title: Counteracting interactions between lipopolysaccharide molecules with differential activation of toll-like receptors.
abstract: We investigated counteracting interactions between the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Escherichia coli (Ec-LPS) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg-LPS), which induce cellular activation through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and TLR2, respectively. We found that Ec-LPS induced tolerance in THP-1 cells to subsequent tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1beta) induction by Pg-LPS, though the reverse was not true, and looked for explanatory differential effects on the signal transduction pathway. Cells exposed to Pg-LPS, but not to Ec-LPS, displayed persisting expression of IL-1 receptor-associated kinase without apparent degradation, presumably allowing prolonged relay of downstream signals. Accordingly, cells pretreated with Pg-LPS, but not with Ec-LPS, were effectively activated in response to subsequent exposure to either LPS molecule, as evidenced by assessing nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activity. In fact, Pg-LPS primed THP-1 cells for enhanced NF-kappaB activation and TNF-alpha release upon restimulation with the same LPS. This was a dose-dependent effect and correlated with upregulation of surface TLR2 expression. Furthermore, we observed inhibition of NF-kappaB-dependent transcription in a reporter cell line pretreated with Ec-LPS and restimulated with Pg-LPS (compared to cells pretreated with medium only and restimulated with Pg-LPS), but not when the reverse treatment was made. Although Pg-LPS could not make cells tolerant to subsequent activation by Ec-LPS, Pg-LPS inhibited Ec-LPS-induced TNF-alpha and IL-6 release when the two molecules were added simultaneously into THP-1 cell cultures. Pg-LPS also suppressed P. gingivalis FimA protein-induced NF-kappaB-dependent transcription in the 3E10/huTLR4 reporter cell line, which does not express TLR2. This rules out competition for common signaling intermediates, suggesting that Pg-LPS may block component(s) of the TLR4 receptor complex. Interactions between TLR2 and TLR4 agonists may be important in the regulation of inflammatory reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, State University of New York at Buffalo, 14214, USA. gh6@acsu.buffalo.edu
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hajishengallis
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Schifferle
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Genco
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009000:Monocytes; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C495342:TLR2 protein, human; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors