A Pseudomonas aeruginosa hepta-acylated lipid A variant associated with cystic fibrosis selectively activates human neutrophils. Issue 5 (18th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: SenGupta, Shuvasree; Hittle, Lauren E; Ernst, Robert K; Uriarte, Silvia M; Mitchell, Thomas C
• Is Part Of: Journal of leukocyte biology. Volume 100:Issue 5(2016)
• Page Start: 1047
• Page End: 1059
• Publication Date: 2016-08-18
• Subjects: immunoevasion -- TLR4 -- inflammation -- chronic infection; Leucocytes -- Periodicals; Reticulo-endothelial system -- Periodicals; 571.96
• DOI: 10.1189/jlb.4VMA0316-101R
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0741-5400

Abstract

Abstract : Lipid A produced by P. aeruginosa only in the late stages of CF stimulates IL-8 production and survival, but not granule exocytosis by human neutrophils. Abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease causes airway neutrophilia and hyperinflammation without effective bacterial clearance. We evaluated the immunostimulatory activities of lipid A, the membrane anchor of LPS, isolated from mutants of PA that synthesize structural variants, present in the airways of patients with CF, to determine if they correlate with disease severity and progression. In a subset of patients with a severe late stage of CF disease, a unique hepta-acylated lipid A, hepta-1855, is synthesized. In primary human cell cultures, we found that hepta-1855 functioned as a potent TLR4 agonist by priming neutrophil respiratory burst and stimulating strong IL-8 from monocytes and neutrophils. hepta-1855 also had a potent survival effect on neutrophils. However, it was less efficient in stimulating neutrophil granule exocytosis and also less potent in triggering proinflammatory TNF-α response from monocytes. In PA isolates that do not synthesize hepta-1855, a distinct CF-specific adaptation favors synthesis of a penta-1447 and hexa-1685 LPS mixture. We found that penta-1447 lacked immunostimulatory activity but interfered with inflammatory IL-8 synthesis in response to hexa-1685. Together, these observations suggest a potential contribution of hepta-1855 to maintenance of the inflammatory burden in late-stage CF by recruiting neutrophils via IL-8 and promoting their survival, an effect presumably amplified by the absence of penta-1447. Moreover, the relative inefficiency of hepta-1855 in triggering neutrophil degranulation may partly explain the persistence of PA in CF disease, despite extensive airway neutrophilia.