Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 Alpha Is Dispensable for Host Defense of Group B Streptococcus Colonization and Infection.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, and the primary source of exposure is the maternal vagina. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for GBS-positive mothers has reduced the incidence of GBS early-onset disease, however, potential long-lasting influence of an antibiotic-altered neonatal microbiota, and the frequent clinical sequelae in survivors of invasive GBS infection, compels alternative treatment options for GBS. Here, we examined the role of transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α), widely recognized as a regulator of immune activation during infection, in the host response to GBS. Given the importance of endogenous HIF-1α for innate immune defense, and the potential utility of HIF-1α stabilization in promoting bacterial clearance, we hypothesized that HIF-1α could play an important role in coordinating host responses to GBS in colonization and systemic disease. Counter to our hypothesis, we found that GBS infection did not induce HIF-1α expression in vaginal epithelial cells or murine macrophages, nor did HIF-1α deficiency alter GBS colonization or pathogenesis in vivo. Furthermore, pharmacological enhancement of HIF-1α did not improve control of GBS in pathogenesis and colonization models, while displaying inhibitory effects in vaginal epithelial cytokines and immune cell killing in vitro. Taken together, we conclude that HIF-1α is not a prominent aspect of the host response to GBS colonization or invasive disease, and its pharmacological modulation is unlikely to provide significant benefit against this important neonatal pathogen.

Multiple Sclerosis in a Multi-Ethnic Population in Houston, Texas: A Retrospective Analysis.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects more than 2 million people worldwide. Increasing knowledge about MS in different populations has advanced our understanding of disease epidemiology and variation in the natural history of MS among White and minority populations. In addition to differences in incidence, African American (AA) and Hispanic patients have greater disease burden and disability in earlier stages of disease compared to White patients. To further characterize MS in AA and Hispanic populations, we conducted a retrospective chart analysis of 112 patients treated at an MS center in Houston, Texas. Here, we describe similarities and differences in clinical presentation, MRI findings, treatment regimens, disability progression, and relapse rate. While we found several similarities between the groups regarding mean age, disability severity, and degree of brain atrophy at diagnosis, we also describe a few divergences. Interestingly, we found that patients who were evaluated by a neurologist at symptom onset had significantly decreased odds of greater disability [defined as Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) > 4.5] at last presentation compared to patients who were not evaluated by a neurologist (OR: 0.04, 95% CI: 0.16-0.9). We also found that active smokers had significantly increased odds of greater disability both at diagnosis and at last clinical encounter compared to nonsmokers (OR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.10-7.10, OR= 2.44, 95% CI: 1.35-6.12, p = 0.01, respectively). Additionally, we observed significant differences in treatment adherence between groups. Assessment of the degree of brain atrophy and progression over time, along with an enumeration of T1, T2, and gadolinium-enhancing brain lesions, did not reveal differences across groups.

Moderate endoplasmic reticulum stress activates a PERK and p38-dependent apoptosis.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has the ability to signal organelle dysfunction via a complex signaling network known as the unfolded protein response (UPR). In this work, hamster fibroblast cells exhibiting moderate levels of ER stress were compared to those exhibiting severe ER stress. Inhibition of N-linked glycosylation was accomplished via a temperature-sensitive mutation in the Dad1 subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex or by direct inhibition with tunicamycin (Tm). Temperature shift (TS) treatment generated weak activation of ER stress signaling when compared to doses of Tm that are typically used in ER stress studies (500-1000 nM). A dose-response analysis of key ER stress signaling mediators, inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) and protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), revealed 20-40 nM of Tm to generate activation intensity similar to TS treatment. In parental BHK21 cells, moderate (20-40 nM) and high doses (200-1000 nM) of Tm were compared to identify physiological and signaling-based differences in stress response. Inhibition of ER Ca2+ release via ITPR activity with 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) or Xestospongin C (XeC) was sufficient to protect against apoptosis induced by moderate but not higher doses of Tm. Analysis of kinase activation over a range of Tm exposures revealed the p38 stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) to display increasing activation with Tm dosage. Interestingly, Tm induced the extracellular regulated kinases (Erk1/2) only at moderate doses of Tm. Inhibition of ER transmembrane stress sensors (IRE1, PERK) or cytosolic signaling mediators (p38, Jnk1, Erk1/2) was used to evaluate pathways involved in apoptosis activation during ER stress. Inhibition of either PERK or p38 was sufficient to reduce cell death and apoptosis induced by moderate, but not high, doses of Tm. During ER stress, cells exhibited a rapid decline in anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 and survivin proteins. Inhibition of PERK was sufficient to block this affect. This work reveals moderate doses of ER stress to generate patterns of stress signaling that are distinct from higher doses and that apoptosis activation at moderate levels of stress are dependent upon PERK and p38 signaling. Studies exploring ER stress signaling should recognize that this signaling acts as a rheostat rather than a simple switch, behaving distinctively in a dose-dependent manner.