title: TLR signalling augments macrophage bactericidal activity through mitochondrial ROS.
abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential components of the innate immune response against intracellular bacteria and it is thought that professional phagocytes generate ROS primarily via the phagosomal NADPH oxidase machinery. However, recent studies have suggested that mitochondrial ROS (mROS) also contribute to mouse macrophage bactericidal activity, although the mechanisms linking innate immune signalling to mitochondria for mROS generation remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that engagement of a subset of Toll-like receptors (TLR1, TLR2 and TLR4) results in the recruitment of mitochondria to macrophage phagosomes and augments mROS production. This response involves translocation of a TLR signalling adaptor, tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), to mitochondria, where it engages the protein ECSIT (evolutionarily conserved signalling intermediate in Toll pathways), which is implicated in mitochondrial respiratory chain assembly. Interaction with TRAF6 leads to ECSIT ubiquitination and enrichment at the mitochondrial periphery, resulting in increased mitochondrial and cellular ROS generation. ECSIT- and TRAF6-depleted macrophages have decreased levels of TLR-induced ROS and are significantly impaired in their ability to kill intracellular bacteria. Additionally, reducing macrophage mROS levels by expressing catalase in mitochondria results in defective bacterial killing, confirming the role of mROS in bactericidal activity. These results reveal a novel pathway linking innate immune signalling to mitochondria, implicate mROS as an important component of antibacterial responses and further establish mitochondria as hubs for innate immune signalling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
authors.forename: A Phillip
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Igor E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Brodsky
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rahner
authors.forename: Dong Kyun
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Hediye
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erdjument-Bromage
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tempst
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Yongwon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Gerald S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Shadel
authors.forename: Sankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D010588:Phagosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D012475:Salmonella / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D048029:TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6 / Q000378:metabolism; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000378:metabolism; D054875:Ubiquitination
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C558806:ECSIT protein, mouse; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D048029:TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D002374:Catalase; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases