Leptospiral LPS escapes mouse TLR4 internalization and TRIF‑associated antimicrobial responses through O antigen and associated lipoproteins

PLoS Pathog. 2020 Aug 13;16(8):e1008639. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008639. eCollection 2020 Aug.

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a worldwide re-emerging zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. All vertebrate species can be infected; humans are sensitive hosts whereas other species, such as rodents, may become long-term renal carrier reservoirs. Upon infection, innate immune responses are initiated by recognition of Microbial Associated Molecular Patterns (MAMPs) by Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs). Among MAMPs, the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is recognized by the Toll-Like-Receptor 4 (TLR4) and activates both the MyD88-dependent pathway at the plasma membrane and the TRIF-dependent pathway after TLR4 internalization. We previously showed that leptospiral LPS is not recognized by the human-TLR4, whereas it signals through mouse-TLR4 (mTLR4), which mediates mouse resistance to acute leptospirosis. However, although resistant, mice are known to be chronically infected by leptospires. Interestingly, the leptospiral LPS has low endotoxicity in mouse cells and is an agonist of TLR2, the sensor for bacterial lipoproteins. Here, we investigated the signaling properties of the leptospiral LPS in mouse macrophages. Using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry, we showed that the LPS of L. interrogans did not induce internalization of mTLR4, unlike the LPS of Escherichia coli. Consequently, the LPS failed to induce the production of the TRIF-dependent nitric oxide and RANTES, both important antimicrobial responses. Using shorter LPS and LPS devoid of TLR2 activity, we further found this mTLR4-TRIF escape to be dependent on both the co-purifying lipoproteins and the full-length O antigen. Furthermore, our data suggest that the O antigen could alter the binding of the leptospiral LPS to the co-receptor CD14 that is essential for TLR4-TRIF activation. Overall, we describe here a novel leptospiral immune escape mechanism from mouse macrophages and hypothesize that the LPS altered signaling could contribute to the stealthiness and chronicity of the leptospires in mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / genetics
  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Female
  • Leptospira / immunology*
  • Leptospirosis / immunology*
  • Leptospirosis / metabolism
  • Leptospirosis / microbiology
  • Leptospirosis / pathology
  • Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / genetics
  • Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / metabolism*
  • Lipoproteins / genetics
  • Lipoproteins / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / physiology
  • O Antigens / genetics
  • O Antigens / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2 / physiology
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / physiology*

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport
  • Cytokines
  • Lipopolysaccharide Receptors
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Lipoproteins
  • Myd88 protein, mouse
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88
  • O Antigens
  • TICAM-1 protein, mouse
  • Tlr2 protein, mouse
  • Tlr4 protein, mouse
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4

Grants and funding

This study received funding from the French Government’s Investissement d’Avenir program, Laboratoire d’Excellence “Integrative Biology of Emerging Infectious Diseases” (grant n°ANR 10 LABX 62 IBEID to IB). DB received funding from the Ecole Doctorale Frontières de l’Innovation en Recherche et Education (FIRE), Programme Bettencourt. IS was supported by the Institut Carnot Pasteur Microbes & Santé given to the Pasteur-Paris University PhD program and the “Fin de thèse de science” number FDT201805005258 granted by “Fondation pour la recherche médicale (FRM)”. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.