title: TLR4-dependent recognition of lipopolysaccharide by epithelial cells requires sCD14.
abstract: Epithelial cells lining the urinary bladder mucosa are engaged in numerous functions that act in concert to prevent exposure of the sensitive upper urinary tract to bacteria. This protective effect was recently suggested to be achieved mainly by compartmentalized, organ-specific expression of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 within epithelial cells of the urogenital tract. Here, we show that bladder epithelial cells recognize similarly low amounts of LPS as macrophages. LPS responsiveness measured as secretion of the chemoattractant interleukin 8 demonstrates a dependency on TLR4 in epithelial cells, which is similar to the situation in macrophages. The TLR4-mediated LPS response in bladder epithelial cells also uses the co-receptor CD14 for efficient LPS signalling. However, bladder epithelial cells do not express endogenous CD14 and are therefore dependent on the soluble form of CD14 that is present in body fluids. Furthermore, we demonstrate that epithelial chemokine production is augmented by type 1-mediated attachment of uropathogenic Escherichia coli in the absence, but not in the presence, of CD14. Collectively, our findings strengthen the role for bladder epithelial cells as important players in the innate immune system within the urinary tract.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Tumorbiology Center, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bäckhed
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Normark
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richter-Dahlfors
mesh_terms: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D019459:Urothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007375:Interleukin-1; D016209:Interleukin-8; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors