Reduction of ROS-HIF1α-driven glycolysis by taurine alleviates Streptococcus uberis infection

Food Funct. 2022 Feb 21;13(4):1774-1784. doi: 10.1039/d1fo03909a.

Abstract

Antibiotic-resistant strains of Streptococcus uberis (S. uberis) frequently cause clinical mastitis in dairy cows resulting in enormous economic losses. The regulation of immunometabolism is a promising strategy for controlling this bacterial infection. To investigate whether taurine alleviates S. uberis infection by the regulation of host glycolysis via HIF1α, the murine mammary epithelial cell line (EpH4-Ev) and C57BL/6J mice were challenged with S. uberis. Our data indicate that HIF1α-driven glycolysis promotes inflammation and damage in response to the S. uberis challenge. The activation of HIF1α is dependent on mTOR-mediated ROS production. These results were confirmed in vivo. Taurine, an intracellular metabolite present in most animal tissues, has been shown to effectively modulate HIF1α-triggered metabolic reprogramming and contributes to a reduction of inflammation, which reduces mammary tissue damage and prevents mammary gland dysfunction in S. uberis-induced mastitis. These data provide a novel putative prophylactic and therapeutic strategy for amelioration of dairy cow mastitis and bacterial inflammation.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Female
  • Glycolysis / drug effects*
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism*
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / cytology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Streptococcal Infections / metabolism*
  • Streptococcus / drug effects
  • Taurine / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Hif1a protein, mouse
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Taurine

Supplementary concepts

  • Streptococcus uberis