Expression of the irreversible bacterial pathway for AdoHcy degradation in yeast allowed us to dissect the impact of AdoHcy accumulation on lipid metabolism from the impact of elevated Hcy. Expression of this pathway fully suppressed the growth deficit of sah1 mutants as well as the deregulation of lipid metabolism in both the sah1 mutant and Hcy-exposed wildtype, showing that AdoHcy accumulation mediates the deregulation of lipid metabolism in response to elevated Hcy in yeast. Furthermore, Hcy supplementation in yeast led to increased resistance to cerulenin, an inhibitor of fatty acid synthase, as well as to a concomitant decline of condensing enzymes involved in very long-chain fatty acid synthesis, in line with the observed shift in fatty acid content and composition.

Intrinsic Curvature-Mediated Transbilayer Coupling in Asymmetric Lipid Vesicles.

We measured the effect of intrinsic lipid curvature, J0, on structural properties of asymmetric vesicles made of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (POPE; J0<0) and palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC; J0∼0). Electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering were used to determine vesicle size and morphology, and x-ray and neutron scattering, combined with calorimetric experiments and solution NMR, yielded insights into leaflet-specific lipid packing and melting processes. Below the lipid melting temperature we observed strong interleaflet coupling in asymmetric vesicles with POPE inner bilayer leaflets and outer leaflets enriched in POPC. This lipid arrangement manifested itself by lipids melting cooperatively in both leaflets, and a rearrangement of lipid packing in both monolayers. On the other hand, no coupling was observed in vesicles with POPC inner bilayer leaflets and outer leaflets enriched in POPE. In this case, the leaflets melted independently and did not affect each other's acyl chain packing. Furthermore, we found no evidence for transbilayer structural coupling above the melting temperature of either sample preparation. Our results are consistent with the energetically preferred location of POPE residing in the inner leaflet, where it also resides in natural membranes, most likely causing the coupling of both leaflets. The loss of this coupling in the fluid bilayers is most likely the result of entropic contributions.

Hypophagia and metabolic adaptations in mice with defective ATGL-mediated lipolysis cause resistance to HFD-induced obesity.

Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) initiates intracellular triglyceride (TG) catabolism. In humans, ATGL deficiency causes neutral lipid storage disease with myopathy (NLSDM) characterized by a systemic TG accumulation. Mice with a genetic deletion of ATGL (AKO) also accumulate TG in many tissues. However, neither NLSDM patients nor AKO mice are exceedingly obese. This phenotype is unexpected considering the importance of the enzyme for TG catabolism in white adipose tissue (WAT). In this study, we identified the counteracting mechanisms that prevent excessive obesity in the absence of ATGL. We used "healthy" AKO mice expressing ATGL exclusively in cardiomyocytes (AKO/cTg) to circumvent the cardiomyopathy and premature lethality observed in AKO mice. AKO/cTg mice were protected from high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity despite complete ATGL deficiency in WAT and normal adipocyte differentiation. AKO/cTg mice were highly insulin sensitive under hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp conditions, eliminating insulin insensitivity as a possible protective mechanism. Instead, reduced food intake and altered signaling by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c in WAT accounted for the phenotype. These adaptations led to reduced lipid synthesis and storage in WAT of HFD-fed AKO/cTg mice. Treatment with the PPAR-γ agonist rosiglitazone reversed the phenotype. These results argue for the existence of an adaptive interdependence between lipolysis and lipid synthesis. Pharmacological inhibition of ATGL may prove useful to prevent HFD-induced obesity and insulin resistance.

Conjugative type IV secretion in Gram-positive pathogens: TraG, a lytic transglycosylase and endopeptidase, interacts with translocation channel protein TraM.

Conjugative transfer plays a major role in the transmission of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. pIP501 is a Gram-positive conjugative model plasmid with the broadest transfer host-range known so far and is frequently found in Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium clinical isolates. The pIP501 type IV secretion system is encoded by 15 transfer genes. In this work, we focus on the VirB1-like protein TraG, a modular peptidoglycan metabolizing enzyme, and the VirB8-homolog TraM, a potential member of the translocation channel. By providing full-length traG in trans, but not with a truncated variant, we achieved full recovery of wild type transfer efficiency in the traG-knockout mutant E. faecalis pIP501ΔtraG. With peptidoglycan digestion experiments and tandem mass spectrometry we could assign lytic transglycosylase and endopeptidase activity to TraG, with the CHAP domain alone displaying endopeptidase activity. We identified a novel interaction between TraG and TraM in a bacterial-2-hybrid assay. In addition we found that both proteins localize in focal spots at the E. faecalis cell membrane using immunostaining and fluorescence microscopy. Extracellular protease digestion to evaluate protein cell surface exposure revealed that correct membrane localization of TraM requires the transmembrane helix of TraG. Thus, we suggest an essential role for TraG in the assembly of the pIP501 type IV secretion system.

Sugar versus fat: elimination of glycogen storage improves lipid accumulation in Yarrowia lipolytica.

Triacylglycerol (TAG) and glycogen are the two major metabolites for carbon storage in most eukaryotic organisms. We investigated the glycogen metabolism of the oleaginous Yarrowia lipolytica and found that this yeast accumulates up to 16% glycogen in its biomass. Assuming that elimination of glycogen synthesis would result in an improvement of lipid accumulation, we characterized and deleted the single gene coding for glycogen synthase, YlGSY1. The mutant was grown under lipogenic conditions with glucose and glycerol as substrates and we obtained up to 60% improvement in TAG accumulation compared to the wild-type strain. Additionally, YlGSY1 was deleted in a background that was already engineered for high lipid accumulation. In this obese background, TAG accumulation was also further increased. The highest lipid content of 52% was found after 3 days of cultivation in nitrogen-limited glycerol medium. Furthermore, we constructed mutants of Y. lipolytica and Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are deleted for both glycogen and TAG synthesis, demonstrating that the ability to store carbon is not essential. Overall, this work showed that glycogen synthesis is a competing pathway for TAG accumulation in oleaginous yeasts and that deletion of the glycogen synthase has beneficial effects on neutral lipid storage.

Seipin is involved in the regulation of phosphatidic acid metabolism at a subdomain of the nuclear envelope in yeast.

Yeast Fld1 and Ldb16 resemble mammalian seipin, implicated in neutral lipid storage. Both proteins form a complex at the endoplasmic reticulum-lipid droplet (LD) interface. Malfunction of this complex either leads to LD clustering or to the generation of supersized LD (SLD) in close vicinity to the nuclear envelope, in response to altered phospholipid (PL) composition. We show that similar to mutants lacking Fld1, deletion of LDB16 leads to abnormal proliferation of a subdomain of the nuclear envelope, which is tightly associated with clustered LD. The human lipin-1 ortholog, the PAH1 encoded phosphatidic acid (PA) phosphatase, and its activator Nem1 are highly enriched at this site. The specific accumulation of PA-binding marker proteins indicates a local enrichment of PA in the fld1 and ldb16 mutants. Furthermore, we demonstrate that clustered LD in fld1 or ldb16 mutants are transformed to SLD if phosphatidylcholine synthesis is compromised by additional deletion of the phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase, Cho2. Notably, treatment of wild-type cells with oleate induced a similar LD clustering and nuclear membrane proliferation phenotype as observed in fld1 and ldb16 mutants. These data suggest that the Fld1-Ldb16 complex affects PA homeostasis at an LD-forming subdomain of the nuclear envelope. Lack of Fld1-Ldb16 leads to locally elevated PA levels that induce an abnormal proliferation of nER membrane structures and the clustering of associated LD. We suggest that the formation of SLD is a consequence of locally altered PL metabolism at this site.

Phosphoryl transfer from α-d-glucose 1-phosphate catalyzed by Escherichia coli sugar-phosphate phosphatases of two protein superfamily types.

The Cori ester α-d-glucose 1-phosphate (αGlc 1-P) is a high-energy intermediate of cellular carbohydrate metabolism. Its glycosidic phosphomonoester moiety primes αGlc 1-P for flexible exploitation in glucosyl and phosphoryl transfer reactions. Two structurally and mechanistically distinct sugar-phosphate phosphatases from Escherichia coli were characterized in this study for utilization of αGlc 1-P as a phosphoryl donor substrate. The agp gene encodes a periplasmic αGlc 1-P phosphatase (Agp) belonging to the histidine acid phosphatase family. Had13 is from the haloacid dehydrogenase-like phosphatase family. Cytoplasmic expression of Agp (in E. coli Origami B) gave a functional enzyme preparation (kcat for phosphoryl transfer from αGlc 1-P to water, 40 s(-1)) that was shown by mass spectrometry to exhibit no free cysteines and the native intramolecular disulfide bond between Cys(189) and Cys(195). Enzymatic phosphoryl transfer from αGlc 1-P to water in H2 (18)O solvent proceeded with complete (18)O label incorporation into the phosphate released, consistent with catalytic reaction through O-1-P, but not C-1-O, bond cleavage. Hydrolase activity of both enzymes was not restricted to a glycosidic phosphomonoester substrate, and d-glucose 6-phosphate was converted with a kcat similar to that of αGlc 1-P. By examining phosphoryl transfer from αGlc 1-P to an acceptor substrate other than water (d-fructose or d-glucose), we discovered that Agp exhibited pronounced synthetic activity, unlike Had13, which utilized αGlc 1-P mainly for phosphoryl transfer to water. By applying d-fructose in 10-fold molar excess over αGlc 1-P (20 mM), enzymatic conversion furnished d-fructose 1-phosphate as the main product in a 55% overall yield. Agp is a promising biocatalyst for use in transphosphorylation from αGlc 1-P.

Functional cardiac lipolysis in mice critically depends on comparative gene identification-58.

Efficient catabolism of cellular triacylglycerol (TG) stores requires the TG hydrolytic activity of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL). The presence of comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) strongly increased ATGL-mediated TG catabolism in cell culture experiments. Mutations in the genes coding for ATGL or CGI-58 in humans cause neutral lipid storage disease characterized by TG accumulation in multiple tissues. ATGL gene mutations cause a severe phenotype especially in cardiac muscle leading to cardiomyopathy that can be lethal. In contrast, CGI-58 gene mutations provoke severe ichthyosis and hepatosteatosis in humans and mice, whereas the role of CGI-58 in muscle energy metabolism is less understood. Here we show that mice lacking CGI-58 exclusively in muscle (CGI-58KOM) developed severe cardiac steatosis and cardiomyopathy linked to impaired TG catabolism and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. The marked increase in ATGL protein levels in cardiac muscle of CGI-58KOM mice was unable to compensate the lack of CGI-58. The addition of recombinant CGI-58 to cardiac lysates of CGI-58KOM mice completely reconstituted TG hydrolytic activities. In skeletal muscle, the lack of CGI-58 similarly provoked TG accumulation. The addition of recombinant CGI-58 increased TG hydrolytic activities in control and CGI-58KOM tissue lysates, elucidating the limiting role of CGI-58 in skeletal muscle TG catabolism. Finally, muscle CGI-58 deficiency affected whole body energy homeostasis, which is caused by impaired muscle TG catabolism and increased cardiac glucose uptake. In summary, this study demonstrates that functional muscle lipolysis depends on both CGI-58 and ATGL.

Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) deficiencies affect expression of lipolytic activities in mouse adipose tissues.

Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) are key enzymes involved in intracellular degradation of triacylglycerols. It was the aim of this study to elucidate how the deficiency in one of these proteins affects the residual lipolytic proteome in adipose tissue. For this purpose, we compared the lipase patterns of brown and white adipose tissue from ATGL (-/-) and HSL (-/-) mice using differential activity-based gel electrophoresis. This method is based on activity-recognition probes possessing the same substrate analogous structure but carrying different fluorophores for specific detection of the enzyme patterns of two different tissues in one electrophoresis gel. We found that ATGL-deficiency in brown adipose tissue had a profound effect on the expression levels of other lipolytic and esterolytic enzymes in this tissue, whereas HSL-deficiency hardly showed any effect in brown adipose tissue. Neither ATGL- nor HSL-deficiency greatly influenced the lipase patterns in white adipose tissue. Enzyme activities of mouse tissues on acylglycerol substrates were analyzed as well, showing that ATGL-and HSL-deficiencies can be compensated for at least in part by other enzymes. The proteins that responded to ATGL-deficiency in brown adipose tissue were overexpressed and their activities on acylglycerols were analyzed. Among these enzymes, Es1, Es10, and Es31-like represent lipase candidates as they catalyze the hydrolysis of long-chain acylglycerols.

Inhibition of NO production by Grindelia argentina and isolation of three new cytotoxic saponins.

A bioassay-guided phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract of Grindelia argentina Deble & Oliveira-Deble (Asteraceae) allowed the isolation of a known flavone, hispidulin, and three new oleanane-type saponins, 3-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-2ß,3ß,16α,23-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-ß-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→3)-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester (2), 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-2ß,3ß,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-ß-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→3)-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester, (3) and 3-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-2ß,3ß,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-ß-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→3)-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester (4), named grindeliosides A-C, respectively. Their structures were determined by extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments along with mass spectrometry and chemical evidence. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against LPS/IFN-γ-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages and for their cytotoxic activities against the human leukemic cell line CCRF-CEM and MRC-5 lung fibroblasts. Hispidulin markedly reduced LPS/IFN-γ-induced NO production (IC50 51.4 µM), while grindeliosides A-C were found to be cytotoxic, with grindelioside C being the most active against both CCRF-CEM (IC50 4.2±0.1 µM) and MRC-5 (IC50 4.5±0.1 µM) cell lines.

Homocysteine contributes to atherogenic transformation of the aorta in rabbits in the absence of hypercholesterolemia.

Atherosclerosis, the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, cannot be sufficiently explained by established risk factors, including cholesterol. Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and is closely linked to cardiovascular mortality. However, its role in atherosclerosis has not been fully clarified yet. We have previously shown that rabbits fed a diet deficient in B vitamins and choline (VCDD), which are required for Hcy degradation, exhibit an accumulation of macrophages and lipids in the aorta, aortic stiffening and disorganization of aortic collagen in the absence of hypercholesterolemia, and an aggravation of atherosclerosis in its presence. In the current study, plasma Hcy levels were increased by intravenous injections of Hcy into balloon-injured rabbits fed VCDD (VCDD+Hcy) in the absence of hypercholesterolemia. While this treatment did not lead to thickening of aortic wall, intravenous injections of Hcy into rabbits fed VCDD led to massive accumulation of VLDL-triglycerides as well as significant impairment of vascular reactivity of the aorta compared to VCDD alone. In the aorta intravenous Hcy injections into VCDD-fed rabbits led to fragmentation of aortic elastin, accumulation of elastin-specific electron-dense inclusions, collagen disorganization, lipid degradation, and autophagolysosome formation. Furthermore, rabbits from the VCDD+Hcy group exhibited a massive decrease of total protein methylated arginine in blood cells and decreased creatine in blood cells, serum and liver compared to rabbits from the VCDD group. Altogether, we conclude that Hcy contributes to atherogenic transformation of the aorta not only in the presence but also in the absence of hypercholesterolemia.

Lipopolysaccharide modifications of a cholera vaccine candidate based on outer membrane vesicles reduce endotoxicity and reveal the major protective antigen.

The causative agent of the life-threatening gastrointestinal infectious disease cholera is the Gram-negative, facultative human pathogen Vibrio cholerae. We recently started to investigate the potential of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from V. cholerae as an alternative approach for a vaccine candidate against cholera and successfully demonstrated the induction of a long-lasting, high-titer, protective immune response upon immunization with OMVs using the mouse model. In this study, we present immunization data using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-modified OMVs derived from V. cholerae, which allowed us to improve and identify the major protective antigen of the vaccine candidate. Our results indicate that reduction of endotoxicity can be achieved without diminishing the immunogenic potential of the vaccine candidate by genetic modification of lipid A. Although the protective potential of anti-LPS antibodies has been suggested many times, this is the first comprehensive study that uses defined LPS mutants to characterize the LPS-directed immune response of a cholera vaccine candidate in more detail. Our results pinpoint the O antigen to be the essential immunogenic structure and provide a protective mechanism based on inhibition of motility, which prevents a successful colonization. In a detailed analysis using defined antisera, we can demonstrate that only anti-O antigen antibodies, but not antibodies directed against the major flagellar subunit FlaA or the most abundant outer membrane protein, OmpU, are capable of effectively blocking the motility by binding to the sheathed flagellum and provide protection in a passive immunization assay.

Immunogenicity of Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica outer membrane vesicles.

Pasteurella multocida is able to cause disease in humans and in a wide range of animal hosts, including fowl cholera in birds, atrophic rhinitis in pigs, and snuffles in rabbits. Together with Mannheimia haemolytica, P. multocida also represents a major bacterial causative agent of bovine respiratory disease (BRD), which is one of the most important causes for economic losses for the cattle backgrounding and feedlot industry. Commercially available vaccines only partially prevent infections caused by P. multocida and M. haemolytica. Thus, this study characterized the immunogenicity of P. multocida and M. haemolytica outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) upon intranasal immunization of BALB/c mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) revealed that OMVs derived from P. multocida or M. haemolytica are able to induce robust humoral and mucosal immune responses against the respective donor strain. In addition, also significant cross-immunogenic potential was observed for both OMV types. Colonization studies showed that a potential protective immune response against P. multocida is not only achieved by immunization with P. multocida OMVs, but also by immunization with OMVs derived from M. haemolytica. Immunoblot and immunoprecipitation analyses demonstrated that M. haemolytica OMVs induce a more complex immune response compared to P. multocida OMVs. The outer membrane proteins OmpA, OmpH, and P6 were identified as the three major immunogenic proteins of P. multocida OMVs. Amongst others, the serotype 1-specific antigen, an uncharacterized outer membrane protein, as well as the outer membrane proteins P2 and OmpA were found to be the most important antigens of M. haemolytica OMVs. These findings are useful for the future development of broad-spectrum OMV based vaccines against BRD and other infections caused by P. multocida or M. haemolytica.