Host subversion of bacterial metallophore usage drives copper intoxication

IMPORTANCE

During infection, bacteria must overcome the dual threats of metal starvation and intoxication. This work reveals that the zinc-withholding response of the host sensitizes S. aureus to copper intoxication. In response to zinc starvation, S. aureus utilizes the metallophore staphylopine. The current work revealed that the host can leverage the promiscuity of staphylopine to intoxicate S. aureus during infection. Significantly, staphylopine-like metallophores are produced by a wide range of pathogens, suggesting that this is a conserved weakness that the host can leverage to toxify invaders with copper. Moreover, it challenges the assumption that the broad-spectrum metal binding of metallophores is inherently beneficial to bacteria.

The impact of nutritional immunity on Group B streptococcal pathogenesis during wound infection

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a Gram-positive pathobiont that can cause adverse health outcomes in neonates and vulnerable adult populations. GBS is one of the most frequently isolated bacteria from diabetic (Db) wound infections but is rarely found in the non-diabetic (nDb) wound environment. Previously, RNA sequencing of wound tissue from Db wound infections in leprdb diabetic mice showed increased expression of neutrophil factors, and genes involved in GBS metal transport such as the zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and putative nickel (Ni) import systems. Here, we develop a Streptozotocin-induced diabetic wound model to evaluate the pathogenesis of two invasive strains of GBS, serotypes Ia and V. We observe an increase in metal chelators such as calprotectin (CP) and lipocalin-2 during diabetic wound infections compared to nDb. We find that CP limits GBS survival in wounds of non-diabetic mice but does not impact survival in diabetic wounds. Additionally, we utilize GBS metal transporter mutants and determine that the Zn, Mn, and putative Ni transporters in GBS are dispensable in diabetic wound infection but contributed to bacterial persistence in non-diabetic animals. Collectively, these data suggest that in non-diabetic mice, functional nutritional immunity mediated by CP is effective at mitigating GBS infection, whereas in diabetic mice, the presence of CP is not sufficient to control GBS wound persistence. IMPORTANCE Diabetic wound infections are difficult to treat and often become chronic due to an impaired immune response as well as the presence of bacterial species that establish persistent infections. Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most frequently isolated bacterial species in diabetic wound infections and, as a result, is one of the leading causes of death from skin and subcutaneous infection. However, GBS is notoriously absent in non-diabetic wounds, and little is known about why this species thrives in diabetic infection. The work herein investigates how alterations in diabetic host immunity may contribute to GBS success during diabetic wound infection.

Host subversion of bacterial metallophore usage drives copper intoxication

Microorganisms can acquire metal ions in metal-limited environments using small molecules called metallophores. While metals and their importers are essential, metals can also be toxic, and metallophores have limited ability to discriminate metals. The impact of the metallophore-mediated non-cognate metal uptake on bacterial metal homeostasis and pathogenesis remains to be defined. The globally significant pathogen Staphylococcus aureus uses the Cnt system to secrete the metallophore staphylopine in zinc-limited host niches. Here, we show that staphylopine and the Cnt system facilitate bacterial copper uptake, potentiating the need for copper detoxification. During in vivo infection, staphylopine usage increased S. aureus susceptibility to host-mediated copper stress, indicating that the innate immune response can harness the antimicrobial potential of altered elemental abundances in host niches. Collectively, these observations show that while the broad-spectrum metal-chelating properties of metallophores can be advantageous, the host can exploit these properties to drive metal intoxication and mediate antibacterial control.

IMPORTANCE

During infection bacteria must overcome the dual threats of metal starvation and intoxication. This work reveals that the zinc-withholding response of the host sensitizes Staphylococcus aureus to copper intoxication. In response to zinc starvation S. aureus utilizes the metallophore staphylopine. The current work revealed that the host can leverage the promiscuity of staphylopine to intoxicate S. aureus during infection. Significantly, staphylopine-like metallophores are produced by a wide range of pathogens, suggesting that this is a conserved weakness that the host can leverage to toxify invaders with copper. Moreover, it challenges the assumption that the broad-spectrum metal binding of metallophores is inherently beneficial to bacteria.

Shear rate sensitizes bacterial pathogens to H2O2 stress

Cells regularly experience fluid flow in natural systems. However, most experimental systems rely on batch cell culture and fail to consider the effect of flow-driven dynamics on cell physiology. Using microfluidics and single-cell imaging, we discover that the interplay of physical shear rate (a measure of fluid flow) and chemical stress trigger a transcriptional response in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In batch cell culture, cells protect themselves by quickly scavenging the ubiquitous chemical stressor hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from the media. In microfluidic conditions, we observe that cell scavenging generates spatial gradients of H2O2. High shear rates replenish H2O2, abolish gradients, and generate a stress response. Combining mathematical simulations and biophysical experiments, we find that flow triggers an effect like "wind-chill" that sensitizes cells to H2O2 concentrations 100 to 1,000 times lower than traditionally studied in batch cell culture. Surprisingly, the shear rate and H2O2 concentration required to generate a transcriptional response closely match their respective values in the human bloodstream. Thus, our results explain a long-standing discrepancy between H2O2 levels in experimental and host environments. Finally, we demonstrate that the shear rate and H2O2 concentration found in the human bloodstream trigger gene expression in the blood-relevant human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, suggesting that flow sensitizes bacteria to chemical stress in natural environments.

Role of respiratory NADH oxidation in the regulation of Staphylococcus aureus virulence

The success of Staphylococcus aureus as a pathogen is due to its capability of fine-tuning its cellular physiology to meet the challenges presented by diverse environments, which allows it to colonize multiple niches within a single vertebrate host. Elucidating the roles of energy-yielding metabolic pathways could uncover attractive therapeutic strategies and targets. In this work, we seek to determine the effects of disabling NADH-dependent aerobic respiration on the physiology of S. aureus. Differing from many pathogens, S. aureus has two type-2 respiratory NADH dehydrogenases (NDH-2s) but lacks the respiratory ion-pumping NDHs. Here, we show that the NDH-2s, individually or together, are not essential either for respiration or growth. Nevertheless, their absence eliminates biofilm formation, production of α-toxin, and reduces the ability to colonize specific organs in a mouse model of systemic infection. Moreover, we demonstrate that the reason behind these phenotypes is the alteration of the fatty acid metabolism. Importantly, the SaeRS two-component system, which responds to fatty acids regulation, is responsible for the link between NADH-dependent respiration and virulence in S. aureus.

Metal-independent variants of phosphoglycerate mutase promote resistance to nutritional immunity and retention of glycolysis during infection

The ability of Staphylococcus aureus and other pathogens to consume glucose is critical during infection. However, glucose consumption increases the cellular demand for manganese sensitizing S. aureus to host-imposed manganese starvation. The current investigations were undertaken to elucidate how S. aureus copes with the need to consume glucose when metal-limited by the host. A critical component of host defense is production of the manganese binding protein calprotectin. S. aureus has two variants of phosphoglycerate mutase, one of which is manganese-dependent, GpmI, and another that is manganese-independent, GpmA. Leveraging the ability to impose metal starvation in culture utilizing calprotectin revealed that the loss of GpmA, but not GpmI, sensitized S. aureus to manganese starvation. Metabolite feeding experiments revealed that the growth defect of GpmA when manganese-starved was due to a defect in glycolysis and not gluconeogenesis. Loss of GpmA reduces the ability of S. aureus to cause invasive disease in wild type mice. However, GpmA was dispensable in calprotectin-deficient mice, which have defects in manganese sequestration, indicating that this isozyme contributes to the ability of S. aureus to overcome manganese limitation during infection. Cumulatively, these observations suggest that expressing a metal-independent variant enables S. aureus to consume glucose while mitigating the negative impact that glycolysis has on the cellular demand for manganese. S. aureus is not the only bacterium that expresses manganese-dependent and -independent variants of phosphoglycerate mutase. Similar results were also observed in culture with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium mutants lacking the metal-independent isozyme. These similar observations in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens suggest that expression of metal-independent glycolytic isozymes is a common strategy employed by bacteria to survive in metal-limited environments, such as the host.

Pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella species, must be able to consume glucose in order to cause infection. However, glycolysis can increase the need for manganese and sensitize invaders to the manganese-withholding defense of the host, known as nutritional immunity. How pathogens manage these conflicting pressures is currently unknown. The current investigations revealed that a second metal-independent variant of phosphoglycerate mutase possessed by both S. aureus and Salmonella enables them to grow and consume glycolytic substrates in the presence of the manganese-binding immune effector calprotectin. Infection experiments revealed that the manganese-independent isozyme critically contributes to the ability of S. aureus to overcome manganese starvation during infection. Together, these results suggest that using metal-independent isozymes to enable the consumption of sugars within the host or other metal-limited environments is a common strategy employed by diverse bacteria.

The Metallophore Staphylopine Enables Staphylococcus aureus To Compete with the Host for Zinc and Overcome Nutritional Immunity

During infection, the host sequesters essential nutrients, such as zinc, to combat invading microbes. Despite the ability of the immune effector protein calprotectin to bind zinc with subpicomolar affinity, Staphylococcus aureus is able to successfully compete with the host for zinc. However, the zinc importers expressed by S. aureus remain unknown. Our investigations have revealed that S. aureus possesses two importers, AdcABC and CntABCDF, which are induced in response to zinc limitation. While AdcABC is similar to known zinc importers in other bacteria, CntABCDF has not previously been associated with zinc acquisition. Concurrent loss of the two systems severely impairs the ability of S. aureus to obtain zinc and grow in zinc-limited environments. Further investigations revealed that the Cnt system is responsible for the ability of S. aureus to compete with calprotectin for zinc in culture and contributes to acquisition of zinc during infection. The cnt locus also enables S. aureus to produce the broad-spectrum metallophore staphylopine. Similarly to the Cnt transporter, loss of staphylopine severely impairs the ability of S. aureus to resist host-imposed zinc starvation, both in culture and during infection. Further investigations revealed that together staphylopine and the Cnt importer function analogously to siderophore-based iron acquisition systems in order to facilitate zinc acquisition by S. aureus Analogous systems are found in a broad range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, suggesting that this new type of zinc importer broadly contributes to the ability of bacteria to cause infection.IMPORTANCE A critical host defense against infection is the restriction of zinc availability. Despite the subpicomolar affinity of the immune effector calprotectin for zinc, Staphylococcus aureus can successfully compete for this essential metal. Here, we describe two zinc importers, AdcABC and CntABCDF, possessed by S. aureus, the latter of which has not previously been associated with zinc acquisition. The ability of S. aureus to compete with the host for zinc is dependent on CntABCDF and the metallophore staphylopine, both in culture and during infection. These results expand the mechanisms utilized by bacteria to obtain zinc, beyond Adc-like systems, and demonstrate that pathogens utilize strategies similar to siderophore-based iron acquisition to obtain other essential metals during infection. The staphylopine synthesis machinery is present in a diverse collection of bacteria, suggesting that this new family of zinc importers broadly contributes to the ability of numerous pathogens to cause infection.

IL-17a and IL-22 Induce Expression of Antimicrobials in Gastrointestinal Epithelial Cells and May Contribute to Epithelial Cell Defense against Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori colonization of the human stomach can lead to adverse clinical outcomes including gastritis, peptic ulcers, or gastric cancer. Current data suggest that in addition to bacterial virulence factors, the magnitude and types of immune responses influence the outcome of colonization. Specifically, CD4+ T cell responses impact the pathology elicited in response to H. pylori. Because gastritis is believed to be the initiating host response to more detrimental pathological outcomes, there has been a significant interest in pro-inflammatory T cell cytokines, including the cytokines produced by T helper 17 cells. Th17 cells produce IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21 and IL-22. While these cytokines have been linked to inflammation, IL-17A and IL-22 are also associated with anti-microbial responses and control of bacterial colonization. The goal of this research was to determine the role of IL-22 in activation of antimicrobial responses in models of H. pylori infection using human gastric epithelial cell lines and the mouse model of H. pylori infection. Our data indicate that IL-17A and IL-22 work synergistically to induce antimicrobials and chemokines such as IL-8, components of calprotectin (CP), lipocalin (LCN) and some β-defensins in both human and primary mouse gastric epithelial cells (GEC) and gastroids. Moreover, IL-22 and IL-17A-activated GECs were capable of inhibiting growth of H. pylori in vitro. While antimicrobials were activated by IL-17A and IL-22 in vitro, using a mouse model of H. pylori infection, the data herein indicate that IL-22 deficiency alone does not render mice more susceptible to infection, change their antimicrobial gene transcription, or significantly change their inflammatory response.

The host protein calprotectin modulates the Helicobacter pylori cag type IV secretion system via zinc sequestration

Transition metals are necessary for all forms of life including microorganisms, evidenced by the fact that 30% of all proteins are predicted to interact with a metal cofactor. Through a process termed nutritional immunity, the host actively sequesters essential nutrient metals away from invading pathogenic bacteria. Neutrophils participate in this process by producing several metal chelating proteins, including lactoferrin and calprotectin (CP). As neutrophils are an important component of the inflammatory response directed against the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, a major risk factor for gastric cancer, it was hypothesized that CP plays a role in the host response to H. pylori. Utilizing a murine model of H. pylori infection and gastric epithelial cell co-cultures, the role CP plays in modifying H. pylori -host interactions and the function of the cag Type IV Secretion System (cag T4SS) was investigated. This study indicates elevated gastric levels of CP are associated with the infiltration of neutrophils to the H. pylori-infected tissue. When infected with an H. pylori strain harboring a functional cag T4SS, calprotectin-deficient mice exhibited decreased bacterial burdens and a trend toward increased cag T4SS -dependent inflammation compared to wild-type mice. In vitro data demonstrate that culturing H. pylori with sub-inhibitory doses of CP reduces the activity of the cag T4SS and the biogenesis of cag T4SS-associated pili in a zinc-dependent fashion. Taken together, these data indicate that zinc homeostasis plays a role in regulating the proinflammatory activity of the cag T4SS.

The interleukin-17 receptor B subunit is essential for the Th2 response to Helicobacter pylori, but not for control of bacterial burden

Helicobacter pylori infection leads to an inflammatory response in 100% of infected individuals. The inflammatory cells which are recruited to the gastric mucosa during infection produce several pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines including several cytokines in the interleukin-17 family. The anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 25 (IL-25, also known as IL-17E), signals through a receptor, which is a heterotrimeric receptor comprised of two IL-17 receptor A subunits and an IL-17 receptor B subunit. Previous studies in our laboratory demonstrated that IL-17RA is required to control infection with Helicobacter pylori in the mouse model. Moreover, the absence of IL-17 receptor A leads to a significant B cell infiltrate and a remarkable increase in lymphoid follicle formation in response to infection compared to infection in wild-type mice. We hypothesized that IL-25, which requires both IL-17 receptor A and IL-17 receptor B for signaling, may play a role in control of inflammation in the mouse model of Helicobacter pylori infection. IL-17 receptor B deficient mice, IL-17 receptor A deficient mice and wild-type mice were infected with Helicobacter pylori (strains SS1 and PMSS1). At several time points H. pylori-infected mice were sacrificed to investigate their ability to control infection and inflammation. Moreover, the effects of IL-17 receptor B deficiency on T helper cytokine expression and H. pylori- specific serum antibody responses were measured. IL-17 receptor B-/- mice (unlike IL-17 receptor A-/- mice) exhibited similar or modest changes in gastric colonization, inflammation, and Th1 and Th17 helper cytokine responses to wild-type mice infected with Helicobacter pylori. However, H. pylori-infected IL-17 receptor B-/- mice have reduced expression of IL-4 and lower serum IgG1 and IgG2a levels compared to infected IL-17 receptor A-/- and wild-type mice. These data indicate that signaling through the IL-17 receptor B subunit is not necessary for control of Helicobacter pylori in our model.

The intermediate region of Helicobacter pylori VacA is a determinant of toxin potency in a Jurkat T cell assay

Colonization of the human stomach with Helicobacter pylori is a risk factor for peptic ulceration, noncardia gastric adenocarcinoma, and gastric lymphoma. The secreted VacA toxin is an important H. pylori virulence factor that causes multiple alterations in gastric epithelial cells and T cells. Several families of vacA alleles have been described, and H. pylori strains containing certain vacA types (s1, i1, and m1) are associated with an increased risk of gastric disease, compared to strains containing other vacA types (s2, i2, and m2). Thus far, there has been relatively little study of the role of the VacA intermediate region (i-region) in toxin activity. In this study, we compared the ability of i1 and i2 forms of VacA to cause functional alterations in Jurkat cells. To do this, we manipulated the chromosomal vacA gene in two H. pylori strains to introduce alterations in the region encoding the VacA i-region. We did not detect any differences in the capacity of i1 and i2 forms of VacA to cause vacuolation of RK13 cells. In comparison to i1 forms of VacA, i2 forms of VacA had a diminished capacity to inhibit the activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and suppress interleukin-2 (IL-2) production. Correspondingly, i2 forms of VacA bound to Jurkat cells less avidly than did i1 forms of VacA. These results indicate that the VacA i-region is an important determinant of VacA effects on human T cell function.

Platelet-activating factor receptor and innate immunity: uptake of gram-positive bacterial cell wall into host cells and cell-specific pathophysiology

The current model of innate immune recognition of Gram-positive bacteria suggests that the bacterial cell wall interacts with host recognition proteins such as TLRs and Nod proteins. We describe an additional recognition system mediated by the platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFr) and directed to the pathogen-associated molecular pattern phosphorylcholine that results in the uptake of bacterial components into host cells. Intravascular choline-containing cell walls bound to endothelial cells and caused rapid lethality in wild-type, Tlr2(-/-), and Nod2(-/-) mice but not in Pafr(-/-) mice. The cell wall exited the vasculature into the heart and brain, accumulating within endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes, and neurons in a PAFr-dependent way. Physiological consequences of the cell wall/PAFr interaction were cell specific, being noninflammatory in endothelial cells and neurons but causing a rapid loss of cardiomyocyte contractility that contributed to death. Thus, PAFr shepherds phosphorylcholine-containing bacterial components such as the cell wall into host cells from where the response ranges from quiescence to severe pathophysiology.

beta-Arrestin 1 participates in platelet-activating factor receptor-mediated endocytosis of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Pneumococci traverse eukaryotic cells within vacuoles without intracytoplasmic multiplication. The platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFr) has been suggested as a portal of entry. Pneumococci colocalized with PAFr on endothelial cells and PAFr-/- mice showed a substantially impaired ability to support bacterial translocation, particularly from blood to brain. Pneumococci-induced colocalization of PAFr and beta-arrestin 1 at the plasma membrane of endothelial cells and PAFr-mediated pneumococcal uptake in transfected COS cells were greatly increased by cotransfection with the scaffold/adapter protein beta-arrestin 1. Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinases was required for uptake and was limited to the cytoplasmic compartment, consistent with activation by beta-arrestin rather than PAFr. Uptake of the pneumococcal vacuole involved clathrin, and half the bacteria proceeded into vacuoles marked by Rab5 and later Rab7, the classical route to the lysosome. Overexpression of beta-arrestin in endothelial cells decreased colocalization with Rab7. We conclude that the association of beta-arrestin with the PAFr contributes to successful translocation of pneumococci.

Microarray analysis of pneumococcal gene expression during invasive disease

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of invasive bacterial disease. This is the first study to examine the expression of S. pneumoniae genes in vivo by using whole-genome microarrays available from The Institute for Genomic Research. Total RNA was collected from pneumococci isolated from infected blood, infected cerebrospinal fluid, and bacteria attached to a pharyngeal epithelial cell line in vitro. Microarray analysis of pneumococcal genes expressed in these models identified body site-specific patterns of expression for virulence factors, transporters, transcription factors, translation-associated proteins, metabolism, and genes with unknown function. Contributions to virulence predicted for several unknown genes with enhanced expression in vivo were confirmed by insertion duplication mutagenesis and challenge of mice with the mutants. Finally, we cross-referenced our results with previous studies that used signature-tagged mutagenesis and differential fluorescence induction to identify genes that are potentially required by a broad range of pneumococcal strains for invasive disease.