Streptococcus uberis strains isolated from the bovine mammary gland evade immune recognition by mammary epithelial cells, but not of macrophages.

Streptococcus uberis is frequently isolated from the mammary gland of dairy cattle. Infection with some strains can induce mild subclinical inflammation whilst others induce severe inflammation and clinical mastitis. We compared here the inflammatory response of primary cultures of bovine mammary epithelial cells (pbMEC) towards S. uberis strains collected from clinical or subclinical cases (seven strains each) of mastitis with the strong response elicited by Escherichia coli. Neither heat inactivated nor live S. uberis induced the expression of 10 key immune genes (including TNF, IL1B, IL6). The widely used virulent strain 0140J and the avirulent strain, EF20 elicited similar responses; as did mutants defective in capsule (hasA) or biofilm formation (sub0538 and sub0539). Streptococcus uberis failed to activate NF-κB in pbMEC or TLR2 in HEK293 cells, indicating that S. uberis particles did not induce any TLR-signaling in MEC. However, preparations of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from two strains strongly induced immune gene expression and activated NF-κB in pbMEC, without the involvement of TLR2. The immune-stimulatory LTA must be arranged in the intact S. uberis such that it is unrecognizable by the relevant pathogen receptors of the MEC. The absence of immune recognition is specific for MEC, since the same S. uberis preparations strongly induced immune gene expression and NF-κB activity in the murine macrophage model cell RAW264.7. Hence, the sluggish immune response of MEC and not of professional immune cells to this pathogen may aid establishment of the often encountered belated and subclinical phenotype of S. uberis mastitis.

Monitoring and cell-specific deletion of C5aR1 using a novel floxed GFP-C5aR1 reporter knock-in mouse.

Many of the biological properties of C5a are mediated through activation of its receptor (C5aR1), the expression of which has been demonstrated convincingly on myeloid cells, such as neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages. In contrast, conflicting results exist regarding C5aR1 expression in dendritic cells (DCs) and lymphoid lineage cells. In this article, we report the generation of a floxed GFP-C5aR1 reporter knock-in mouse. Using this mouse strain, we confirmed strong C5aR1 expression in neutrophils from bone marrow, blood, lung, and spleen, as well as in peritoneal macrophages. Further, we show C5aR1 expression in lung eosinophils, lung- and lamina propria-resident and alveolar macrophages, bone marrow-derived DCs, and lung-resident CD11b(+) and monocyte-derived DCs, whereas intestinal and pulmonary CD103(+) DCs stained negative. Also, some splenic NKT cells expressed GFP, whereas naive NK cells and B2 cells lacked GFP expression. Finally, we did not observe any C5aR1 expression in naive or activated CD4(+) Th cells in vitro or in vivo. Mating the floxed GFP-C5aR1 mouse strain with LysMCre mice, we were able to specifically delete C5aR1 in neutrophils and macrophages, whereas C5aR1 expression was retained in DCs. In summary, our findings suggest that C5aR1 expression in mice is largely restricted to cells of the myeloid lineage. The novel floxed C5aR1 reporter knock-in mouse will prove useful to track C5aR1 expression in experimental models of acute and chronic inflammation and to conditionally delete C5aR1 in immune cells.

Chemical structures of the secondary cell wall polymers (SCWPs) isolated from bovine mastitis Streptococcus uberis.

The cell envelope of Gram-positive bacteria is decorated with a variety of polysaccharides. In this study wall teichoic acid (WTA) and neutral polysaccharides were isolated from the cell envelope of bovine mastitis Streptococcus uberis. The polysaccharides were released by lysozyme treatment, and purified by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Further separation was achieved utilizing anion-exchange chromatography which yielded two products, that is, a neutral polysaccharide with a high content of Rha and less Glc (rhamnan) and an anionic phosphate-rich one containing glycerol and Glc (WTA). The structures of these molecules were elucidated applying 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance experiments as well as chemical analyses. In the rhamnan sample two independent molecules were identified, that is, a glucorhamnan with the structure →2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→3)-[α-D-Glcp-(1→2)-]α-L-Rhap-(1→, and a homopolymeric rhamnan →2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→3)-α-L-Rhap-(1→. The WTA comprised a polyphosphoglycerol chain substituted nonstoichiometrically with ß-Glcp.

Structural analysis of the lipoteichoic acids isolated from bovine mastitis Streptococcus uberis 233, Streptococcus dysgalactiae 2023 and Streptococcus agalactiae 0250.

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is an amphiphilic polycondensate located in the cell envelope of Gram-positive bacteria. In this study, LTAs were isolated from the three bovine mastitis species Streptococcus uberis 233, Streptococcus dysgalactiae 2023, and Streptococcus agalactiae 0250. Structural investigations of these LTAs were performed applying 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance experiments as well as chemical analyses and mass spectrometry. Compositional analysis revealed the presence of glycerol (Gro), Glc, alanine (Ala), and 16:0, 16:1, 18:0, 18:1. The LTAs of the three Streptococcus strains possessed the same structure, that is, a lipid anchor comprised of α-Glcp-(1→2)-α-Glcp-(1→3)-1,2-diacyl-sn-Gro and the hydrophilic backbone consisting of poly(sn-Gro-1-phosphate) randomly substituted at O-2 of Gro by d-Ala.