Biology subjects

Loeven, N. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Loeven, N. A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

A Type VI Secretion System in Burkholderia Species cenocepacia and orbicola Triggers Distinct Macrophage Death Pathways Independent of the Pyrin Inflammasome

The Burkholderia cepacia complex contains opportunistic pathogens that cause chronic infections and inflammation in lungs of people with cystic fibrosis. Two closely related species within this complex are Burkholderia cenocepacia and the recently classified Burkholderia orbicola. B. cenocepacia and B. orbicola encode a type VI secretion system and the effector TecA, which is detected by the pyrin/caspase-1 inflammasome, and triggers macrophage inflammatory death. In our earlier study the pyrin inflammasome was dispensable for lung inflammation in mice infected with B. orbicola AU1054, indicating this species activates an alternative pathway of macrophage inflammatory death. Notably, B. cenocepacia J2315 and K56-2 can damage macrophage phagosomes and K56-2 triggers activation of the caspase-11 inflammasome, which detects cytosolic LPS. Here we investigated inflammatory cell death in pyrin-deficient (Mefv-/-) mouse macrophages infected with B. cenocepacia J2315 or K56-2 or B. orbicola AU1054 or PC184. Macrophage inflammatory death was measured by cleavage of gasdermin D protein, release of cytokines IL-1 and IL-1{beta} and plasma membrane rupture. Findings suggest that J2315 and K56-2 are detected by the caspase-11 inflammasome in Mefv-/- macrophages, resulting in IL-1{beta} release. In contrast, inflammasome activation is not detected in Mefv-/- macrophages infected with AU1054 or PC184. Instead, AU1054 triggers an alternative macrophage inflammatory death pathway that requires TecA and results in plasma membrane rupture and IL-1 release. Amino acid variation between TecA isoforms in B. cenocepacia and B. orbicola may explain how the latter species triggers a non-inflammasome macrophage death pathway.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

Phosphoprotein Phosphatase Activity Positively Regulates Oligomeric Pyrin to Trigger Inflammasome Assembly in Response to Bacterial Effectors and Toxins that Inactivate RhoA in Macrophages

Pyrin is a pattern-recognition receptor in phagocytes that triggers capase-1 inflammasome assembly in response to bacterial toxins and effectors that inactivate RhoA. Pyrin contains oligomerization domains and is negatively regulated by phosphorylation of two residues, S205 and S241 (murine) or S208 and S242 (human), via the kinases PKN1/2, which are activated by RhoA. Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is caused by phagocyte production of pyrin gain of function variants, which have a lower threshold for inflammasome assembly upon RhoA-PKN axis inhibition. Inactivation of the RhoA-PKN axis removes negative regulation but a phosphoprotein phosphatase (PPP) is needed to positively regulate pyrin. No PPP that dephosphorylates pyrin has been identified, oligomerization of murine pyrin has not been studied, and the phosphorylation status of oligomeric pyrin is unknown. We used murine macrophages and FMF patients monocytes combined with the use of bacterial agonists and chemical inhibitors, native PAGE, phospho-specific antibodies and siRNA knockdowns to determine if a PPP positively regulates oligomeric pyrin. Results with broadly-specific inhibitors indicate that PPP activity is required to dephosphorylate murine and human pyrin in wild type or FMF patients phagocytes. Findings from native PAGE show that murine pyrin forms oligomers that are phosphorylated on S205 prior to RhoA inactivation. Inhibitors cause reduced mobility of murine pyrin on native PAGE and hyperphosphorylation of S242 in human pyrin, suggesting a PPP constitutively counterbalances PKN to keep the second site hypophosphorylated. Data from siRNA knockdown experiments implicate PP2A in dephosphorylation of S205 and positive regulation of pyrin in response to RhoA inactivation. Key pointsMurine pyrin is oligomeric and phosphorylated on S205 prior to inflammasome assembly PPP activity positively regulates pyrin inflammasome assembly in mice and humans The alpha and beta subunits of PP2A dephosphorylate murine pyrin S205 in macrophages

immunology↗

bioRxiv2021

The Burkholderia cenocepacia type VI secretion system effector TecA is a virulence factor during lung infection

Burkholderia cenocepacia (Bc) is a member of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), a group of bacteria with members responsible for causing lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The most severe outcome of Bcc infection in CF patients is cepacia syndrome, a disease characterized by necrotizing pneumonia with bacteremia and sepsis. Bc is strongly associated with cepacia syndrome making it one of the most virulent members of the Bcc. Mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of Bc in lung infections and cepacia syndrome remain to be uncovered. Bc is primarily an intracellular pathogen, and encodes the type VI secretion system (T6SS) anti-host effector TecA, which is translocated into host cells. TecA is a deamidase that inactivates multiple Rho GTPases, including RhoA. Inactivation of RhoA by TecA triggers assembly of the pyrin inflammasome, leading to secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1{beta} from macrophages. Previous work with the Bc clinical isolate J2315 showed that TecA increases immunopathology during acute lung infection in C57BL/6 mice and suggested that this effector acts as a virulence factor by triggering assembly of the pyrin inflammasome. Here, we extend these results using a second Bc clinical isolate, AU1054, to demonstrate that TecA exacerbates weight loss and lethality during lung infection in C57BL/6 mice and CF mice. Unexpectedly, pyrin was dispensable for TecA virulence activity in both mouse infection models. Our findings establish that TecA is a Bc virulence factor that exacerbates lung inflammation, weight loss, and lethality in a mouse lung infection model. ImportanceBc is often considered the most virulent species in the Bcc because of its close association with cepacia syndrome in addition to its capacity to cause chronic lung infections in CF patients (Loutet and Valvano 2010). Prior to this study virulence factors of Bc important for causing lethal disease had not been identified in a CF animal model of lung infection. Results of this study describe a CF mouse model and its use in demonstrating that the T6SS effector TecA of Bc exacerbates inflammatory cell recruitment and weight loss and is required for lethality and thus acts as a key virulence factor during lung infection. This model will be important in further studies to better understand TecAs role as a virulence factor and in investigating ways to prevent or treat Bc infections in CF patients. Additionally, TecA may be the founding member of a family of virulence factors in opportunistic pathogens.

microbiology↗