Novel regulators of the systemic response to lipopolysaccharide.
Our understanding of the role that host genetic factors play in the initiation and severity of infections caused by gram-negative bacteria is incomplete. To identify novel regulators of the host response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 11 inbred murine strains were challenged with LPS systemically. In addition to two strains lacking functional TLR4 (C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6J(TLR4-/-)), three murine strains with functional TLR4 (C57BL/6J, 129/SvImJ, and NZW/LacJ) were found to be relatively resistant to systemic LPS challenge; the other six strains were classified as sensitive. RNA from lung, liver, and spleen tissue was profiled on oligonucleotide microarrays to determine if unique transcripts differentiate susceptible and resistant strains. Gene expression analysis identified the Hedgehog signaling pathway and a number of transcription factors (TFs) involved in the response to LPS. RNA interference-mediated inhibition of six TFs (C/EBP, Cdx-2, E2F1, Hoxa4, Nhlh1, and Tead2) was found to diminish IL-6 and TNF-α production by murine macrophages. Mouse lines with targeted mutations were used to verify the involvement of two novel genes in innate immunity. Compared with wild-type control mice, mice deficient in the E2F1 transcription factor were found to have a reduced inflammatory response to systemic LPS, and mice heterozygote for Ptch, a gene involved in Hedgehog signaling, were found to be more responsive to systemic LPS. Our analysis of gene expression data identified novel pathways and transcription factors that regulate the host response to systemic LPS. Our results provide potential sepsis biomarkers and therapeutic targets that should be further investigated in human populations.
Center for Genes, Environment and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA. yangi@njhealth.org
Ivana V
IV
Yang
Scott
S
Alper
Brad
B
Lackford
Holly
H
Rutledge
Laura A
LA
Warg
Lauranell H
LH
Burch
David A
DA
Schwartz
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050687:E2F1 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015996:Survival Rate; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000502:physiology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D050687:E2F1 Transcription Factor; C493754:E2f1 protein, mouse; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C493487:Tlr4 protein, mouse; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4