The PDZ motif peptide of ZO-1 attenuates Pseudomonas aeruginosa LPS-induced airway inflammation

Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 12;10(1):19644. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-76883-9.

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to play a role in many human diseases. Therefore, examining the negative control mechanisms of tight junction protein ZO-1 on the exotoxin LPS of P. aeruginosa-induced diseases could be critical in the development of novel therapeutics. We found that ZO-1 expression dramatically decreased in inflammatory human lung tissues. Interestingly, PDZ1 deletion of the PDZ domain in the ZO-1 protein dramatically decreased LPS-induced F-actin formation and increased the expression of genes for pro-inflammatory cytokines, but not PDZ2 and PDZ3 of the ZO-1 protein. We also found that the consensus PDZ peptide (based on PDZ1) of ZO-1 down-regulates the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes and F-actin formation; in contrast, the GG24,25AA mutant PDZ peptide cannot control these genes. LPS activates IL-8 secretion extracellularly in a time-dependent manner, while the secretion is inhibited by PDZ peptide. Whereas increased IL-8 secretion by LPS activates the CXCR2 receptor, overexpressed RGS12 negatively regulates LPS-induced CXCR2/IL-8 signaling. The PDZ peptide also decreases LPS-induced inflammatory cell populations, pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression, and TEER in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and cultured alveolar macrophages. Collectively, we suggest that the PDZ peptide may be a potential therapeutic for bacteria-induced respiratory diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Humans
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • PDZ Domains*
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Pneumonia / chemically induced
  • Pneumonia / metabolism
  • Pneumonia / pathology
  • Pneumonia / prevention & control*
  • Pseudomonas Infections / complications
  • Pseudomonas Infections / drug therapy*
  • Pseudomonas Infections / microbiology
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Zonula Occludens-1 Protein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Peptides
  • TJP1 protein, human
  • Zonula Occludens-1 Protein