Helicobacter pylori Depletes Cholesterol in Gastric Glands to Prevent Interferon Gamma Signaling and Escape the Inflammatory Response.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Despite inducing an inflammatory response, Helicobacter pylori can persist in the gastric mucosa for decades. H pylori expression of cholesterol-α-glucosyltransferase (encoded by cgt) is required for gastric colonization and T-cell activation. We investigated how cgt affects gastric epithelial cells and the host immune response. METHODS: MKN45 gastric epithelial cells, AGS cells, and human primary gastric epithelial cells (obtained from patients undergoing gastrectomy or sleeve resection or gastric antral organoids) were incubated with interferon gamma (IFNG) or interferon beta (IFNB) and exposed to H pylori, including cagPAI and cgt mutant strains. Some cells were incubated with methyl-ß-cyclodextrin (to deplete cholesterol from membranes) or myriocin and zaragozic acid to prevent biosynthesis of sphingolipids and cholesterol and analyzed by immunoblot, immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses. We compared gene expression patterns among primary human gastric cells, uninfected or infected with H pylori P12 wt or P12Δcgt, using microarray analysis. Mice with disruption of the IFNG receptor 1 (Ifngr1-/- mice) and C57BL6 (control) mice were infected with PMSS1 (wild-type) or PMSS1Δcgt H pylori; gastric tissues were collected and analyzed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction or confocal microscopy. RESULTS: In primary gastric cells and cell lines, infection with H pylori, but not cgt mutants, blocked IFNG-induced signaling via JAK and STAT. Cells infected with H pylori were depleted of cholesterol, which reduced IFNG signaling by disrupting lipid rafts, leading to reduced phosphorylation (activation) of JAK and STAT1. H pylori infection of cells also blocked signaling by IFNB, interleukin 6 (IL6), and IL22 and reduced activation of genes regulated by these signaling pathways, including cytokines that regulate T-cell function (MIG and IP10) and anti-microbial peptides such as human ß-defensin 3 (hBD3). We found that this mechanism allows H pylori to persist in proximity to infected cells while inducing inflammation only in the neighboring, non-infected epithelium. Stomach tissues from mice infected with PMSS1 had increased levels of IFNG, but did not express higher levels of interferon-response genes. Expression of the IFNG-response gene IRF1 was substantially higher in PMSS1Δcgt-infected mice than PMSS1-infected mice. Ifngr1-/- mice were colonized by PMSS1 to a greater extent than control mice. CONCLUSIONS: H pylori expression of cgt reduces cholesterol levels in infected gastric epithelial cells and thereby blocks IFNG signaling, allowing the bacteria to escape the host inflammatory response. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms by which H pylori might promote gastric carcinogenesis (persisting despite constant inflammation) and ineffectiveness of T-cell-based vaccines against H pylori.

The Helicobacter pylori virulence effector CagA abrogates human ß-defensin 3 expression via inactivation of EGFR signaling.

Antimicrobial peptides are constituents of the first-line innate mucosal defense system that acts as a barrier to establishment of infection. The highly successful human gastric pathogen, Helicobacter pylori, is able to persistently colonize its host despite inducing expression of several antimicrobial peptides, including human ß-defensin 3 (hBD3). We find that hBD3 is highly active against H. pylori in vitro and is rapidly induced during early infection via EGFR-dependent activation of MAP kinase and JAK/STAT signaling. However, during prolonged infection, hBD3 was subsequently downregulated by the H. pylori virulence determinant CagA. Upon translocation into host cells, CagA activated the cellular tyrosine phosphatase, SHP-2, terminating EGFR activation and downstream signaling and increasing bacterial viability. Chemical inhibition and knockdown of SHP-2 expression rescued hBD3 synthesis and bactericidal activity. Thus, we reveal how cagPAI-positive H. pylori strains use CagA to evade a key innate mucosal defense pathway to support the establishment of persistent infection.

Comparative analysis of the interaction of Helicobacter pylori with human dendritic cells, macrophages, and monocytes.

Helicobacter pylori may cause chronic gastritis, gastric cancer, or lymphoma. Myeloid antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are most likely involved in the induction and expression of the underlying inflammatory responses. To study the interaction of human APC subsets with H. pylori, we infected monocytes, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs), and monocyte-derived (classically activated; M1) macrophages with H. pylori and analyzed phenotypic alterations, cytokine secretion, phagocytosis, and immunostimulation. Since we detected CD163(+) (alternatively activated; M2) macrophages in gastric biopsy specimens from H. pylori-positive patients, we also included monocyte-derived M2 macrophages in the study. Upon H. pylori infection, monocytes secreted interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, IL-10, and IL-12p40 (partially secreted as IL-23) but not IL-12p70. Infected DCs became activated, as shown by the enhanced expression of CD25, CD80, CD83, PDL-1, and CCR7, and secreted IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, and IL-23. However, infection led to significantly downregulated CD209 and suppressed the constitutive secretion of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). H. pylori-infected M1 macrophages upregulated CD14 and CD32, downregulated CD11b and HLA-DR, and secreted mainly IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, and IL-23. Activation of DCs and M1 macrophages correlated with increased capacity to induce T-cell proliferation and decreased phagocytosis of dextran. M2 macrophages upregulated CD14 and CD206 and secreted IL-10 but produced less of the proinflammatory cytokines than M1 macrophages. Thus, H. pylori affects the functions of human APC subsets differently, which may influence the course and the outcome of H. pylori infection. The suppression of MIF in DCs constitutes a novel immune evasion mechanism exploited by H. pylori.

Deletion of the aceE gene (encoding a component of pyruvate dehydrogenase) attenuates Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis.

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) is a major food-borne pathogen. From a transposon insertion mutant library created previously using S. Enteritidis 10/02, one of the mutants was identified to have a 50% lethal dose (LD(50) ) at least 100 times that of the parental strain in young chicks, with an attenuation in a poorly studied gene encoding a component of pyruvate dehydrogenase, namely the aceE gene. Evaluation of the in vitro virulence characteristics of the ΔaceE∷kan mutant revealed that it was less able to invade epithelial cells, less resistant to reactive oxygen intermediate, less able to survive within a chicken macrophage cell line and had a retarded growth rate compared with the parental strain. Young chicks vaccinated with 2 × 10(9) CFU of the ΔaceE∷kan mutant were protected from the subsequent challenge of the parental strain, with the mutant colonized in the liver and spleen in a shorter time than the group infected with the parental strain. In addition, compared with the parental strain, the ΔaceE∷kan mutant did not cause persistent eggshell contamination of vaccinated hens.

Radiosensitization of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma cells by human papillomavirus 16 oncoprotein E6∗I.

PURPOSE: Patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) whose disease is associated with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection have a significantly better outcome than those with HPV-negative disease, but the reasons for the better outcome are not known. We postulated that they might relate to an ability of HPV proteins to confer a better response to radiotherapy, a commonly used treatment for OSCC. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We stably expressed the specific splicing-derived isoforms, E6∗I and E6∗II, or the entire E6 open reading frame (E6total), which gives rise to both full length and E6∗I isoforms, in OSCC cell lines. Radiation resistance was measured in clonogenicity assays, p53 activity was measured using transfected reporter genes, and flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle and apoptosis. RESULTS: E6∗I and E6total sensitized the OSCC cells to irradiation, E6∗I giving the greatest degree of radiosensitization (approximately eightfold lower surviving cell fraction at 10 Gy), whereas E6∗II had no effect. In contrast to radiosensitivity, E6∗I was a weaker inhibitor than E6total of tumor suppressor p53 transactivator activity in the same cells. Flow cytometric analyses showed that irradiated E6∗I expressing cells had a much higher G2M:G1 ratio than control cells, indicating that, after G2, cells were diverted from the cell cycle to programmed cell death. CONCLUSION: This study supports a role for E6∗I in the enhanced responsiveness of HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinomas to p53-independent radiation-induced death.

Monoclonal antibody binding to the major outer membrane protein of Campylobacter coli.

Campylobacter species are major enteric pathogens causing diarrhea illness in humans and animals. Immunological tests are needed for accurate and rapid identification of C. coli, in conjunction with the use of standard biochemical tests. We initiated the creation of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) using whole C. coli cells as antigen. Four positive clones were identified, namely MAb2G6, MAb3B9, MAb4A10 and MAb5B9. Dot-blot assay and ELISA revealed that only MAb2G6 did not cross react with C. jejuni and other Campylobacter isolates. As demonstrated by dot-blot assay, MAb2G6 reacted with all 23 C. coli isolates tested but did not react with 29 isolates of C. jejuni, 3 other Campylobacter spp. isolates and 19 non-Campylobacter isolates, with the lowest detection limit was in the range of 10(3) to 10(4) bacteria. Western blots and dot blots showed that the antigen of MAb2G6 was a native protein, with immunoprecipitation assay showed that MAb2G6 bound to a protein band of approximately 43 kDa in size, corresponding to major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of C. coli revealed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Immunofluorescence assay (IFA) showed that MOMP of C. coli was indeed the antigen of MAb2G6, with immunogold-electron microscopy demonstrated that MAb2G6 conjugated with immunogold particles bound to all over the surface of C. coli cells. MAb2G6 also showed potential usage in direct detection of C. coli in faecal samples.

Identification of novel attenuated Salmonella Enteritidis mutants.

Salmonella Enteritidis is a major food-borne pathogen that causes nontyphoidal diarrhoea in humans. Infection of adult egg-laying hens usually results in symptomless carriage but in young chicks it may cause paratyphoid disease. It is not known whether S. Enteritidis requires genes additional to known virulence genes for systemic infection of young chickens. A transposon insertion library was created using S. Enteritidis 10/02, which yielded 1246 mutants. Of 384 mutants screened in chickens for attenuation (30.8% of insertion library), 12 (3.1%) had a 50% lethal dose at least 100 times that of the parental strain. Sequencing revealed insertions in genes involved in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide, cell membrane, ATP biosynthesis, transcriptional regulation of virulence and the yhbC gene, which has an unknown function. Evaluation of in vitro virulence characteristics of a Delta yhbC mutant revealed that its ability to invade HeLa cells and survive within a chicken macrophage cell line (HD11) was significantly reduced. It was also less resistant to reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates and had a retarded growth rate. Chickens challenged with the Delta yhbC mutant cleared the organism from the liver and spleen 1 week faster than the parental strain and were able to develop specific serum IgG antibodies against the Delta yhbC mutant.

Production of a monoclonal antibody specific for the major outer membrane protein of Campylobacter jejuni and characterization of the epitope.

Campylobacter species are important enteric pathogens causing disease in humans and animals. There is a lack of a good immunological test that can be used routinely to separate Campylobacter jejuni from other Campylobacter species. We produced monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of C. jejuni using recombinant MOMP as the antigen. One MAb, designated MAb5C4 and of the immunoglobulin G1 isotype, was found to be potentially specific for C. jejuni. Dot blots demonstrated that MAb5C4 reacted with all 29 isolates of C. jejuni tested but did not react with 2 C. jejuni isolates, 26 other Campylobacter spp. isolates, and 19 non-Campylobacter isolates. Western blotting showed that MAb5C4 bound to a single protein band approximately 43 kDa in size, corresponding to the expected size of C. jejuni MOMP. The detection limit of MAb5C4 in a dot blot assay was determined to be about 5 x 10(3) bacteria. The epitope on the MOMP was mapped to a region six amino acids in length with the sequence 216GGQFNP221, which is 97% conserved among C. jejuni strains but divergent in other Campylobacter spp.; a GenBank search indicated that 95% of C. jejuni isolates will be able to be detected from non-Campylobacter spp. based on the highly specific and conserved region of the GGQFNP polypeptide. The epitope is predicted to be located in a region that is exposed to the periplasm. MAb5C4 is a potentially specific and sensitive MAb that can be used for the specific detection and identification of C. jejuni.