Phagocytosis‐dependent activation of a TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT pathway co‐ordinates innate immunity to Aspergillus fumigatus

Abstract Transplant recipients on calcineurin inhibitors are at high risk of invasive fungal infection. Understanding how calcineurin inhibitors impair fungal immunity is a key priority for defining risk of infection. Here, we show that the calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus impairs clearance of the m...

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Main Authors: Susanne Herbst, Anand Shah, Maria Mazon Moya, Vanessa Marzola, Barbara Jensen, Anna Reed, Mark A Birrell, Shinobu Saijo, Serge Mostowy, Sunil Shaunak, Darius Armstrong‐James
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2015-01-01
Series:EMBO Molecular Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201404556
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author Susanne Herbst
Anand Shah
Maria Mazon Moya
Vanessa Marzola
Barbara Jensen
Anna Reed
Mark A Birrell
Shinobu Saijo
Serge Mostowy
Sunil Shaunak
Darius Armstrong‐James
author_facet Susanne Herbst
Anand Shah
Maria Mazon Moya
Vanessa Marzola
Barbara Jensen
Anna Reed
Mark A Birrell
Shinobu Saijo
Serge Mostowy
Sunil Shaunak
Darius Armstrong‐James
author_sort Susanne Herbst
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Transplant recipients on calcineurin inhibitors are at high risk of invasive fungal infection. Understanding how calcineurin inhibitors impair fungal immunity is a key priority for defining risk of infection. Here, we show that the calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus impairs clearance of the major mould pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus from the airway, by inhibiting macrophage inflammatory responses. This leads to defective early neutrophil recruitment and fungal clearance. We confirm these findings in zebrafish, showing an evolutionarily conserved role for calcineurin signalling in neutrophil recruitment during inflammation. We find that calcineurin–NFAT activation is phagocytosis dependent and collaborates with NF‐κB for TNF‐α production. For yeast zymosan particles, activation of macrophage calcineurin–NFAT occurs via the phagocytic Dectin‐1–spleen tyrosine kinase pathway, but for A. fumigatus, activation occurs via a phagosomal TLR9‐dependent and Bruton's tyrosine kinase‐dependent signalling pathway that is independent of MyD88. We confirm the collaboration between NFAT and NF‐κB for TNF‐α production in primary alveolar macrophages. These observations identify inhibition of a newly discovered macrophage TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT signalling pathway as a key immune defect that leads to organ transplant‐related invasive aspergillosis.
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spelling doaj-art-13031244d16d4b3ba809b9ade5152b6d2025-08-20T03:05:55ZengSpringer NatureEMBO Molecular Medicine1757-46761757-46842015-01-017324025810.15252/emmm.201404556Phagocytosis‐dependent activation of a TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT pathway co‐ordinates innate immunity to Aspergillus fumigatusSusanne Herbst0Anand Shah1Maria Mazon Moya2Vanessa Marzola3Barbara Jensen4Anna Reed5Mark A Birrell6Shinobu Saijo7Serge Mostowy8Sunil Shaunak9Darius Armstrong‐James10Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College LondonDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College LondonMRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College LondonDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College LondonLung Transplant Unit, Royal Brompton and Harefield HospitalNational Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College LondonMedical Mycology Research Centre, Chiba UniversityMRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College LondonDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College LondonAbstract Transplant recipients on calcineurin inhibitors are at high risk of invasive fungal infection. Understanding how calcineurin inhibitors impair fungal immunity is a key priority for defining risk of infection. Here, we show that the calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus impairs clearance of the major mould pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus from the airway, by inhibiting macrophage inflammatory responses. This leads to defective early neutrophil recruitment and fungal clearance. We confirm these findings in zebrafish, showing an evolutionarily conserved role for calcineurin signalling in neutrophil recruitment during inflammation. We find that calcineurin–NFAT activation is phagocytosis dependent and collaborates with NF‐κB for TNF‐α production. For yeast zymosan particles, activation of macrophage calcineurin–NFAT occurs via the phagocytic Dectin‐1–spleen tyrosine kinase pathway, but for A. fumigatus, activation occurs via a phagosomal TLR9‐dependent and Bruton's tyrosine kinase‐dependent signalling pathway that is independent of MyD88. We confirm the collaboration between NFAT and NF‐κB for TNF‐α production in primary alveolar macrophages. These observations identify inhibition of a newly discovered macrophage TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT signalling pathway as a key immune defect that leads to organ transplant‐related invasive aspergillosis.https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201404556aspergilluscalcineurinphagocytosisTLR9transplant
spellingShingle Susanne Herbst
Anand Shah
Maria Mazon Moya
Vanessa Marzola
Barbara Jensen
Anna Reed
Mark A Birrell
Shinobu Saijo
Serge Mostowy
Sunil Shaunak
Darius Armstrong‐James
Phagocytosis‐dependent activation of a TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT pathway co‐ordinates innate immunity to Aspergillus fumigatus
EMBO Molecular Medicine
aspergillus
calcineurin
phagocytosis
TLR9
transplant
title Phagocytosis‐dependent activation of a TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT pathway co‐ordinates innate immunity to Aspergillus fumigatus
title_full Phagocytosis‐dependent activation of a TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT pathway co‐ordinates innate immunity to Aspergillus fumigatus
title_fullStr Phagocytosis‐dependent activation of a TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT pathway co‐ordinates innate immunity to Aspergillus fumigatus
title_full_unstemmed Phagocytosis‐dependent activation of a TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT pathway co‐ordinates innate immunity to Aspergillus fumigatus
title_short Phagocytosis‐dependent activation of a TLR9–BTK–calcineurin–NFAT pathway co‐ordinates innate immunity to Aspergillus fumigatus
title_sort phagocytosis dependent activation of a tlr9 btk calcineurin nfat pathway co ordinates innate immunity to aspergillus fumigatus
topic aspergillus
calcineurin
phagocytosis
TLR9
transplant
url https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201404556
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