Neisseria meningitidis-Induced Caspase-1 Activation in Human Innate Immune Cells Is LOS-Dependent

Meningococcal disease such as sepsis and meningitidis is hallmarked by an excessive inflammatory response. The causative agent, Neisseria meningitidis, expresses the endotoxin lipooligosaccharide (LOS) that is responsible for activation of immune cells and the release of proinflammatory cytokines. O...

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Main Authors: Berhane Asfaw Idosa, Anne Kelly, Susanne Jacobsson, Isak Demirel, Hans Fredlund, Eva Särndahl, Alexander Persson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Journal of Immunology Research
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/6193186
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author Berhane Asfaw Idosa
Anne Kelly
Susanne Jacobsson
Isak Demirel
Hans Fredlund
Eva Särndahl
Alexander Persson
author_facet Berhane Asfaw Idosa
Anne Kelly
Susanne Jacobsson
Isak Demirel
Hans Fredlund
Eva Särndahl
Alexander Persson
author_sort Berhane Asfaw Idosa
collection DOAJ
description Meningococcal disease such as sepsis and meningitidis is hallmarked by an excessive inflammatory response. The causative agent, Neisseria meningitidis, expresses the endotoxin lipooligosaccharide (LOS) that is responsible for activation of immune cells and the release of proinflammatory cytokines. One of the most potent proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), is activated following caspase-1 activity in the intracellular multiprotein complex called inflammasome. Inflammasomes are activated by a number of microbial factors as well as danger molecules by a two-step mechanism—priming and licensing of inflammasome activation—but there are no data available regarding a role for inflammasome activation in meningococcal disease. The aim of this study was to investigate if N. meningitidis activates the inflammasome and, if so, the role of bacterial LOS in this activation. Cells were subjected to N. meningitidis, both wild-type (FAM20) and its LOS-deficient mutant (lpxA), and priming as well as licensing of inflammasome activation was investigated. The wild-type LOS-expressing parental FAM20 serogroup C N. meningitidis (FAM20) strain significantly enhanced the caspase-1 activity in human neutrophils and monocytes, whereas lpxA was unable to induce caspase-1 activity as well as to induce IL-1β release. While the lpxA mutant induced a priming response, measured as increased expression of NLRP3 and IL1B, the LOS-expressing FAM20 further increased this priming. We conclude that although non-LOS components of N. meningitidis contribute to the priming of the inflammasome activity, LOS per se is to be considered as the central component of N. meningitidis virulence, responsible for both priming and licensing of inflammasome activation.
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spelling doaj-art-ed5c1b26b21c4cb6a82aae686405bf9d2025-08-20T03:21:11ZengWileyJournal of Immunology Research2314-88612314-71562019-01-01201910.1155/2019/61931866193186Neisseria meningitidis-Induced Caspase-1 Activation in Human Innate Immune Cells Is LOS-DependentBerhane Asfaw Idosa0Anne Kelly1Susanne Jacobsson2Isak Demirel3Hans Fredlund4Eva Särndahl5Alexander Persson6iRiSC-Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedeniRiSC-Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedeniRiSC-Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedeniRiSC-Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedeniRiSC-Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedeniRiSC-Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedeniRiSC-Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, SwedenMeningococcal disease such as sepsis and meningitidis is hallmarked by an excessive inflammatory response. The causative agent, Neisseria meningitidis, expresses the endotoxin lipooligosaccharide (LOS) that is responsible for activation of immune cells and the release of proinflammatory cytokines. One of the most potent proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), is activated following caspase-1 activity in the intracellular multiprotein complex called inflammasome. Inflammasomes are activated by a number of microbial factors as well as danger molecules by a two-step mechanism—priming and licensing of inflammasome activation—but there are no data available regarding a role for inflammasome activation in meningococcal disease. The aim of this study was to investigate if N. meningitidis activates the inflammasome and, if so, the role of bacterial LOS in this activation. Cells were subjected to N. meningitidis, both wild-type (FAM20) and its LOS-deficient mutant (lpxA), and priming as well as licensing of inflammasome activation was investigated. The wild-type LOS-expressing parental FAM20 serogroup C N. meningitidis (FAM20) strain significantly enhanced the caspase-1 activity in human neutrophils and monocytes, whereas lpxA was unable to induce caspase-1 activity as well as to induce IL-1β release. While the lpxA mutant induced a priming response, measured as increased expression of NLRP3 and IL1B, the LOS-expressing FAM20 further increased this priming. We conclude that although non-LOS components of N. meningitidis contribute to the priming of the inflammasome activity, LOS per se is to be considered as the central component of N. meningitidis virulence, responsible for both priming and licensing of inflammasome activation.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/6193186
spellingShingle Berhane Asfaw Idosa
Anne Kelly
Susanne Jacobsson
Isak Demirel
Hans Fredlund
Eva Särndahl
Alexander Persson
Neisseria meningitidis-Induced Caspase-1 Activation in Human Innate Immune Cells Is LOS-Dependent
Journal of Immunology Research
title Neisseria meningitidis-Induced Caspase-1 Activation in Human Innate Immune Cells Is LOS-Dependent
title_full Neisseria meningitidis-Induced Caspase-1 Activation in Human Innate Immune Cells Is LOS-Dependent
title_fullStr Neisseria meningitidis-Induced Caspase-1 Activation in Human Innate Immune Cells Is LOS-Dependent
title_full_unstemmed Neisseria meningitidis-Induced Caspase-1 Activation in Human Innate Immune Cells Is LOS-Dependent
title_short Neisseria meningitidis-Induced Caspase-1 Activation in Human Innate Immune Cells Is LOS-Dependent
title_sort neisseria meningitidis induced caspase 1 activation in human innate immune cells is los dependent
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/6193186
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