Streptococcus pneumoniae induced c-Jun-N-terminal kinase- and AP-1 -dependent IL-8 release by lung epithelial BEAS-2B cells.

BACKGROUND: Although pneumococcal pneumonia is one of the most common causes of death due to infectious diseases, little is known about pneumococci-lung cell interaction. Herein we tested the hypothesis that pneumococci activated pulmonary epithelial cell cytokine release by c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) METHODS: Human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) or epithelial HEK293 cells were infected with S. pneumoniae R6x and cytokine induction was measured by RT-PCR, ELISA and Bioplex assay. JNK-phosphorylation was detected by Western blot and nuclear signaling was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). JNK was modulated by the small molecule inhibitor SP600125 and AP1 by transfection of a dominant negative mutant. RESULTS: S. pneumoniae induced the release of distinct CC and CXC, as well as Th1 and Th2 cytokines and growth factors by human lung epithelial cell line BEAS-2B. Furthermore, pneumococci infection resulted in JNK phosphorylation in BEAS-2B cells. Inhibition of JNK by small molecule inhibitor SP600125 reduced pneumococci-induced IL-8 mRNA expression and release of IL-8 and IL-6. One regulator of the il8 promoter is JNK-phosphorylated activator protein 1 (AP-1). We showed that S. pneumoniae time-dependently induced DNA binding of AP-1 and its phosphorylated subunit c-Jun with a maximum at 3 to 5 h after infection. Recruitment of Ser63/73-phosphorylated c-Jun and RNA polymerase II to the endogenous il8 promoter was found 2 h after S. pneumoniae infection by chromatin immunoprecipitation. AP-1 repressor A-Fos reduced IL-8 release by TLR2-overexpressing HEK293 cells induced by pneumococci but not by TNFalpha. Antisense-constructs targeting the AP-1 subunits Fra1 and Fra2 had no inhibitory effect on pneumococci-induced IL-8 release. CONCLUSION: S. pneumoniae-induced IL-8 expression by human epithelial BEAS-2B cells depended on activation of JNK and recruitment of phosphorylated c-Jun to the il8 promoter.

Pneumococci induced TLR- and Rac1-dependent NF-kappaB-recruitment to the IL-8 promoter in lung epithelial cells.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the major pathogen of community-acquired pneumonia. The respiratory epithelium constitutes the first line of defense against invading lung pathogens, including pneumococci. We analyzed the involvement of Toll-like receptors (TLR) and Rho-GTPase signaling in the activation of human lung epithelial cells by pneumococci. S. pneumoniae induced release of interleukin-8 (IL-8) by human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B. Specific inhibition of Rac1 by Nsc23766 or a dominant-negative mutant of Rac1 strongly reduced cytokine release. In addition, pneumococci-related cell activation (IL-8 release, NF-kappaB-activation) depended on MyD88, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and Cdc42 but not on RhoA. Pneumococci enhanced TLR1 and TLR2 mRNA expression in BEAS-2B cells, whereas TLR4 and TLR6 expression was constitutively high. TLR1 and 2 synergistically recognized pneumococci in cotransfection experiments. TLR4, TLR6, LPS-binding protein, and CD14 seem not to be involved in pneumococci-dependent cell activation. At the IL-8 gene promoter, recruitment of phosphorylated NF-kappaB subunit p65 was blocked by inhibition of Rac1, whereas binding of the phosphorylated activator protein-1 subunit c-Jun to the promoter was not diminished. In summary, these results suggest that S. pneumoniae activate human epithelial cells by TLR1/2 and a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase- and Rac1-dependent NF-kappaB-recruitment to the IL-8 promoter.

Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced p38 MAPK-dependent phosphorylation of RelA at the interleukin-8 promotor.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the major cause of community-acquired pneumonia and one of the most common causes of death by infectious disease in industrialized countries. Little is known concerning the mechanisms of target cell activation in this disease. The present study shows that NF-kappaB and p38 MAPK signaling pathways contribute to chemokine synthesis by lung epithelial cells in response to pneumococci. In infected lungs of mice pneumococci stimulate expression of the interleukin (IL)-8 homolog keratinocyte-derived chemokine and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, as well as activate p38 MAPK. Human bronchial epithelium was chosen as a cellular model, because it establishes the first barrier against pathogens, and little is known about its function in innate immunity. Pneumococci infection induces expression of IL-8 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor as well as activation of p38 MAPK in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). Inhibition of p38 MAPK activity by SB202190 and SB203580 blocks pneumococci-induced cytokine release. In mouse lungs in vivo as well as in cultured cells, pneumococci activate NF-kappaBinanIkappaB kinase-dependent manner. Inhibition of p38 MAPK by chemical inhibitors or by RNA interference targeting p38alpha reduces pneumococci-induced NF-kappaB-dependent gene transcription. Blockade of p38 activity did not affect inducible nuclear translocation and recruitment of NF-kappaB/RelA to the IL-8 promotor but did reduce the level of phosphorylated RelA (serine 536) at IL-8 promotor and inhibited pneumococci-mediated recruitment of RNA polymerase II to IL-8 promotor. Thus, p38 MAPK contributes to pneumococci-induced chemokine transcription by modulating p65 NF-kappaB-mediated transactivation.