Innate immune response of alveolar macrophage to house dust mite allergen is mediated through TLR2/-4 co-activation

PLoS One. 2013 Oct 1;8(10):e75983. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075983. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

House dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p), is one of the major allergens responsible for allergic asthma. However, the putative receptors involved in the signalization of Der p to the innate immune cells are still poorly defined as well as the impact of their activation on the outcome of the allergen-induced cell response. We previously reported that the HDM activation of mouse alveolar macrophages (AM) involves the TLR4/CD14 cell surface receptor complex. Here using a TLR ligand screening essay, we demonstrate that HDM protein extract engages the TLR2, in addition to the TLR4, in engineered TLR-transfected HEK cells but also in the MH-S mouse alveolar macrophage cell line model. Moreover we found that the concomitant recruitment of the MH-S cell's TLR2 and TLR4 receptors by the HDM extract activates the MyD88-dependent signaling pathway and leads to the secretion of the NF-κB regulated pro-inflammatory factors NO and TNF-α. However unlike with the canonical TLR4 ligand (i.e. the bacterial LPS) mobilization of TLR4 by the HDM extract induces a reduced production of the IL-12 pro-inflammatory cytokine and fails to trigger the expression of the T-bet transcription factor. Finally we demonstrated that HDM extract down-regulates LPS induced IL-12 and T-bet expression through a TLR2 dependent mechanism. Therefore, we propose that the simultaneous engagement of the TLR2 and TLR4 receptors by the HDM extract results in a cross regulated original activation pattern of the AM which may contribute to the Th2 polarization of the allergen-induced immune response. The deciphering of these cross-regulation networks is of prime importance to open the way for original therapeutic strategies taking advantage of these receptors and their associated signaling pathways to treat allergic asthma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Dermatophagoides / immunology*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Interleukin-12 / biosynthesis
  • Ligands
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Nitric Oxide / biosynthesis
  • T-Box Domain Proteins / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / immunology
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2 / agonists
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2 / metabolism*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / agonists
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / biosynthesis

Substances

  • Antigens, Dermatophagoides
  • Ligands
  • T-Box Domain Proteins
  • T-box transcription factor TBX21
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interleukin-12
  • Nitric Oxide

Grants and funding

This work was supported by an International Joint Project for Scientific Cooperation from the CNRS (France) and the NSC (Taïwan). Chia Fang Liu was supported by the FIT (French Institute in Taiwan: Fourier Grants), the NSC (Grants for Graduate Students Study Abroad Program), the NCKU of Tainan (Taiwan) and the IPBS, Toulouse (France). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.