Wolbachia endosymbiotic bacteria of Brugia malayi mediate macrophage tolerance to TLR- and CD40-specific stimuli in a MyD88/TLR2-dependent manner.
Lymphatic filarial nematodes are able to down-regulate parasite-specific and nonspecific responses of lymphocytes and APC. Lymphatic filariae are reliant on Wolbachia endosymbiotic bacteria for development and survival. We tested the hypothesis that repeated exposure to Wolbachia endosymbionts would drive macrophage tolerance in vitro and in vivo. We pre-exposed murine peritoneal-elicited macrophages to soluble extracts of Brugia malayi female worms (BMFE) before restimulating with BMFE or TLR agonists. BMFE tolerized macrophages (in terms of IFN-beta, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-12p40, and TNF-alpha inflammatory cytokine production) in a dose-dependent manner toward self, LPS, MyD88-dependent TLR2 or TLR9 ligands (peptidoglycan, triacyl lipopeptide, CpG DNA) and the MyD88-independent/TRIF-dependent TLR3 ligand, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid. This was accompanied with down-regulation in surface expression of TLR4 and up-regulation of CD14, CD40, and TLR2. BMFE tolerance extended to CD40 activation in vitro and systemic inflammation following lethal challenge in an in vivo model of endotoxin shock. The mechanism of BMFE-mediated macrophage tolerance was dependent on MyD88 and TLR2 but not TLR4. Evidence that desensitization was driven by Wolbachia-specific ligands was determined by use of extracts from Wolbachia-depleted B. malayi, aposymbiotic filarial species, and a cell line stably infected with Wolbachia pipientis. Our data promote a role for Wolbachia in contributing toward the dysregulated and tolerized immunological phenotype that accompanies the majority of human filarial infections.
Turner
Joseph D
JD
Filariasis Research Laboratory, Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Langley
R Stuart
RS
Johnston
Kelly L
KL
Egerton
Gill
G
Wanji
Samuel
S
Taylor
Mark J
MJ
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D017178:Brugia malayi / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000276:immunology; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000276:immunology*; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D020577:Wolbachia / Q000276:immunology*
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C507779:MYD88 protein, human; C507780:Myd88 protein, mouse; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; C508961:Tgfb1 protein, mouse; C493486:Tlr2 protein, mouse; C493487:Tlr4 protein, mouse; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1