Immune Homeostatic Macrophages Programmed by the Bacterial Surface Protein NhhA Potentiate Nasopharyngeal Carriage of Neisseria meningitidis.

ABSTRACT:

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Neisseria meningitidis colonizes the nasopharyngeal mucosa of healthy populations asymptomatically, although the bacterial surface is rich in motifs that activate the host innate immunity. What determines the tolerant host response to this bacterium in asymptomatic carriers is poorly understood. We demonstrated that the conserved meningococcal surface protein NhhA orchestrates monocyte (Mo) differentiation specifically into macrophage-like cells with a CD200R(hi) phenotype (NhhA-Mφ). In response to meningococcal stimulation, NhhA-Mφ failed to produce proinflammatory mediators. Instead, they upregulated interleukin-10 (IL-10) and Th2/regulatory T cell (Treg)-attracting chemokines, such as CCL17, CCL18, and CCL22. Moreover, NhhA-Mφ were highly efficient in eliminating bact

SUBMITTER: Wang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4752598 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature