Immunization against poly-N-acetylglucosamine reduces neutrophil activation and GVHD while sparing microbial diversity.

Microbial invasion into the intestinal mucosa after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) triggers neutrophil activation and requires antibiotic interventions to prevent sepsis. However, antibiotics lead to a loss of microbiota diversity, which is connected to a higher incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). Antimicrobial therapies that eliminate invading bacteria and reduce neutrophil-mediated damage without reducing the diversity of the microbiota are therefore highly desirable. A potential solution would be the use of antimicrobial antibodies that target invading pathogens, ultimately leading to their elimination by innate immune cells. In a mouse model of aGVHD, we investigated the potency of active and passive immunization against the conserved microbial surface polysaccharide poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) that is expressed on numerous pathogens. Treatment with monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies to PNAG (anti-PNAG) or vaccination against PNAG reduced aGVHD-related mortality. Anti-PNAG treatment did not change the intestinal microbial diversity as determined by 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing. Anti-PNAG treatment reduced myeloperoxidase activation and proliferation of neutrophil granulocytes (neutrophils) in the ileum of mice developing GVHD. In vitro, anti-PNAG treatment showed high antimicrobial activity. The functional role of neutrophils was confirmed by using neutrophil-deficient LysMcreMcl1fl/fl mice that had no survival advantage under anti-PNAG treatment. In summary, the control of invading bacteria by anti-PNAG treatment could be a novel approach to reduce the uncontrolled neutrophil activation that promotes early GVHD and opens a new avenue to interfere with aGVHD without affecting commensal intestinal microbial diversity.

Exopolysaccharide-Repressing Small Molecules with Antibiofilm and Antivirulence Activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Biofilm formation is a universal virulence strategy in which bacteria grow in dense microbial communities enmeshed within a polymeric extracellular matrix that protects them from antibiotic exposure and the immune system. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an archetypal biofilm-forming organism that utilizes a biofilm growth strategy to cause chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The extracellular matrix of P. aeruginosa biofilms is comprised mainly of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and DNA. Both mucoid and nonmucoid isolates of P. aeruginosa produce the Pel and Psl EPS, each of which have important roles in antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and immune evasion. Given the central importance of the EPS for biofilms, they are attractive targets for novel anti-infective compounds. In this study, we used a high-throughput gene expression screen to identify compounds that repress expression of the pel genes. The pel repressors demonstrated antibiofilm activity against microplate and flow chamber biofilms formed by wild-type and hyperbiofilm-forming strains. To determine the potential role of EPS in virulence, pel/psl mutants were shown to have reduced virulence in feeding behavior and slow killing virulence assays in Caenorhabditis elegans The antibiofilm molecules also reduced P. aeruginosa PAO1 virulence in the nematode slow killing model. Importantly, the combination of antibiotics and antibiofilm compounds increased killing of P. aeruginosa biofilms. These small molecules represent a novel anti-infective strategy for the possible treatment of chronic P. aeruginosa infections.

Ambroxol inhibits mucoid conversion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and contributes to the bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin against mucoid P. aeruginosa biofilms.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that can cause severe infections in immunocompromised individuals. Because it forms biofilms, which protect against host immune attack and increase resistance to conventional antibiotics, mucoid P. aeruginosa is nearly impossible to eradicate. Moreover, mucoid conversion of P. aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients leads to poor outcomes. This conversion is mainly due to mucA gene mutation, which is thought to be induced by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and the reactive oxygen species they release. Ambroxol, a mucolytic agent with antioxidant characteristics, is used clinically, and this compound has recently been demonstrated to possess anti-biofilm properties. In this study, we found that ambroxol inhibits the H2 O2 -mediated conversion of P. aeruginosa from a non-mucoid to a mucoid phenotype, an effect that is due to its antioxidant property against H2 O2 . Furthermore, the bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin against mucoid P. aeruginosa biofilms was increased in vitro when used in combination with ambroxol.

Purification and Characterization of a Cysteine-Rich 14-kDa Antibacterial Peptide from the Granular Hemocytes of Mangrove Crab Episesarma tetragonum and Its Antibiofilm Activity.

Antimicrobial peptide (AMP) crustin is a type of immune molecule present in the immune system of crustaceans and response against microbial invasion. In the present study, we have identified and characterized the cationic, amphipathic structure consisting of AMP crustin from a mangrove crab Episesarma tetragonum using CM Sepharose-based cation exchange column chromatography. E. tetragonum crustin showed a single band of 14 kDa on SDS-PAGE and the homogeneity showed retention time of 8.4 min in RP-HPLC. Functional studies of E. tetragonum crustin exhibits the antibacterial activity (2-4 µg/ml) and biofilm inhibition (20 µg/ml) against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. Hydrophobicity and extrapolysaccharide production of Gram-positive bacteria were inhibited through the bactericidal inhibitory concentration. In situ visualization analysis of biofilm inhibition was observed through light and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Surface morphology and the bacterial biofilm inhibition were viewed by scanning electron and atomic force microscopy. This study emphasizes the potential activity of E. tetragonum crustin, an interesting candidate for the development of novel broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent against bacterial pathogens. Graphical Abstract Antimicrobial peptide synthesis and host-pathogen interaction lead to production of immune molecules directed to destruction of pathogens.

Relationship between fluoride concentration and activity against virulence factors and viability of a cariogenic biofilm: in vitro study.

Despite widespread use of various concentrations of fluoride for the prevention of dental caries, the relationship between fluoride concentration and activity against cariogenic biofilms has not been much studied. Herein we investigated the relationship between fluoride concentration and activity against virulence factors and viability of Streptococcus mutans biofilms. S. mutans biofilms were formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite discs. The 70-hour-old biofilms were exposed to 0, 1, 3, 10, 30, 100, 300, 1,000 or 2,000 ppm F(-). The changes of virulence factors and viability of the biofilms were analyzed using biochemical methods and laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy. At 1-2,000 ppm F(-), the activity of fluoride against acid production, acid tolerance, and extracellular polysaccharide formation of S. mutans biofilms accurately followed a sigmoidal pattern of concentration dependence (R(2) = 0.94-0.99), with EC50 values ranging from 3.07 to 24.7 ppm F(-). Generally, the activity of fluoride against the virulence factors was concentration-dependently augmented in 10-100 ppm F(-) and did not increase further at concentrations higher than 100 ppm F(-). However, fluoride did not alter glucosyltransferase activity and viability of S. mutans biofilm cells in all concentrations tested. These results can provide a basis for the selection of appropriate fluoride concentrations that reduce the physiological ability of cariogenic biofilms.

Pasteurella haemolytica A1 purified capsular polysaccharide does not stimulate interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor release by bovine monocytes and alveolar macrophages.

Purified capsular polysaccharide (CPS) stimulated significant release of interleukin-1 (IL-1) activity from bovine blood monocytes but not alveolar macrophages in vitro. The ability of CPS to induce IL-1 release was resistant to boiling and inhibited by the addition of polymyxin beta. Thus, it is likely that the IL-1 release stimulated by CPS resulted from the small amount of contaminating lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that was present (an estimated 5 pg LPS per microgram CPS) rather than to a direct effect of CPS. Tumor necrosis factor activity was not detected in the culture supernatants of bovine monocytes incubated with purified CPS for 1-18 h in vitro.

Inhibition of interleukin 1 (IL-1)-elicited leukocytosis and LPS-induced fever by soluble immune response suppressor (SIRS).

IL-1-induced leukocytosis was inhibited or blocked in a dose-dependent manner by SIRS, an antigen-nonspecific suppressive lymphokine, when administered intravenously or per os to CBA mice. Timing experiments showed that SIRS effectively inhibited the leukocytosis when administered within 30 minutes of the IL-1. An antipyrogenic activity of SIRS was observed in rabbits injected intravenously with LPS. SIRS, given intravenously in one or two doses, markedly reduced LPS-induced fever. SIRS (2000 units) was a more effective antipyretic agent than aspirin (3 mg/kg body weight, intramuscularly). The results suggest that SIRS may be a potential drug for use in IL-1-mediated disorders.

Isolation from human serum of an inactivator of bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

By a series of chromatographic procedures involving precipitation by salt, gel filtration, anionic exchange, and hydroxyapatite elution, a protein--termed the lipopolysaccharide inactivator (LPS-I)--has been isolated from normal human serum. As a result of treatment of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by LPS-I, the treated LPS loses its toxicity for mice and reactivity in the Limulus assay and appears to be irreversibly disaggregated. The inactivation of the LPS by the purified LPS-I is temperature and time dependent and is not blocked by the addition of irreversible inhibitors of serine esterases. The LPS inactivator migrates as an alpha-globulin in whole serum and has a sedimentation velocity of approximately 4.5S. Characteristics of the inactivated LPS are briefly described using internally labeled LPS.

Inhibition of the mitogenicity of the carrier molecule results in loss of immunogenicity of a hapten-LPS conjugate.

Colistin methanesulfonate, a basic polypeptide similar to polymyxin E, has been shown to suppress the mitogenicity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E. coli. It also inhibits the immunogenicity of a hapten-LPS conjugate. The inhibition was neither due to interference with the expression of hapten determinants, nor was it due to crossreactivity between the hapten and colistin methanesulfonate. As mitogenicity and immunogenicity was similarly affected, we conclude that activation of bursa-derived lymphocytes, in specific thymus-independent immune responses, does not take place in the absence of a mitogenic (non-Ig mediated) signal, thus supporting the hypothesis of the "one nonspecific signal" for B cell triggering.