Rho GTPase activity modulates Pseudomonas aeruginosa internalization by epithelial cells

Intracellular Pseudomonas aeruginosa within the Airway Epithelium of Cystic Fibrosis Lung Tissues

Rationale: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the major bacterial pathogen colonizing the airways of adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and causes chronic infections that persist despite antibiotic therapy. Intracellular bacteria may represent an unrecognized reservoir of bacteria that evade the immune system and antibiotic therapy. Although the ability of P. aeruginosa to invade and survive within epithelial cells has been described in vitro in different epithelial cell models, evidence of this intracellular lifestyle in human lung tissues is currently lacking. Objectives: To detect and characterize intracellular P. aeruginosa in CF airway epithelium from human lung explant tissues. Methods: We sampled lung explant tissues from patients with CF undergoing lung transplantation and non-CF lung donor control tissue. We analyzed lung tissue sections for the presence of intracellular P. aeruginosa using quantitative culture and microscopy, in parallel to histopathology and airway morphometry. Measurements and Main Results: P. aeruginosa was isolated from the lungs of seven patients with CF undergoing lung transplantation. Microscopic assessment revealed the presence of intracellular P. aeruginosa within airway epithelial cells in three of the seven patients analyzed at a varying but low frequency. We observed those events occurring in lung regions with high bacterial burden. Conclusions: This is the first study describing the presence of intracellular P. aeruginosa in CF lung tissues. Although intracellular P. aeruginosa in airway epithelial cells is likely relatively rare, our findings highlight the plausible occurrence of this intracellular bacterial reservoir in chronic CF infections.

ATG9B regulates bacterial internalization via actin rearrangement

Invasive bacterial pathogens are internalized by host cells through endocytosis, which is regulated by a cascade of actin rearrangement signals triggered by host cell receptors or bacterial proteins delivered into host cells. However, the molecular mechanisms that mediate actin rearrangement to promote bacterial invasion are not fully understood. Here, we show that the autophagy-related (ATG) protein ATG9B regulates the internalization of various bacteria by controlling actin rearrangement. ATG knockout screening and knockdown experiments in HeLa cells identified ATG9B as a critical factor for bacterial internalization. In particular, cells with ATG9B knockdown exhibited an accumulation of actin filaments and phosphorylated LIM kinase and cofilin, suggesting that ATG9B is involved in actin depolymerization. Furthermore, the kinase activity of Unc-51-like autophagy-activating kinase 1 was found to regulate ATG9B localization and actin remodeling. These findings revealed a newly discovered function of ATG proteins in bacterial infection rather than autophagy-mediated immunity.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Induces Interferon-β Production to Promote Intracellular Survival

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is known as one kind of extracellular pathogens. However, more evidence showed that PA encounters the intracellular environment in different mammalian cell types. Little is known of innate immune factors modulating intracellular PA survival. In the present study, we proposed that interferon-β (IFN-β) is beneficial to the survival of PA in the cytoplasm of macrophages. Furthermore, we found that interleukin-1β (IL-1β) induced by PA suppresses IFN-β response driven by the cGAS-STING-TBK1 pathway. Mechanistically, IL-1β decreased the production of cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) by activating AKT kinase. cGAMP is necessarily sufficient to stimulate the transcription of IFN-β via the STING adaptor-TBK1 kinase-IRF3 transcription factor axis. Thus, our findings uncovered a novel module for PA intracellular survival involving IFN-β production restricted by IL-1β and provided a strong rationale for a potential clinical strategy against pulmonary PA infection patients. IMPORTANCE The link between innate immunity and intracellular Pseudomonas aeruginosa is unclear. Our studies illuminated the role of interferon-β (IFN-β) in remote intracellular PA infection. Furthermore, our experimental evidence also indicated that IL-1β is a negative regulator of IFN-β production and, in particular, P. aeruginosa infection. The inhibition of IFN-β may be used as a potential therapeutic method against pulmonary PA infection.

A Model of Intracellular Persistence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Airway Epithelial Cells

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a.) is a major human pathogen capable of causing chronic infections in hosts with weakened barrier functions and host defenses, most notably airway infections commonly observed in individuals with the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis (CF). While mainly described as an extracellular pathogen, previous in vitro studies have described the molecular events leading to P.a. internalization in diverse epithelial cell types. However, the long-term fate of intracellular P.a. remains largely unknown. Here, we developed a model allowing for a better understanding of long-term (up to 120 h) intracellular bacterial survival in the airway epithelial cell line BEAS-2B. Using a tobramycin protection assay, we characterized the internalization, long-term intracellular survival, and cytotoxicity of the lab strain PAO1, as well as clinical CF isolates, and conducted analyses at the single-cell level using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry techniques. We observed that infection at low multiplicity of infection allows for intracellular survival up to 120 h post-infection without causing significant host cytotoxicity. Finally, infection with clinical isolates revealed significant strain-to-strain heterogeneity in intracellular survival, including a high persistence phenotype associated with bacterial replication within host cells. Future studies using this model will further elucidate the host and bacterial mechanisms that promote P. aeruginosa intracellular persistence in airway epithelial cells, a potentially unrecognized bacterial reservoir during chronic infections.

Effects of the Escherichia coli Bacterial Toxin Cytotoxic Necrotizing Factor 1 on Different Human and Animal Cells: A Systematic Review

Cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1) is a bacterial virulence factor, the target of which is represented by Rho GTPases, small proteins involved in a huge number of crucial cellular processes. CNF1, due to its ability to modulate the activity of Rho GTPases, represents a widely used tool to unravel the role played by these regulatory proteins in different biological processes. In this review, we summarized the data available in the scientific literature concerning the observed in vitro effects induced by CNF1. An article search was performed on electronic bibliographic resources. Screenings were performed of titles, abstracts, and full-texts according to PRISMA guidelines, whereas eligibility criteria were defined for in vitro studies. We identified a total of 299 records by electronic article search and included 76 original peer-reviewed scientific articles reporting morphological or biochemical modifications induced in vitro by soluble CNF1, either recombinant or from pathogenic Escherichia coli extracts highly purified with chromatographic methods. Most of the described CNF1-induced effects on cultured cells are ascribable to the modulating activity of the toxin on Rho GTPases and the consequent effects on actin cytoskeleton organization. All in all, the present review could be a prospectus about the CNF1-induced effects on cultured cells reported so far.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa OprF plays a role in resistance to macrophage clearance during acute infection

While considered an extracellular pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been reported to be engulfed by macrophages in cellular and animal models. However, the role of macrophages in P. aeruginosa clearance in vivo remains poorly studied. The major outer membrane porin OprF has been recently shown to be involved in P. aeruginosa fate within cultured macrophages and analysis of an oprF mutant may thus provide insights to better understand the relevance of this intramacrophage stage during infection. In the present study, we investigated for the first time the virulence of a P. aeruginosa oprF mutant in a vertebrate model that harbors functional macrophages, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo, which offers powerful tools to address macrophage–pathogen interactions. We established that P. aeruginosa oprF mutant is attenuated in zebrafish embryos in a macrophage-dependent manner. Visualization and quantification of P. aeruginosa bacteria phagocytosed by macrophages after injection into closed cavities suggested that the attenuated phenotype of oprF mutant is not linked to higher macrophage recruitment nor better phagocytosis than wild-type strain. Using cultured macrophages, we showed an intramacrophage survival defect of P. aeruginosa oprF mutant, which is correlated with elevated association of bacteria with acidic compartments. Notably, treatment of embryos with bafilomycin, an inhibitor of acidification, increased the sensibility of embryos towards both wild-type and oprF mutant, and partially suppressed the attenuation of oprF mutant. Taken together, this work supports zebrafish embryo as state-of-the-art model to address in vivo the relevance of P. aeruginosa intramacrophage stage. Our results highlight the contribution of macrophages in the clearance of P. aeruginosa during acute infection and suggest that OprF protects P. aeruginosa against macrophage clearance by avoiding bacterial elimination in acidified phagosomes.

The importance of intracellular bacterial biofilm in infectious diseases

Various bacterial species, previously known as extracellular pathogens, can reside inside different host cells by adapting to intracellular modes by forming microbial aggregates with similar characteristics to bacterial biofilms. Additionally, bacterial invasion of human cells leads to failure in antibiotic therapy, as most conventional anti-bacterial agents cannot reach intracellular biofilm in normal concentrations. Various studies have shown that bacteria such as uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Borrelia burgdorferi,Moraxella catarrhalis, non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumonia, and group A Streptococci produce biofilm-like structures within the host cells. For the first time in this review, we will describe and discuss the new information about intracellular bacterial biofilm formation and its importance in bacterial infectious diseases.

Killing from the inside: Intracellular role of T3SS in the fate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa within macrophages revealed by mgtC and oprF mutants

While considered solely an extracellular pathogen, increasing evidence indicates that Pseudomonas aeruginosa encounters intracellular environment in diverse mammalian cell types, including macrophages. In the present study, we have deciphered the intramacrophage fate of wild-type P. aeruginosa PAO1 strain by live and electron microscopy. P. aeruginosa first resided in phagosomal vacuoles and subsequently could be detected in the cytoplasm, indicating phagosomal escape of the pathogen, a finding also supported by vacuolar rupture assay. The intracellular bacteria could eventually induce cell lysis, both in a macrophage cell line and primary human macrophages. Two bacterial factors, MgtC and OprF, recently identified to be important for survival of P. aeruginosa in macrophages, were found to be involved in bacterial escape from the phagosome as well as in cell lysis caused by intracellular bacteria. Strikingly, type III secretion system (T3SS) genes of P. aeruginosa were down-regulated within macrophages in both mgtC and oprF mutants. Concordantly, cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) level was increased in both mutants, providing a clue for negative regulation of T3SS inside macrophages. Consistent with the phenotypes and gene expression pattern of mgtC and oprF mutants, a T3SS mutant (ΔpscN) exhibited defect in phagosomal escape and macrophage lysis driven by internalized bacteria. Importantly, these effects appeared to be largely dependent on the ExoS effector, in contrast with the known T3SS-dependent, but ExoS independent, cytotoxicity caused by extracellular P. aeruginosa towards macrophages. Moreover, this macrophage damage caused by intracellular P. aeruginosa was found to be dependent on GTPase Activating Protein (GAP) domain of ExoS. Hence, our work highlights T3SS and ExoS, whose expression is modulated by MgtC and OprF, as key players in the intramacrophage life of P. aeruginosa which allow internalized bacteria to lyse macrophages.

The ability of professional phagocytes to ingest and kill microorganisms is central to host defense and Pseudomonas aeruginosa has developed mechanisms to avoid being killed by phagocytes. While considered an extracellular pathogen, P. aeruginosa has been reported to be engulfed by macrophages in animal models. Here, we visualized the fate of P. aeruginosa within cultured macrophages, revealing macrophage lysis driven by intracellular P. aeruginosa. Two bacterial factors, MgtC and OprF, recently discovered to be involved in the intramacrophage survival of P. aeruginosa, appeared to play a role in this cytotoxicity caused by intracellular bacteria. We provided evidence that type III secretion system (T3SS) gene expression is lowered intracellularly in mgtC and oprF mutants. We further showed that intramacrophage P. aeruginosa uses its T3SS, specifically the ExoS effector, to promote phagosomal escape and cell lysis. We thus describe a transient intramacrophage stage of P. aeruginosa that could contribute to bacterial dissemination.

The basolateral vesicle sorting machinery and basolateral proteins are recruited to the site of enteropathogenic E. coli microcolony growth at the apical membrane

Foodborne Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) infections of the small intestine cause diarrhea especially in children and are a major cause of childhood death in developing countries. EPEC infects the apical membrane of the epithelium of the small intestine by attaching, effacing the microvilli under the bacteria and then forming microcolonies on the cell surface. We first asked the question where on epithelial cells EPEC attaches and grows. Using models of polarized epithelial monolayers, we evaluated the sites of initial EPEC attachment to the apical membrane and found that EPEC preferentially attached over the cell-cell junctions and formed microcolonies preferentially where three cells come together at tricellular tight junctions. The ability of EPEC to adhere increased when host cell polarity was compromised yielding EPEC access to basolateral proteins. EPEC pedestals contain basolateral cytoskeletal proteins. Thus, we asked if attached EPEC causes reorganization the protein composition of the host cell plasma membrane at sites of microcolony formation. We found that EPEC microcolony growth at the apical membrane resulted in a local accumulation of basolateral plasma membrane proteins surrounding the microcolony. Basolateral marker protein aquaporin-3 localized to forming EPEC microcolonies. Components of the basolateral vesicle targeting machinery were re-routed. The Exocyst (Exo70) was recruited to individual EPEC as was the basolateral vesicle SNARE VAMP-3. Moreover, several Rab variants were also recruited to the infection site, and their dominant-negative equivalents were not. To quantitatively study the recruitment of basolateral proteins, we created a pulse of the temperature sensitive basolateral VSVG, VSVG3-SP-GFP, from the trans-Golgi Network. We found that after release from the TGN, significantly more VSVG3-SP-GFP accumulated at the site of microcolony growth than on equivalent membrane regions of uninfected cells. This suggests that trafficking of vesicles destined for the basolateral membrane are redirected to the apical site of microcolony growth. Thus, in addition to disrupting host cell fence function, local host cell plasma membrane protein composition is changed by altered protein trafficking and recruitment of basolateral proteins to the apical microcolony. This may aid EPEC attachment and subsequent microcolony growth.

Elimination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa through Efferocytosis upon Binding to Apoptotic Cells

For opportunistic pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the mucosal barrier represents a formidable challenge. Infections develop only in patients with altered epithelial barriers. Here, we showed that P. aeruginosa interacts with a polarized epithelium, adhering almost exclusively at sites of multi-cellular junctions. In these sites, numerous bacteria attach to an extruded apoptotic cell or apoptotic body. This dead cell tropism is independent of the type of cell death, as P. aeruginosa also binds to necrotic cells. We further showed that P. aeruginosa is internalized through efferocytosis, a process in which surrounding epithelial cells engulf and dispose of extruded apoptotic cells. Intracellularly, along with apoptotic cell debris, P. aeruginosa inhabits an efferocytic phagosome that acquires lysosomal features, and is finally killed. We propose that elimination of P. aeruginosa through efferocytosis is part of a host defense mechanism. Our findings could be relevant for the study of cystic fibrosis, which is characterized by an exacerbated number of apoptotic cells and ineffective efferocytosis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that infects vulnerable patients, such as those with cystic fibrosis or hospitalized in intensive care units. An advance towards understanding infections caused by P. aeruginosa would be to fully elucidate the mechanisms that operate in the bacteria-epithelial barrier interplay. Here, we showed that P. aeruginosa exhibits a remarkable tropism towards dead cells. As bacteria interact with a polarized epithelium, they attach and aggregate almost exclusively on apoptotic cells extruded from the epithelium, while the rest of the surface seems reluctant to bacterial adhesion. We further showed that P. aeruginosa is internalized by epithelial cells surrounding the infected apoptotic cell through efferocytosis, a process in which apoptotic cells are engulfed and disposed of by other cells. Bacteria are eliminated intracellularly. Our findings may help to understand why contexts such as cystic fibrosis, where apoptotic cells are unusually produced and efferocytosis fails, favor P. aeruginosa colonization.

Internalization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain PAO1 into Epithelial Cells Is Promoted by Interaction of a T6SS Effector with the Microtubule Network

Invasion of nonphagocytic cells through rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton is a common immune evasion mechanism used by most intracellular bacteria. However, some pathogens modulate host microtubules as well by a still poorly understood mechanism. In this study, we aim at deciphering the mechanisms by which the opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa invades nonphagocytic cells, although it is considered mainly an extracellular bacterium. Using confocal microscopy and immunofluorescence, we show that the evolved VgrG2b effector of P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 is delivered into epithelial cells by a type VI secretion system, called H2-T6SS, involving the VgrG2a component. An in vivo interactome of VgrG2b in host cells allows the identification of microtubule components, including the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC), a multiprotein complex catalyzing microtubule nucleation, as the major host target of VgrG2b. This interaction promotes a microtubule-dependent internalization of the bacterium since colchicine and nocodazole, two microtubule-destabilizing drugs, prevent VgrG2b-mediated P. aeruginosa entry even if the invasion still requires actin. We further validate our findings by demonstrating that the type VI injection step can be bypassed by ectopic production of VgrG2b inside target cells prior to infection. Moreover, such uncoupling between VgrG2b injection and bacterial internalization also reveals that they constitute two independent steps. With VgrG2b, we provide the first example of a bacterial protein interacting with the γTuRC. Our study offers key insight into the mechanism of self-promoting invasion of P. aeruginosa into human cells via a directed and specific effector-host protein interaction.

Innate immunity and specifically professional phagocytic cells are key determinants in the ability of the host to control P. aeruginosa infection. However, among various virulence strategies, including attack, this opportunistic bacterial pathogen is able to avoid host clearance by triggering its own internalization in nonphagocytic cells. We previously showed that a protein secretion/injection machinery, called the H2 type VI secretion system (H2-T6SS), promotes P. aeruginosa uptake by epithelial cells. Here we investigate which H2-T6SS effector enables P. aeruginosa to enter nonphagocytic cells. We show that VgrG2b is delivered by the H2-T6SS machinery into epithelial cells, where it interacts with microtubules and, more particularly, with the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) known as the microtubule-nucleating center. This interaction precedes a microtubule- and actin-dependent internalization of P. aeruginosa. We thus discovered an unprecedented target for a bacterial virulence factor since VgrG2b constitutes, to our knowledge, the first example of a bacterial protein interacting with the γTuRC.

IQGAP1 controls tight junction formation through differential regulation of claudin recruitment

IQGAP1 is a scaffolding protein previously implicated in adherens junction formation. However, its role in the establishment or maintenance of tight junctions (TJs) has not been explored. We hypothesized that IQGAP1 could regulate TJ formation by modulating the expression and/or localization of junctional proteins, and we systematically tested this hypothesis in the model Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line. We find that IQGAP1 silencing enhances a transient increase in transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) observed during the early stages of TJ formation (Cereijido et al., 1978). Quantitative microscopy and biochemical experiments suggest that this effect of IQGAP1 on TJ assembly is accounted for by reduced expression and TJ recruitment of claudin 2, and increased TJ recruitment of claudin 4. Furthermore, we show that IQGAP1 also regulates TJ formation through its interactor CDC42, because IQGAP1 knockdown increases the activity of the CDC42 effector JNK and dominant-negative CDC42 prevents the increase in TER caused by IQGAP1 silencing. Hence, we provide evidence that IQGAP1 modulates TJ formation by a twofold mechanism: (1) controlling the expression and recruitment of claudin 2 and recruitment of claudin 4 to the TJ, and (2) transient inhibition of the CDC42-JNK pathway.

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa type III translocon is required for biofilm formation at the epithelial barrier

Clinical infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a deadly Gram-negative, opportunistic pathogen of immunocompromised hosts, often involve the formation of antibiotic-resistant biofilms. Although biofilm formation has been extensively studied in vitro on glass or plastic surfaces, much less is known about biofilm formation at the epithelial barrier. We have previously shown that when added to the apical surface of polarized epithelial cells, P. aeruginosa rapidly forms cell-associated aggregates within 60 minutes of infection. By confocal microscopy we now show that cell-associated aggregates exhibit key characteristics of biofilms, including the presence of extracellular matrix and increased resistance to antibiotics compared to planktonic bacteria. Using isogenic mutants in the type III secretion system, we found that the translocon, but not the effectors themselves, were required for cell-associated aggregation on the surface of polarized epithelial cells and at early time points in a murine model of acute pneumonia. In contrast, the translocon was not required for aggregation on abiotic surfaces, suggesting a novel function for the type III secretion system during cell-associated aggregation. Supernatants from epithelial cells infected with wild-type bacteria or from cells treated with the pore-forming toxin streptolysin O could rescue aggregate formation in a type III secretion mutant, indicating that cell-associated aggregation requires one or more host cell factors. Our results suggest a previously unappreciated function for the type III translocon in the formation of P. aeruginosa biofilms at the epithelial barrier and demonstrate that biofilms may form at early time points of infection.

Clinical infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a deadly Gram-negative, opportunistic pathogen of immunocompromised patients, involve the formation of antibiotic-resistant biofilms. Although P. aeruginosa biofilm formation has been extensively studied on glass or plastic surfaces, less is known about biofilm formation at the epithelial barrier. This study shows that, on epithelial cells, P. aeruginosa forms aggregates that exhibit key characteristics of biofilms. Furthermore, we demonstrate that aggregation on epithelial cells and at early time points in mouse pneumonia requires pore formation mediated by the type III secretion system. Our results indicate that biofilm-like aggregation is induced by a host cell factor that is released after pore formation, suggesting an unexpected role for an acute virulence factor in biofilm formation.

The use of a three-dimensional cell culture model to investigate host-pathogen interactions of Francisella tularensis in human lung epithelial cells

Francisella tularensis inhalation results in bacterial interaction with numerous lung cell types, including those of the epithelium. This work investigates a three-dimensional cell-culture system to characterise the epithelial response to F. tularensis. Immortalised human pneumocytes (A549s) grown in rotating-wall vessel (RWV) bioreactors display an in vivo-like phenotype, which has been confirmed to be driven by specific transcriptional events (8454 genes, p ≤ 0.05). These data support the RWV model as a more in vivo-like culture system to investigate the lung epithelium, compared to monolayer counterparts. RWV-cultured A549s were infected with F. tularensis SchuS4 and LVS and intracellular replication mapped over 22 h compared to monolayer cells. The RWV-cultured A549s were more resistant to SchuS4 and LVS infection (p ≤ 0.05). Transcriptomics identified 2086 genes (p ≤ 0.05) as candidates for host-pathogen interactions which result in the observed increase in resistance of the RWV-cultured A549 cells. Gene and pathway analysis identified processes involved in MMP modulation, endocytosis, mucin production and the complement pathway amongst others. The role of these pathways during infection was further characterised using chemical inhibitors. This work has revealed several new hypotheses worthy of further testing in order to understand the epithelial host response to F. tularensis infection.

Mechanisms of phagocytosis and host clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen responsible for a high incidence of acute and chronic pulmonary infection. These infections are particularly prevalent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis: much of the morbidity and pathophysiology associated with these diseases is due to a hypersusceptibility to bacterial infection. Innate immunity, primarily through inflammatory cytokine production, cellular recruitment, and phagocytic clearance by neutrophils and macrophages, is the key to endogenous control of P. aeruginosa infection. In this review, we highlight recent advances toward understanding the innate immune response to P. aeruginosa, with a focus on the role of phagocytes in control of P. aeruginosa infection. Specifically, we summarize the cellular and molecular mechanisms of phagocytic recognition and uptake of P. aeruginosa, and how current animal models of P. aeruginosa infection reflect clinical observations in the context of phagocytic clearance of the bacteria. Several notable phenotypic changes to the bacteria are consistently observed during chronic pulmonary infections, including changes to mucoidy and flagellar motility, that likely enable or reflect their ability to persist. These traits are likewise examined in the context of how the bacteria avoid phagocytic clearance, inflammation, and sterilizing immunity.

Examining the role of actin-plasma membrane association in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and type III secretion translocation in migratory T24 epithelial cells

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa targets wounded epithelial barriers, but the cellular alteration that increases susceptibility to P. aeruginosa infection remains unclear. This study examined how cell migration contributes to the establishment of P. aeruginosa infections using (i) highly migratory T24 epithelial cells as a cell culture model, (ii) mutations in the type III secretion (T3S) effector ExoS to manipulate P. aeruginosa infection, and (iii) high-resolution immunofluorescent microscopy to monitor ExoS translocation. ExoS includes both GTPase-activating (GAP) and ADP-ribosyltransferase (ADPRT) activities, and P. aeruginosa cells expressing wild-type ExoS preferentially bound to the leading edge of T24 cells, where ExoS altered leading-edge architecture and actin anchoring in conjunction with interrupting T3S translocation. Inactivation of ExoS GAP activity allowed P. aeruginosa to be internalized and secrete ExoS within T24 cells, but as with wild-type ExoS, translocation was limited in association with disruption of actin anchoring. Inactivation of ExoS ADPRT activity resulted in significantly enhanced T3S translocation by P. aeruginosa cells that remained extracellular and in conjunction with maintenance of actin-plasma membrane association. Infection with P. aeruginosa expressing ExoS lacking both GAP and ADPRT activities resulted in the highest level of T3S translocation, and this occurred in conjunction with the entry and alignment of P. aeruginosa and ExoS along actin filaments. Collectively, in using ExoS mutants to modulate and visualize T3S translocation, we were able to (i) confirm effector secretion by internalized P. aeruginosa, (ii) differentiate the mechanisms underlying the effects of ExoS GAP and ADPRT activities on P. aeruginosa internalization and T3S translocation, (iii) confirm that ExoS ADPRT activity targeted a cellular substrate that interrupted T3S translocation, (iv) visualize the ability of P. aeruginosa and ExoS to align with actin filaments, and (v) demonstrate an association between actin anchoring at the leading edge of T24 cells and the establishment of P. aeruginosa infection. Our studies also highlight the contribution of ExoS to the opportunistic nature of P. aeruginosa infection through its ability to exert cytotoxic effects that interrupt T3S translocation and P. aeruginosa internalization, which in turn limit the P. aeruginosa infectious process.

Cellular cytoskeleton dynamics modulates non-viral gene delivery through RhoGTPases

Although it is well accepted that the constituents of the cellular microenvironment modulate a myriad of cellular processes, including cell morphology, cytoskeletal dynamics and uptake pathways, the underlying mechanism of how these pathways influence non-viral gene transfer have not been studied. Transgene expression is increased on fibronectin (Fn) coated surfaces as a consequence of increased proliferation, cell spreading and active engagement of clathrin endocytosis pathway. RhoGTPases mediate the crosstalk between the cell and Fn, and regulate cellular processes involving filamentous actin, in-response to cellular interaction with Fn. Here the role of RhoGTPases specifically Rho, Rac and Cdc42 in modulation of non-viral gene transfer in mouse mesenchymal stem (mMSCs) plated in a fibronectin microenvironment was studied. More than 90% decrease in transgene expression was observed after inactivation of RhoGTPases using difficile toxin B (TcdB) and C3 transferase. Expression of dominant negative RhoA (RhoAT19N), Rac1(Rac1T17N) and Cdc42 (Cdc42T17N) also significantly reduced polyplex uptake and transgene expression. Interactions of cells with Fn lead to activation of RhoGTPases. However, further activation of RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42 by expression of constitutively active genes (RhoAQ63L, Rac1Q61L and Cdc42Q61L) did not further enhance transgene expression in mMSCs, when plated on Fn. In contrast, activation of RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42 by expression of constitutively active genes for cells plated on collagen I, which by itself did not increase RhoGTPase activation, resulted in enhanced transgene expression. Our study shows that RhoGTPases regulate internalization and effective intracellular processing of polyplexes that results in efficient gene transfer.

Subversion of mucosal barrier polarity by pseudomonas aeruginosa

The lumenal surfaces of human body are lined by a monolayer of epithelia that together with mucus secreting cells and specialized immune cells form the mucosal barrier. This barrier is one of the most fundamental components of the innate immune system, protecting organisms from the vast environmental microbiota. The mucosal epithelium is comprised of polarized epithelial cells with distinct apical and basolateral surfaces that are defined by unique set of protein and lipid composition and are separated by tight junctions. The apical surface serves as a barrier to the outside world and is specialized for the exchange of materials with the lumen. The basolateral surface is adapted for interaction with other cells and for exchange with the bloodstream. A wide network of proteins and lipids regulates the formation and maintenance of the epithelium polarity. Many human pathogens have evolved virulence mechanisms that target this network and interfere with epithelial polarity to enhance binding to the apical surface, enter into cells, and/or cross the mucosal barrier. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of how Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an important opportunistic human pathogen that preferentially infects damaged epithelial tissues, exploits the epithelial cell polarization machinery to enhance infection.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa interacts with epithelial cells rapidly forming aggregates that are internalized by a Lyn-dependent mechanism

Growing evidence is pointing to the importance of multicellular bacterial structures in the interaction of pathogenic bacteria with their host. Transition from planktonic to host cell-associated multicellular structures is an essential infection step that has not been described for the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study we show that P. aeruginosa interacts with the surface of epithelial cells mainly forming aggregates. Dynamics of aggregate formation typically follow a sigmoidal curve. First, a single bacterium attaches at cell-cell junctions. This is followed by rapid recruitment of free-swimming bacteria and association of bacterial cells resulting in the formation of an aggregate on the order of minutes. Aggregates are associated with phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3)-enriched host cell membrane protrusions. We further show that aggregates can be rapidly internalized into epithelial cells. Lyn, a member of the Src family tyrosine kinases previously implicated in P. aeruginosa infection, mediates both PIP3-enriched protrusion formation and aggregate internalization. Our results establish the first framework of principles that define P. aeruginosa transition to multicellular structures during interaction with host cells.

Post-translational modification of the deubiquitinating enzyme otubain 1 modulates active RhoA levels and susceptibility to Yersinia invasion

Microbial pathogens exploit the ubiquitin system to facilitate infection and manipulate the immune responses of the host. In this study, susceptibility to Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis invasion was found to be increased upon overexpression of the deubiquitinating enzyme otubain 1 (OTUB1), a member of the ovarian tumour domain-containing protein family. Conversely, OTUB1 knockdown interfered with Yersinia invasion in HEK293T cells as well as in primary monocytes. This effect was attributed to a modulation of bacterial uptake. We demonstrate that the Yersinia-encoded virulence factor YpkA (YopO) kinase interacts with a post-translationally modified form of OTUB1 that contains multiple phosphorylation sites. OTUB1, YpkA and the small GTPase ras homologue gene family member A (RhoA) were found to be part of the same protein complex, suggesting that RhoA levels are modulated by OTUB1. Our results show that OTUB1 is able to stabilize active RhoA prior to invasion, which is concomitant with an increase in bacterial uptake. This effect is modulated by post-translational modifications of OTUB1, suggesting a new entry point for manipulating Yersinia interactions with the host.

Complement regulator Factor H mediates a two-step uptake of Streptococcus pneumoniae by human cells

Streptococcus pneumoniae, a human pathogen, recruits complement regulator factor H to its bacterial cell surface. The bacterial PspC protein binds Factor H via short consensus repeats (SCR) 8-11 and SCR19-20. In this study, we define how bacterially bound Factor H promotes pneumococcal adherence to and uptake by epithelial cells or human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) via a two-step process. First, pneumococcal adherence to epithelial cells was significantly reduced by heparin and dermatan sulfate. However, none of the glycosaminoglycans affected binding of Factor H to pneumococci. Adherence of pneumococci to human epithelial cells was inhibited by monoclonal antibodies recognizing SCR19-20 of Factor H suggesting that the C-terminal glycosaminoglycan-binding region of Factor H mediates the contact between pneumococci and human cells. Blocking of the integrin CR3 receptor, i.e. CD11b and CD18, of PMNs or CR3-expressing epithelial cells reduced significantly the interaction of pneumococci with both cell types. Similarly, an additional CR3 ligand, Pra1, derived from Candida albicans, blocked the interaction of pneumococci with PMNs. Strikingly, Pra1 inhibited also pneumococcal uptake by lung epithelial cells but not adherence. In addition, invasion of Factor H-coated pneumococci required the dynamics of host-cell actin microfilaments and was affected by inhibitors of protein-tyrosine kinases and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. In conclusion, pneumococcal entry into host cells via Factor H is based on a two-step mechanism. The first and initial contact of Factor H-coated pneumococci is mediated by glycosaminoglycans expressed on the surface of human cells, and the second step, pneumococcal uptake, is integrin-mediated and depends on host signaling molecules such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa-mediated damage requires distinct receptors at the apical and basolateral surfaces of the polarized epithelium

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an important opportunistic pathogen of humans, exploits epithelial damage to establish infection. We have rigorously explored the role of N-glycoproteins and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) in P. aeruginosa-mediated attachment and subsequent downstream events at the apical (AP) and basolateral (BL) surfaces of polarized epithelium. We demonstrate that the N-glycan chains at the AP surface are necessary and sufficient for binding, invasion, and cytotoxicity to kidney (MDCK) and airway (Calu-3) cells grown at various states of polarization on Transwell filters. Upregulation of N-glycosylation enhanced binding, whereas pharmacologic inhibition of N-glycosylation or infection of MDCK cells defective in N-glycosylation resulted in decreased binding. In contrast, at the BL surface, the HS moiety of HSPGs mediated P. aeruginosa binding, cytotoxicity, and invasion. In incompletely polarized epithelium, HSPG abundance was increased at the AP surface, explaining its increased susceptibility to P. aeruginosa colonization and damage. Using MDCK cells grown as three-dimensional cysts as a model for epithelial organs, we show that P. aeruginosa specifically colocalized with HS-rich areas at the BL membrane but with complex N-glycans at the AP surface. Finally, P. aeruginosa bound to HS chains and N-glycans coated on plastic surfaces, showing the highest binding affinity toward isolated HS chains. Together, these findings demonstrate that P. aeruginosa recognizes distinct receptors on the AP and BL surfaces of polarized epithelium. Changes in the composition of N-glycan chains and/or in the distribution of HSPGs may explain the enhanced susceptibility of damaged epithelium to P. aeruginosa.

Cdc42 and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt pathway are essential for PspC-mediated internalization of pneumococci by respiratory epithelial cells

The pneumococcal surface protein C (PspC) is a major adhesin of Streptococcus pneumoniae, the cause of lobar pneumonia and invasive diseases. PspC interacts in a human-specific manner with the ectodomain of the human polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) produced by respiratory epithelial cells. By adopting the retrograde machinery of human pIgR, this protein-protein interaction promotes colonization and transcytosis across the epithelial layer. Here, we explored the role of Rho family guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt) for ingestion of pneumococci via the human pIgR. Inhibition experiments suggested that the host-cell actin microfilaments and microtubules are essential for this pneumococcal uptake mechanism. By using specific GTPase-modifying toxins, inhibitors, and GTPase expression constructs we demonstrate that Cdc42, but not Rac1 and RhoA are involved in PspC-mediated invasion of pneumococci into host cells. Accordingly, Cdc42 is time-dependently activated during ingestion of pneumococci. In addition, PI3K and Akt are essential for ingestion of pneumococci by respiratory epithelial cells via the PspC-pIgR interaction. The subunit p85alpha of PI3K and Akt was activated during the infection process. Moreover, Akt activation upon pneumococcal invasion depends on PI3K. In conclusion, our results illustrate for the first time key signaling molecules of host cells that are required for PspC-pIgR-mediated invasion of pneumococci into epithelial cells. This unique and specific bacterial entry process is dependent on the cooperation and activation of Rho family GTPase Cdc42, PI3K, and Akt.

RNAi screen reveals an Abl kinase-dependent host cell pathway involved in Pseudomonas aeruginosa internalization

Internalization of the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa by non-phagocytic cells is promoted by rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton, but the host pathways usurped by this bacterium are not clearly understood. We used RNAi-mediated gene inactivation of ∼80 genes known to regulate the actin cytoskeleton in Drosophila S2 cells to identify host molecules essential for entry of P. aeruginosa. This work revealed Abl tyrosine kinase, the adaptor protein Crk, the small GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42, and p21-activated kinase as components of a host signaling pathway that leads to internalization of P. aeruginosa. Using a variety of complementary approaches, we validated the role of this pathway in mammalian cells. Remarkably, ExoS and ExoT, type III secreted toxins of P. aeruginosa, target this pathway by interfering with GTPase function and, in the case of ExoT, by abrogating P. aeruginosa–induced Abl-dependent Crk phosphorylation. Altogether, this work reveals that P. aeruginosa utilizes the Abl pathway for entering host cells and reveals unexpected complexity by which the P. aeruginosa type III secretion system modulates this internalization pathway. Our results furthermore demonstrate the applicability of using RNAi screens to identify host signaling cascades usurped by microbial pathogens that may be potential targets for novel therapies directed against treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections.

Mortality from Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, one of the leading causes of hospital acquired infections, approaches 40%, and multiple drug resistant infections are common and increasing. Internalization of P. aeruginosa by the host cell appears to play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of this opportunistic bacterium, but the host cell factors involved in this process are incompletely understood. We used a targeted RNAi screen in Drosophila S2 cells to identify a subset of regulators of the host actin cytoskeleton that contribute to bacterial entry and confirmed their involvement in infection of mammalian cells. We found that P. aeruginosa can modulate this internalization pathway in a complex manner by injecting the bacterial toxins ExoS and ExoT into the host cell via its type III secretion system. The identified host cell molecules may serve as targets for novel drugs to treat infections resistant to conventional antibiotics and may be applicable to a wide range of pathogens.

On The Biomedical Promise of Cell Penetrating Peptides: Limits Versus Prospects

The cell membrane poses a substantial hurdle to the use of pharmacologically active biomacromolecules that are not per se actively translocated into cells. An appealing approach to deliver such molecules involves tethering or complexing them with so-called cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) that are able to cross the plasma membrane of mammalian cells. The CPP approach is currently a major avenue in engineering delivery systems that are hoped to mediate the non-invasive import of problematic cargos into cells. The large number of different cargo molecules that have been efficiently delivered by CPPs ranges from small molecules to proteins and even liposomes and particles. With respect to the involved mechanism(s) there is increasing evidence for endocytosis as a major route of entry. Moreover, in terms of intracellular trafficking, current data argues for the transport to acidic early endosomal compartments with cytosolic release mediated via retrograde delivery through the Golgi apparatus and the endoplasmic reticulum. The focus of this review is to revisit the performance of cell penetrating peptides for drug delivery. To this aim we cover both accomplishments and failures and report on new prospects of the CPP approach. Besides a selection of successful case histories of CPPs we also review the limitations of CPP mediated translocation. In particular, we comment on the impact of (i) metabolic degradation, (ii) the cell line and cellular differentiation state dependent uptake of CPPs, as well as (iii) the regulation of their endocytic traffic by Rho-family GTPases. Further on, we aim at the identification of promising niches for CPP application in drug delivery. In this context, as inspired by current literature, we focus on three principal areas: (i) the delivery of antineoplastic agents, (ii) the delivery of CPPs as antimicrobials, and (iii) the potential of CPPs to target inflammatory tissues.

Pseudomonas aeruginosaInfection Destroys the Barrier Function of Lung Epithelium and Enhances Polyplex-Mediated Transfection

Challenged by the lack of success of experimental gene therapy of cystic fibrosis, we set out to investigate one of the potential causes of this failure, the barrier function of the airway epithelium and the way this is affected by bacterial infection. In an in vitro model of the airway epithelium we determined the effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Escherichia coli on the transfection efficiency of polyethylenimine (PEI)-plasmid DNA complexes, carrying a luciferase gene, as well as on the barrier function of the epithelial cell layer, using transepithelial resistance (TER), cytotoxicity, bacterial transmigration, and morphological appearance as parameters. The level of luciferase expression was more than one order of magnitude higher in the cells which, before transfection, were incubated with P. aeruginosa. TER was strongly reduced by P. aeruginosa, whereas E. coli had no effect. Pseudomonas aeruginosa also effectively destroyed the structure of the tight junctions, as visualized by immunostaining of the zonula occludens. By the same token, small but significant numbers of P. aeruginosa cells were found to migrate through the epithelial layer, whereas no E. coli cells were observed at the transcompartment of the wells. Release of lactate dehydrogenase from the epithelial cells, a parameter of cell damage, occurred in a dose-dependent manner on incubation with P. aeruginosa, but not with E. coli. To evaluate the relevance of these results for the in vivo situation, we infected C57BL/6 mice with P. aeruginosa or E. coli 48 hr before transfecting them intratracheally with PEI-DNA polyplexes. Infection with P. aeruginosa caused a 5-fold increase in luciferase expression whereas infection with E. coli had no effect. Fluorescence microscopy of lung sections, after administration of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled polyplexes, showed that prior treatment with P. aeruginosa effectuated penetration of the complexes deeper into the epithelium than in untreated animals. In P. aeruginosa-treated animals fluorescence was detected not only in the airway epithelium itself but also in the parenchyma. We conclude that infection with P. aeruginosa causes disruption of the tight junctions between the cells and thus of the barrier function of the epithelium. As a consequence, PEI-DNA complexes injected intratracheally into infected animals gain access to the basolateral side of the cells and to spaces across the epithelial lining, giving rise to substantially increased transfection efficiency.

Role of the small Rho GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42 in host cell invasion of Campylobacter jejuni

Host cell invasion of the food-borne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is one of the primary reasons of tissue damage in humans but molecular mechanisms are widely unclear. Here, we show that C. jejuni triggers membrane ruffling in the eukaryotic cell followed by invasion in a very specific manner first with its tip followed by the flagellar end. To pinpoint important signalling events involved in the C. jejuni invasion process, we examined the role of small Rho family GTPases. Using specific GTPase-modifying toxins, inhibitors and GTPase expression constructs we show that Rac1 and Cdc42, but not RhoA, are involved in C. jejuni invasion. In agreement with these observations, we found that internalization of C. jejuni is accompanied by a time-dependent activation of both Rac1 and Cdc42. Finally, we show that the activation of these GTPases involves different host cell kinases and the bacterial fibronectin-binding protein CadF. Thus, CadF is a bifunctional protein which triggers bacterial binding to host cells as well as signalling leading to GTPase activation. Collectively, our results suggest that C. jejuni invade host target cells by a unique mechanism and the activation of the Rho GTPase members Rac1 and Cdc42 plays a crucial role in this entry process.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa acquires biofilm-like properties within airway epithelial cells

Pseudomonas aeruginosa can notably cause both acute and chronic infection. While several virulence factors are implicated in the acute phase of infection, advances in understanding bacterial pathogenesis suggest that chronic P. aeruginosa infection is related to biofilm formation. However, the relationship between these two forms of disease is not well understood. Accumulating evidence indicates that, during acute infection, P. aeruginosa enters epithelial cells, a process viewed as either a host-mediated defense response or a pathogenic mechanism to avoid host-mediated killing. We investigated the possibility that epithelial cell entry during early P. aeruginosa-epithelial cell contact favors bacterial survival and is linked to chronic infection. Using electron microscopy and confocal microscopy to analyze primary culture airway epithelial cells infected with P. aeruginosa, we found that epithelial cells developed pod-like clusters of intracellular bacteria with regional variation in protein expression. Extracellular gentamicin added to the medium after acute infection led to the persistence of intracellular P. aeruginosa for at least 3 days. Importantly, compared to bacterial culture under planktonic conditions, the intracellular bacteria were insensitive to growth inhibition or killing by antibiotics that were capable of intraepithelial cell penetration. These findings suggest that P. aeruginosa can use airway epithelial cells as a sanctuary for persistence and develop a reversible antibiotic resistance phenotype characteristic of biofilm physiology that can contribute to development of chronic infection.

Actin cytoskeleton disruption by ExoY and its effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa invasion

Three of the Type III-secreted effectors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ExoS, ExoT, and ExoY) each alter mammalian cell morphology in culture without causing a loss of cell viability. For ExoS and ExoT this property involves RhoGAP activity, and leads to actin cytoskeleton disruption and a reduced capacity for internalizing bacteria. ExoY does not possess RhoGAP activity. Instead, cell rounding depends upon its adenylate cyclase catalytic region. Since anti-phagocytic activities of ExoS and ExoT are associated with cell rounding and cytoskeleton disruption, we hypothesized that ExoY would also inhibit P. aeruginosa invasion of epithelial cells coinciding with adenylate cyclase-mediated cytoskeleton disruption. The results showed actin disruption of epithelial cells at 2 h post-infection associated with both adenylate cyclase-active ExoY and its catalytic mutant form ExoYK81M, and which coincided with inhibition of bacterial invasion (76% inhibition by ExoY, and 37% by ExoYK81M). Surprisingly, at 4h post-infection, neither form of ExoY inhibited invasion despite extensive actin disruption. These data suggest that ExoY, like ExoS and ExoT, contains more than one active domain affecting mammalian cell function. The data also suggest that cytoskeleton disruption does not necessarily predict invasion inhibitory activity, supporting the recently proposed model that P. aeruginosa internalization can proceed through more than one pathway.

Role of Rac1 in Escherichia coli K1 invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells

Escherichia coli K1 invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) requires the reorganization of host cytoskeleton at the sites of bacterial entry. Both actin and myosin constitute the cytoskeletal architecture. We have previously shown that myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation by MLC kinase is regulated during E. coli invasion by an upstream kinase, p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), which is an effector protein of Rac and Cdc42 GTPases, but not of RhoA. Here, we report that the binding of only Rac1 to PAK1 decreases in HBMEC upon infection with E. coli K1, which resulted in increased phosphorylation of MLC. Overexpression of a constitutively active (cAc) form of Rac1 in HBMEC blocked the E. coli invasion significantly, whereas overexpression of a dominant negative form had no effect. Increased PAK1 phosphorylation was observed in HBMEC expressing cAc-Rac1 with a concomitant reduction in the phosphorylation of MLC. Immunocytochemistry studies demonstrated that the inhibition of E. coli invasion into cAc-Rac1/HBMEC is due to lack of phospho-MLC recruitment to the sites of E. coli entry. Taken together the data suggest that E. coli modulates the binding of Rac1, but not Cdc42, to PAK1 during the invasion of HBMEC.

The phosphoinositol-3-kinase-protein kinase B/Akt pathway is critical for Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAK internalization

Several Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains are internalized by epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo, but the host pathways usurped by the bacteria to enter nonphagocytic cells are not clearly understood. Here, we report that internalization of strain PAK into epithelial cells triggers and requires activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B/Akt (Akt). Incubation of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) or HeLa cells with the PI3K inhibitors LY294002 (LY) or wortmannin abrogated PAK uptake. Addition of the PI3K product phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P3] to polarized MDCK cells was sufficient to increase PAK internalization. PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 accumulated at the site of bacterial binding in an LY-dependent manner. Akt phosphorylation correlated with PAK invasion. The specific Akt phosphorylation inhibitor SH-5 inhibited PAK uptake; internalization also was inhibited by small interfering RNA-mediated depletion of Akt phosphorylation. Expression of constitutively active Akt was sufficient to restore invasion when PI3K signaling was inhibited. Together, these results demonstrate that the PI3K signaling pathway is necessary and sufficient for the P. aeruginosa entry and provide the first example of a bacterium that requires Akt for uptake into epithelial cells.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus modulates microtubule dynamics via RhoA-GTP-diaphanous 2 signaling and utilizes the dynein motors to deliver its DNA to the nucleus

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8; also called Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus), which is implicated in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and lymphoproliferative disorders, infects a variety of target cells both in vivo and in vitro. HHV-8 binds to several in vitro target cells via cell surface heparan sulfate and utilizes the alpha3beta1 integrin as one of its entry receptors. Interactions with cell surface molecules induce the activation of host cell signaling cascades and cytoskeletal changes (P. P. Naranatt, S. M. Akula, C. A. Zien, H. H. Krishnan, and B. Chandran, J. Virol. 77:1524-1539, 2003). However, the mechanism by which the HHV-8-induced signaling pathway facilitates the complex events associated with the internalization and nuclear trafficking of internalized viral DNA is as yet undefined. Here we examined the role of HHV-8-induced cytoskeletal dynamics in the infectious process and their interlinkage with signaling pathways. The depolymerization of microtubules did not affect HHV-8 binding and internalization, but it inhibited the nuclear delivery of viral DNA and infection. In contrast, the depolymerization of actin microfilaments did not have any effect on virus binding, entry, nuclear delivery, or infection. Early during infection, HHV-8 induced the acetylation of microtubules and the activation of the RhoA and Rac1 GTPases. The inactivation of Rho GTPases by Clostridium difficile toxin B significantly reduced microtubular acetylation and the delivery of viral DNA to the nucleus. In contrast, the activation of Rho GTPases by Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor significantly augmented the nuclear delivery of viral DNA. Among the Rho GTPase-induced downstream effector molecules known to stabilize the microtubules, the activation of RhoA-GTP-dependent diaphanous 2 was observed, with no significant activation in the Rac- and Cdc42-dependent PAK1/2 and stathmin molecules. The nuclear delivery of viral DNA increased in cells expressing a constitutively active RhoA mutant and decreased in cells expressing a dominant-negative mutant of RhoA. HHV-8 capsids colocalized with the microtubules, as observed by confocal microscopic examination, and the colocalization was abolished by the destabilization of microtubules with nocodazole and by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor affecting the Rho GTPases. These results suggest that HHV-8 induces Rho GTPases, and in doing so, modulates microtubules and promotes the trafficking of viral capsids and the establishment of infection. This is the first demonstration of virus-induced host cell signaling pathways in the modulation of microtubule dynamics and in the trafficking of viral DNA to the infected cell nucleus. These results further support our hypothesis that HHV-8 manipulates the host cell signaling pathway to create an appropriate intracellular environment that is conducive to the establishment of a successful infection.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus modulates microtubule dynamics via RhoA-GTP-diaphanous 2 signaling and utilizes the dynein motors to deliver its DNA to the nucleus

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8; also called Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus), which is implicated in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and lymphoproliferative disorders, infects a variety of target cells both in vivo and in vitro. HHV-8 binds to several in vitro target cells via cell surface heparan sulfate and utilizes the alpha3beta1 integrin as one of its entry receptors. Interactions with cell surface molecules induce the activation of host cell signaling cascades and cytoskeletal changes (P. P. Naranatt, S. M. Akula, C. A. Zien, H. H. Krishnan, and B. Chandran, J. Virol. 77:1524-1539, 2003). However, the mechanism by which the HHV-8-induced signaling pathway facilitates the complex events associated with the internalization and nuclear trafficking of internalized viral DNA is as yet undefined. Here we examined the role of HHV-8-induced cytoskeletal dynamics in the infectious process and their interlinkage with signaling pathways. The depolymerization of microtubules did not affect HHV-8 binding and internalization, but it inhibited the nuclear delivery of viral DNA and infection. In contrast, the depolymerization of actin microfilaments did not have any effect on virus binding, entry, nuclear delivery, or infection. Early during infection, HHV-8 induced the acetylation of microtubules and the activation of the RhoA and Rac1 GTPases. The inactivation of Rho GTPases by Clostridium difficile toxin B significantly reduced microtubular acetylation and the delivery of viral DNA to the nucleus. In contrast, the activation of Rho GTPases by Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor significantly augmented the nuclear delivery of viral DNA. Among the Rho GTPase-induced downstream effector molecules known to stabilize the microtubules, the activation of RhoA-GTP-dependent diaphanous 2 was observed, with no significant activation in the Rac- and Cdc42-dependent PAK1/2 and stathmin molecules. The nuclear delivery of viral DNA increased in cells expressing a constitutively active RhoA mutant and decreased in cells expressing a dominant-negative mutant of RhoA. HHV-8 capsids colocalized with the microtubules, as observed by confocal microscopic examination, and the colocalization was abolished by the destabilization of microtubules with nocodazole and by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor affecting the Rho GTPases. These results suggest that HHV-8 induces Rho GTPases, and in doing so, modulates microtubules and promotes the trafficking of viral capsids and the establishment of infection. This is the first demonstration of virus-induced host cell signaling pathways in the modulation of microtubule dynamics and in the trafficking of viral DNA to the infected cell nucleus. These results further support our hypothesis that HHV-8 manipulates the host cell signaling pathway to create an appropriate intracellular environment that is conducive to the establishment of a successful infection.

Role of alphavbeta5 integrins and vitronectin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAK interaction with A549 respiratory cells

Bacterial adherence to mammalian cells and their internalization are thought to participate in Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenicity. In this study, we explored the role of alpha5beta1 and alphavbeta5 integrins and their natural ligands, fibronectin (Fn) and vitronectin (Vn), in P. aeruginosa interaction with epithelial cells by using the PAK reference bacterial strain, A549 respiratory, and SKOV-3 human ovarian cell lines. The host cell cytoskeleton and cellular tyrosine kinases seem to be solicited during the PAK-respiratory cell interaction: cytochalasin D and genistein decreased the bacterial adherence and internalization. Blocking antibodies to alphavbeta5 integrins were the only antibodies tested to have inhibitory activity against PAK adherence to A549 cells. PAK internalization by A549 and SKOV-3 cells was markedly decreased in the presence of blocking antibodies to Vn and alphavbeta5 integrins. Addition of Vn in excess restored PAK invasion of both A549 and SKOV-3 cells in the presence of anti-Vn antibodies. Immunofluorescence experiments revealed that, in the presence of bacteria, the Vn fibrillar network disappeared, and alphavbeta5 staining was concentrated in sites where adherent bacteria were present. Taken together, these findings suggest that alphavbeta5 integrins, and their natural ligand Vn, are involved in PAK entry into human epithelial cells.

Compromised host defense on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms: characterization of neutrophil and biofilm interactions

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that forms biofilms on tissues and other surfaces. We characterized the interaction of purified human neutrophils with P. aeruginosa, growing in biofilms, with regard to morphology, oxygen consumption, phagocytosis, and degranulation. Scanning electron and confocal laser microscopy indicated that the neutrophils retained a round, unpolarized, unstimulated morphology when exposed to P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilms. However, transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that neutrophils, although rounded on their dorsal side, were phagocytically active with moderate membrane rearrangement on their bacteria-adjacent surfaces. The settled neutrophils lacked pseudopodia, were impaired in motility, and were enveloped by a cloud of planktonic bacteria released from the biofilms. The oxygen consumption of the biofilm/neutrophil system increased 6- and 8-fold over that of the biofilm alone or unstimulated neutrophils in suspension, respectively. H(2)O(2) accumulation was transient, reaching a maximal measured value of 1 micro M. Following contact, stimulated degranulation was 20-40% (myeloperoxidase, beta-glucuronidase) and 40-80% (lactoferrin) of maximal when compared with formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine plus cytochalasin B stimulation. In summary, after neutrophils settle on P. aeruginosa biofilms, they become phagocytically engorged, partially degranulated, immobilized, and rounded. The settling also causes an increase in oxygen consumption of the system, apparently resulting from a combination of a bacterial respiration and escape response and the neutrophil respiratory burst but with little increase in the soluble concentration of H(2)O(2). Thus, host defense becomes compromised as biofilm bacteria escape while neutrophils remain immobilized with a diminished oxidative potential.

The ADP ribosyltransferase domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ExoT contributes to its biological activities

ExoT is a type III secreted effector protein found in almost all strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and is required for full virulence in an animal model of acute pneumonia. It is comprised of an N-terminal domain with GTPase activating protein (GAP) activity towards Rho family GTPases and a C-terminal ADP ribosyltransferase (ADPRT) domain with minimal activity towards a synthetic substrate in vitro. Consistent with its activity as a Rho family GTPase, ExoT has been shown to inhibit P. aeruginosa internalization into epithelial cells and macrophages, disrupt the actin cytoskeleton through a Rho-dependent pathway, and inhibit wound repair in a scrape model of injured epithelium. We have previously shown that mutation of the invariant arginine of the GAP domain to lysine (R149K) results in complete loss of GAP activity in vitro but only partially inhibits ExoT anti-internalization and cell rounding activity. We have constructed in-frame deletions and point mutations within the ADPRT domain in order to test whether this domain might account for the residual activity observed in ExoT GAP mutants. Deletion of a majority of the ADPRT domain (residues 234 to 438) or point mutations of the ADPRT catalytic site (residues 383 to 385) led to distinct changes in host cell morphology and substantially reduced the ability of ExoT to inhibit in vitro epithelial wound healing over a 24-h period. In contrast, only subtle effects on the efficiency of ExoT-induced bacterial internalization were observed in the ADPRT mutant forms. Expression of each domain individually in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was toxic, whereas expression of each of the catalytically inactive mutant domains was not. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the ADPRT domain of ExoT is active in vivo and contributes to the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa infections.

Epithelial cell polarity alters Rho-GTPase responses to Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that preferentially infects damaged epithelial tissues. Previous studies have failed to distinguish whether the increased susceptibility of injured epithelium results from the loss of cell polarity or increased access to the basolateral surface. We have used confluent monolayers of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells cultured on porous filter supports for 1-3 d as a model system to investigate whether the differentiation state of a polarized model epithelium affected the response of epithelial cells to this pathogen. Confluent incompletely polarized MDCK cell monolayers (day 1) efficiently internalized apically applied P. aeruginosa via a pathway that required actin polymerization and activation of Rho-family GTPases and was accompanied by an increase in the amount of activated RhoA. In contrast, P. aeruginosa entry into highly polarized MDCK monolayers (day 3) was 10- to 100-fold less efficient and was insensitive to inhibitors of actin polymerization or of Rho-family GTPase activation. There was no activation of RhoA; instead, Cdc42-GTP levels increased significantly. Basolateral infection of highly polarized MDCK monolayers was less efficient and insensitive to Clostridium difficile Toxin B, whereas basolateral infection of incompletely polarized MDCK monolayers was more efficient and required activation of Rho-family GTPases. Together, our findings suggest that as epithelial barrier differentiates and becomes highly polarized, it becomes resistant to P. aeruginosa infection. Nevertheless, polarized epithelial cells still sense the presence of apically infecting P. aeruginosa, but they may do so through a different group of surface proteins and/or downstream signaling pathways than do incompletely polarized cells.

The Rho family of small GTPases is involved in epithelial cystogenesis and tubulogenesis

BACKGROUND

Epithelial cyst and tubule formation represent critical processes for the development of many mammalian organs and involve transient, highly choreographed changes in cell polarity. The Rho family of small GTPases, whose prototypes are RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42, regulate many biologic processes, including cell polarization and morphogenesis. The exocyst is a conserved eight-subunit protein complex involved in the biogenesis of polarity; in yeast, it is a downstream effector for several Rho family proteins, and, in mammals, plays a central role in cystogenesis and tubulogenesis.

METHODS

Inducible cell lines expressing mutant forms of RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 and an in vitro model of cystogenesis and tubulogenesis were used to examine the effects of Rho family proteins on cyst and tubule formation. A series of pulse-chase assays, using basolateral, apical, and secretory proteins, were performed to examine the synthesis and membrane trafficking profile of the various Rho family mutant proteins.

RESULTS

We show that expression of mutant RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 proteins all result in abnormal cyst and tubule formation. Furthermore, with respect to cystogenesis and tubulogenesis, the phenotypic effects of expressing each mutant Rho family protein are different. Specifically, cyst and, therefore, tubule formation is completely inhibited in the presence of constitutively active RhoA and tubulogenesis is inhibited in the presence of dominant negative Rac1. Reversal of cyst polarity is seen in the presence of dominant negative RhoA, dominant negative Rac1, and both dominant negative and constitutively active Cdc42. The series of synthesis and delivery assays, using basolateral, apical, and secretory proteins, revealed that Rho family mutant proteins display an exocyst-like trafficking profile.

CONCLUSION

The differential effects suggest that RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 all act to control cyst and tubule formation and may act in concert to control these higher-order processes. The exocyst-like membrane trafficking profile displayed by the Rho family mutant proteins raises the possibility that Rho family proteins interact, either directly or indirectly, with the exocyst to control cyst and tubule formation.

Coordinate regulation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium invasion of epithelial cells by the Arp2/3 complex and Rho GTPases

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium can infect epithelial cells via the basolateral surface after breaching the intestinal epithelium, yet little is known about this process. Here, we show that actin polymerization driven by the Arp2/3 complex is critical to both basolateral and apical bacterial invasion of polarized MDCK cells. While there is also a dependence upon toxin B-sensitive Rho GTPases, none of the four GTPases known to be activated by S. enterica serovar Typhimurium SopE are individually required for basolateral internalization. These results underscore that the specific factors required for Salmonella invasion differ between membrane domains of polarized epithelia.

Constitutive activation of Rho proteins by CNF-1 influences tight junction structure and epithelial barrier function

The apical-most epithelial intercellular junction, referred to as the tight junction (TJ), regulates paracellular solute flux in diverse physiological and pathological states. TJ affiliations with the apical filamentous actin (F-actin) cytoskeleton are crucial in regulating TJ function. F-actin organization is influenced by the Rho GTPase family, which also controls TJ function. To explore the role of Rho GTPases in regulating TJ structure and function, we utilized Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor-1 (CNF-1) as a tool to activate constitutively Rho, Rac and Cdc42 signaling in T84 polarized intestinal epithelial monolayers. The biological effects of the toxin were polarized to the basolateral membrane, and included profound reductions in TJ gate function, accompanied by displacement of the TJ proteins occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and reorganization of junction adhesion molecule-1 (JAM-1) away from the TJ membrane. Immunogold electron microscopy revealed occludin and caveolin-1 internalization in endosomal/caveolar-like structures in CNF-treated cells. Immunofluorescence/confocal microscopy suggested that a pool of internalized occludin went to caveolae, early endosomes and recycling endosomes, but not to late endosomes. This provides a novel mechanism potentially allowing occludin to evade a degradative pathway, perhaps allowing efficient recycling back to the TJ membrane. In contrast to the TJ, the characteristic ring structure of proteins in adherens junctions (AJs) was largely preserved despite CNF-1 treatment. CNF-1 also induced displacement of a TJ-associated pool of phosphorylated myosin light chain (p-MLC), which is normally also linked to the F-actin contractile machinery in epithelial cells. The apical perjunctional F-actin ring itself was maintained even after toxin exposure, but there was a striking effacement of microvillous F-actin and its binding protein, villin, from the same plane. However, basal F-actin stress fibers became prominent and cabled following basolateral CNF-1 treatment, and the focal adhesion protein paxillin was tyrosine phosphorylated. This indicates differences in Rho GTPase-mediated control of distinct F-actin pools in polarized cells. Functionally, CNF-1 profoundly impaired TJ/AJ assembly in calcium switch assays. Re-localization of occludin but not E-cadherin along the lateral membrane during junctional reassembly was severely impaired by the toxin. A balance between activity and quiescence of Rho GTPases appears crucial for both the generation and maintenance of optimal epithelial barrier function. Overactivation of Rho, Rac and Cdc42 with CNF-1 seems to mirror key barrier-function disruptions previously reported for inactivation of RhoA.

Modulation of cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration in airway epithelial cells by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Modulation of cytosolic (intracellular) Ca(2+) concentration (Ca(i)) may be an important host response when airway epithelial cells are exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We measured Ca(i) in Calu-3 cells exposed from the apical or basolateral surface to cytotoxic and noncytotoxic strains of P. aeruginosa. Apical addition of either noncytotoxic strains or cytotoxic strains failed to affect Ca(i) over a 3-h time period, nor were changes observed after basolateral addition of noncytotoxic strains. In contrast, basolateral addition of cytotoxic strains caused a slow increase in Ca(i) from 100 nM to 200 to 400 nM. This increase began after 20 to 50 min and persisted for an additional 30 to 75 min, at which time the cells became nonviable. P. aeruginosa-induced increases in Ca(i) were blocked by the addition of the Ca channel blocker La(3+) to the basolateral but not to the apical chamber. Likewise, replacing the basolateral but not the apical medium with Ca-free solution prevented P. aeruginosa-mediated changes in Ca(i). With isogenic mutants of PA103, we demonstrated that the type III secretion apparatus, the type III-secreted effector ExoU, and type IV pili were necessary for increased Ca(i). We propose that translocation of ExoU through the basolateral surface of polarized airway epithelial cells via the type III secretion apparatus leads to release of Ca stored in the endoplasmic reticulum and activation of Ca channels in the basolateral membranes of epithelial cells.

Mechanisms of NOS2 regulation by Rho GTPase signaling in airway epithelial cells

The aberrant dysregulation of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) is thought to play a role in many inflammatory disorders including cystic fibrosis (CF). The complex regulation of NOS2 expression is the subject of intense investigation, and one intriguing regulatory pathway known to influence NOS2 expression is the Rho GTPase cascade. We examined NOS2 regulation in response to inflammatory cytokines in a human alveolar epithelial cell line treated with inhibitors of different upstream and downstream components of the Rho GTPase pathway to better define potential signaling mechanisms. Statin-mediated 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibition increased cytokine-dependent activation of the NOS2 promoter, reversible by the addition of geranylgeranyl pyrphosphate. However, inhibition of Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) with Y-27632 resulted in a decrease in NOS2 promoter activity, yet an increase in NOS2 mRNA and protein levels. Our results suggest that prenylation events influence NOS2 promoter activity independently of the Rho GTPase pathway and that Rho GTPase signaling mediated through ROCK suppresses NOS2 production downstream of promoter function at the message and protein level.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa internalization by corneal epithelial cells involves MEK and ERK signal transduction proteins

Invasion of epithelial cells represents a potential pathogenic mechanism for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We explored the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MEK 1/2) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK 1/2) in P. aeruginosa invasion. Treatment of corneal epithelial cells with MEK inhibitors, PD98059 (20 microM) or UO126 (100 microM), reduced P. aeruginosa invasion by approximately 60% without affecting bacterial association with the cells (P=0.0001). UO124, a negative control for UO126, had no effect on bacterial internalization. Infection of cells with an internalization-defective flhA mutant of P. aeruginosa was associated with less ERK 1/2 tyrosine phosphorylation than infection with wild-type invasive P. aeruginosa. An ERK-2 inhibitor, 5-iodotubercidin (20 microM), reduced P. aeruginosa invasion by approximately 40% (P=0.035). Together, these data suggest that P. aeruginosa internalization by epithelial cells involves a pathway(s) that includes MEK and ERK signaling proteins.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa ExoT acts in vivo as a GTPase-activating protein for RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa protein ExoT is a bacterial GTPase-activating protein (GAP) that has in vitro activity toward Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 GTPases. Expression of ExoT both inhibits the internalization of strain PA103 by macrophages and epithelial cells and is associated with morphological changes (cell rounding and detachment) of infected cells. We find that expression of ExoT leads to the loss of GTP-bound RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 in transfected HeLa cells, demonstrating that ExoT has GAP activity in vivo toward all three GTPases. GAP activity is absolutely dependent on the presence of arginine at position 149 but is not affected by whether ExoT is expressed in the absence or presence of other P. aeruginosa type III secreted proteins. We also demonstrate that expression of ExoT in epithelial cells is sufficient to cause stress fiber disassembly by means of ExoT's GAP activity toward RhoA.

Interaction of bacterial pathogens with polarized epithelium

Many pathogens must surmount an epithelial cell barrier in order to establish an infection. While much has been learned about the interaction of bacterial pathogens with cultured epithelial cells, the influence of cell polarity on these events has only recently been appreciated. This review outlines bacterial-host epithelial cell interactions in the context of the distinct apical and basolateral surfaces of the polarized epithelium that lines the lumens of our organs.

GTPases of the Rho subfamily are required for Brucella abortus internalization in nonprofessional phagocytes: direct activation of Cdc42

Members of the genus Brucella are intracellular alpha-Proteobacteria responsible for brucellosis, a chronic disease of humans and animals. Little is known about Brucella virulence mechanisms, but the abilities of these bacteria to invade and to survive within cells are decisive factors for causing disease. Transmission electron and fluorescence microscopy of infected nonprofessional phagocytic HeLa cells revealed minor membrane changes accompanied by discrete recruitment of F-actin at the site of Brucella abortus entry. Cell uptake of B. abortus was negatively affected to various degrees by actin, actin-myosin, and microtubule chemical inhibitors. Modulators of MAPKs and protein-tyrosine kinases hampered Brucella cell internalization. Inactivation of Rho small GTPases using clostridial toxins TcdB-10463, TcdB-1470, TcsL-1522, and TcdA significantly reduced the uptake of B. abortus by HeLa cells. In contrast, cytotoxic necrotizing factor from Escherichia coli, known to activate Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 small GTPases, increased the internalization of both virulent and non-virulent B. abortus. Expression of dominant-positive Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 forms in HeLa cells promoted the uptake of B. abortus, whereas expression of dominant-negative forms of these GTPases in HeLa cells hampered Brucella uptake. Cdc42 was activated upon cell contact by virulent B. abortus, but not by a noninvasive isogenic strain, as proven by affinity precipitation of active Rho, Rac, and Cdc42. The polyphasic approach used to discern the molecular events leading to Brucella internalization provides new alternatives for exploring the complexity of the signals required by intracellular pathogens for cell invasion.