Cyclic AMP intoxication of macrophages by a Mycobacterium tuberculosis adenylate cyclase.
With 8.9 million new cases and 1.7 million deaths per year, tuberculosis is a leading global killer that has not been effectively controlled. The causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, proliferates within host macrophages where it modifies both its intracellular and local tissue environment, resulting in caseous granulomas with incomplete bacterial sterilization. Although infection by various mycobacterial species produces a cyclic AMP burst within macrophages that influences cell signalling, the underlying mechanism for the cAMP burst remains unclear. Here we show that among the 17 adenylate cyclase genes present in M. tuberculosis, at least one (Rv0386) is required for virulence. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the Rv0386 adenylate cyclase facilitates delivery of bacterial-derived cAMP into the macrophage cytoplasm. Loss of Rv0386 and the intramacrophage cAMP it delivers results in reductions in TNF-alpha production via the protein kinase A and cAMP response-element-binding protein pathway, decreased immunopathology in animal tissues, and diminished bacterial survival. Direct intoxication of host cells by bacterial-derived cAMP may enable M. tuberculosis to modify both its intracellular and tissue environments to facilitate its long-term survival.
Agarwal
Nisheeth
N
Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, CRB2, Room 1.08, 1550 Orleans Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21231-1044, USA.
Lamichhane
Gyanu
G
Gupta
Radhika
R
Nolan
Scott
S
Bishai
William R
WR
D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases