TLR activation triggers the rapid differentiation of monocytes into macrophages and dendritic cells (original) (raw)

Activation and regulation of Toll-like receptors 2 and 1 in human leprosy

Nature Medicine, 2003

The expression and activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) was investigated in leprosy, a spectral disease in which clinical manifestations correlate with the type of immune response mounted toward Mycobacterium leprae. TLR2-TLR1 heterodimers mediated cell activation by killed M. leprae, indicating the presence of triacylated lipoproteins. A genome-wide scan of M. leprae detected 31 putative lipoproteins. Synthetic lipopeptides representing the 19-kD and 33-kD lipoproteins activated both monocytes and dendritic cells. Activation was enhanced by type-1 cytokines and inhibited by type-2 cytokines. In addition, interferon (IFN)-γ and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) enhanced TLR1 expression in monocytes and dendritic cells, respectively, whereas IL-4 downregulated TLR2 expression. TLR2 and TLR1 were more strongly expressed in lesions from the localized tuberculoid form (T-lep) as compared with the disseminated lepromatous form (L-lep) of the disease. These data provide evidence that regulated expression and activation of TLRs at the site of disease contribute to the host defense against microbial pathogens.

NOD2 triggers an interleukin-32–dependent human dendritic cell program in leprosy

Nature Medicine, 2012

It is unclear whether the ability of the innate immune system to recognize distinct ligands from a single microbial pathogen via multiple pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) triggers common pathways or differentially triggers specific host responses. In the human mycobacterial infection leprosy, we found that activation of monocytes via nucleotide-binding oligomerization domaincontaining protein 2 (NOD2) by its ligand muramyl dipeptide, as compared to activation via heterodimeric Toll-like receptor 2 and Toll-like receptor 1 (TLR2/1) by triacylated lipopeptide, preferentially induced differentiation into dendritic cells (DCs), which was dependent on a previously unknown interleukin-32 (IL-32)-dependent mechanism. Notably, IL-32 was sufficient to induce monocytes to rapidly differentiate into DCs, which were more efficient than granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-derived DCs in presenting antigen to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted CD8 + T cells. Expression of NOD2 and IL-32 and the frequency of CD1b + DCs at the site of leprosy infection correlated with the clinical presentation; they were greater in patients with limited as compared to progressive

Divergence of Macrophage Phagocytic and Antimicrobial Programs in Leprosy

Cell Host & Microbe, 2009

Effective innate immunity against many microbial pathogens requires macrophage programs that upregulate phagocytosis and direct antimicrobial pathways, two functions generally assumed to be coordinately regulated. Here the regulation of these key functions was investigated in human bloodderived macrophages. IL-10 induced the phagocytic pathway, including CD209 and scavenger receptors, resulting in phagocytosis of mycobacteria and oxLDL. IL-15 induced the vitamin Ddependent antimicrobial pathway and CD209, yet the cells were less phagocytic. The differential regulation of macrophage functional programs was confirmed by analysis of the spectrum of leprosy lesions: the macrophage phagocytosis pathway was prominent in the clinically progressive, multibacillary form, whereas the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial pathway predominated in the self-limited form of the disease and in patients undergoing reversal reactions from the multibacillary to the self-limited form. These data indicate that macrophage programs for phagocytosis and antimicrobial responses are distinct and differentially regulated in innate immunity in bacterial infections.

Differential Constitutive and Cytokine-Modulated Expression of Human Toll-like Receptors in Primary Neutrophils, Monocytes, and Macrophages

International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2000

Human Toll-like receptors (TLRs) comprise a family of proteins that recognizes pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and initiates host innate immune responses. Neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages are critical cellular components of the human innate immune system. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), have been shown to up-regulate microbicidal activity in these effector cells of innate immunity. Currently, the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects are not completely understood. We hypothesized that these cytokines may up-regulate TLR expression as a mechanism to facilitate microbial recognition and augment the innate immune response. Using quantitative realtime rt-PCR technology, we examined constitutive expression of TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, and TLR9 mRNA and the effects of G-CSF, GM-CSF, M-CSF, and IFN-γ on TLR mRNA expression in purified populations of normal human neutrophils, monocytes, and monocyte-derived macrophages. Relative constitutive expression of TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9 was similar in neutrophils and monocytes. Constitutive expression of TLR5 was less in neutrophils compared to monocytes. Constitutive expression of TLR4 was greater and that of TLR9 lower in monocyte-derived macrophages compared to monocytes. Of the cytokines examined, IFN-γ and GM-CSF caused the greatest effects on TLR expression. IFN-γ up-regulated TLR2 and TLR4 in neutrophils and monocytes. GM-CSF up-regulated expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in neutrophils and TLR2 in monocytes. TLR5 was down-regulated by inflammatory cytokines in monocytes. These results suggest a potential role for IFN-γ and/or GM-CSF as therapeutic immunomodulators of the host defense to infection.

High expression of myeloid-related proteins 8 and 14 characterizes an inflammatorily active but ineffective response of macrophages during leprosy

Immunology, 2004

Macrophages are decisive cells for the course of leprosy as they phagocytose Mycobacterium leprae and have the potential to in¯uence the speci®c immune response. Expression and release of the myeloid-related protein (MRP) 8 and MRP14 (S100A8 and S100A9) characterize a proin¯ammatory subtype of macrophage that is prominent in, for example, murine infection with lack of a T helper 1 cell response and in certain highly active chronic in¯ammations of mice and humans. We investigated cutaneous biopsies of the different forms of leprosy (41 untreated patients) including leprosy reaction type 1 (reversal reaction) and type 2 (erythema nodosum leprosum) (n 18) for expression of MRP8 and MRP14 by subtypes of macrophages. Concomitantly we determined serum levels of MRP8 and MRP14 by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of MRP8 and MRP14 by CD68-positive macrophages was low in tuberculoid leprosy and rose signi®cantly in borderline tuberculoid leprosy and especially in multibacillary forms, there being expressed by mycobacteria-loaded foam cells. A signi®cant rise of MRP8 and MRP14 expression also occurred in lepra reactions compared to the corresponding non-reactional forms. In type 2 reactions this additional increase was associated with a sigi®cant elevation of serum levels. In type 1 it was associated with expression of MRP8 and MRP14 by epitheloid and giant cells, which so far were considered not to express both proteins. In conclusion, we present evidence that the two prominent proteins MRP8 and MRP14 can be re-expressed in vivo by tissue macrophages in chronic infection, that their increased expression is characteristic for a macrophage subtype associated with high in¯ammatory but low antimycobacterial activity in the absence of a T helper 1 response, and that their signi®cant rise in serum during erythema nodosum leprosum bears diagnostic and pathophysiological relevance.

Leprosy and the Adaptation of Human Toll-Like Receptor 1

PLOS Pathogens, 2010

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by the obligate intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium leprae and remains endemic in many parts of the world. Despite several major studies on susceptibility to leprosy, few genomic loci have been replicated independently. We have conducted an association analysis of more than 1,500 individuals from different case-control and family studies, and observed consistent associations between genetic variants in both TLR1 and the HLA-DRB1/DQA1 regions with susceptibility to leprosy (TLR1 I602S, case-control P = 5.7610 28 , OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.20-0.48, and HLA-DQA1 rs1071630, case-control P = 4.9610 214 , OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.35-0.54). The effect sizes of these associations suggest that TLR1 and HLA-DRB1/DQA1 are major susceptibility genes in susceptibility to leprosy. Further population differentiation analysis shows that the TLR1 locus is extremely differentiated. The protective dysfunctional 602S allele is rare in Africa but expands to become the dominant allele among individuals of European descent. This supports the hypothesis that this locus may be under selection from mycobacteria or other pathogens that are recognized by TLR1 and its co-receptors. These observations provide insight into the long standing host-pathogen relationship between human and mycobacteria and highlight the key role of the TLR pathway in infectious diseases.

In Situ Type 1 Cytokine Gene Expression and Mechanisms Associated with Early Leprosy Progression

The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2003

We explored the prognostic value of in situ cytokine patterns in 39 patients with single-skin-lesion paucibacillary leprosy before single-dose therapy, with 3 years of follow-up. Interferon (IFN)-g, interleukin (IL)-12, IL-10, IL-4, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a, and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1a mRNA was quantified in skin biopsy samples at diagnosis, and Mycobacterium leprae DNA was detected in 51.4% of cases. Type 1 immunity predominance with measurable IFN-g and undetectable IL-4, which is indicative of effective cell-mediated immunity, is compatible with both the reversal reactions (33.3%) and the resolution of lesions (64.1%) observed. A positive correlation between IL-12 and IFN-g indicated type 1 polarization via IL-12. The TNF-a/MIP-1a correlation implied the TNF-a induction of chemokines, which is important for granuloma formation. Positive correlations between key regulatory cytokines-IL-10 and IFN-g, IL-10 and IL-12, and IL-10 and TNF-a-suggests that there may be some level of an intralesional pro-or anti-inflammatory mechanism essential in avoiding immunopathology.

The influence of innate and adaptative immune responses on the differential clinical outcomes of leprosy

Infectious diseases of poverty, 2017

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. According to official reports from 121 countries across five WHO regions, there were 213 899 newly diagnosed cases in 2014. Although leprosy affects the skin and peripheral nerves, it can present across a spectrum of clinical and histopathological forms that are strongly influenced by the immune response of the infected individuals. These forms comprise the extremes of tuberculoid leprosy (TT), with a M. leprae-specific Th1, but also a Th17, response that limits M. leprae multiplication, through to lepromatous leprosy (LL), with M. leprae-specific Th2 and T regulatory responses that do not control M. leprae replication but rather allow bacterial dissemination. The interpolar borderline clinical forms present with similar, but less extreme, immune biases. Acute inflammatory episodes, known as leprosy reactions, are complications that may occur before, during or after treatment, and cause further neurological dama...

Regulation of Toll-Like Receptors in Human Monocytes and Dendritic Cells

The Journal of Immunology, 2001

A number of pathogens induce immature dendritic cells (iDC) to migrate to lymphoid organs where, as mature DC (mDC), they serve as efficient APC. We hypothesized that pathogen recognition by iDC is mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), and asked which TLRs are expressed during the progression of monocytes to mDC. We first measured mRNA levels for TLRs 1-5 and MD2 (a protein required for TLR4 function) by Northern analysis. For most TLRs, message expression decreased severalfold as monocytes differentiated into iDC, but opposing this trend, TLR3 and MD2 showed marked increases during iDC formation. When iDC were induced to mature with LPS or TNF-␣, expression of most TLRs transiently increased and then nearly disappeared. Stimulation of iDC, but not mDC, with LPS resulted in the activation of IL-1 receptor-associated kinase, an early component in the TLR signaling pathway, strongly suggesting that LPS signals through a TLR. Surface expression of TLRs 1 and 4, as measured by mAb binding, was very low, corresponding to a few thousand molecules per cell in monocytes, and a few hundred or less in iDC. We conclude that TLRs are expressed in iDC and are involved in responses to at least one pathogenderived substance, LPS. If TLR4 is solely responsible for LPS signaling in humans, as it is in mice, then its extremely low surface expression implies that it is a very efficient signal transducer in iDC.