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Role of TGF-β in the Differential Effect of Neisseria gonorrhoeae on the Generation of Th1, Th2, and Th17 Immune Responses

ABSTRACT: The immune response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae is poorly understood, but its extensive antigenic variability and resistance to complement are thought to allow it to evade destruction by the host’s immune defenses. We propose that N. gonorrhoeae also avoids inducing protective immune responses in the first place. We previously found that N. gonorrhoeae induces IL-17-dependent innate responses in mice and suppresses Th1/Th2-dependent adaptive responses in murine cells in vitro through the induction of TGF-β. In this study using a murine model of vaginal gonococcal infection, mice treated with anti-TGF-β antibody during primary infection showed accelerated clearance of N. gonorrhoeae with incipient development of Th1 and Th2 responses and diminished Th17 responses in genital tract tissue. Upon secondary reinfection, mice that had been treated with anti-TGF-β during primary infection showed anamnestic recall of both Th1 and Th2 responses, with the development of anti-gonococcal antibodies in serum and secretions, and enhanced resistance to reinfection. In knockout mouse strains defective in Th1 or Th2 responses, accelerated clearance of primary infection due to anti-TGF-β treatment was dependent on Th1 but not Th2 activity, whereas resistance to secondary infection resulting from anti-TGF-β treatment during primary infection was due to both Th1- and Th2-dependent memory responses. We propose that N. gonorrhoeae proactively elicits Th-17-driven innate responses that it can resist, and suppresses Th1/Th2-driven specific adaptive immunity that would protect the host. Blockade of TGF-β reverses this pattern of host immune responsiveness and facilitates the emergence of protective anti-gonococcal immunity.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE28055 | GEO | 2011/03/22

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA139773

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:The immune response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae is poorly understood, but its extensive antigenic variability and resistance to complement are thought to allow it to evade destruction by the host’s immune defenses. We propose that N. gonorrhoeae also avoids inducing protective immune responses in the first place. We previously found that N. gonorrhoeae induces IL-17-dependent innate responses in mice and suppresses Th1/Th2-dependent adaptive responses in murine cells in vitro through the induction of TGF-β. In this study using a murine model of vaginal gonococcal infection, mice treated with anti-TGF-β antibody during primary infection showed accelerated clearance of N. gonorrhoeae with incipient development of Th1 and Th2 responses and diminished Th17 responses in genital tract tissue. Upon secondary reinfection, mice that had been treated with anti-TGF-β during primary infection showed anamnestic recall of both Th1 and Th2 responses, with the development of anti-gonococcal antibodies in serum and secretions, and enhanced resistance to reinfection. In knockout mouse strains defective in Th1 or Th2 responses, accelerated clearance of primary infection due to anti-TGF-β treatment was dependent on Th1 but not Th2 activity, whereas resistance to secondary infection resulting from anti-TGF-β treatment during primary infection was due to both Th1- and Th2-dependent memory responses. We propose that N. gonorrhoeae proactively elicits Th-17-driven innate responses that it can resist, and suppresses Th1/Th2-driven specific adaptive immunity that would protect the host. Blockade of TGF-β reverses this pattern of host immune responsiveness and facilitates the emergence of protective anti-gonococcal immunity. We only did microarray assay for wild-type mice with or without anti-TGF-b treatment. Experiment A: Totally there are three groups: Sham-infected mice without treatment; N.gonorrhoeae-infected with control IgG treatment; N.gonorrhoeae-infected with anti-TGF-β treatment. For each group, two mice were studied. Total RNA from mouse vagina were analysed. Experiment B: Totally there are three groups: Sham-reinfected mice without treatment; N.gonorrhoeae-reinfected with control IgG treatment; N.gonorrhoeae-reinfected with anti-TGF-β treatment. For each group, two mice were studied. Total RNA from mouse vagina were analysed.

Project description:The emergence of fully antimicrobial resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae has led global public health agencies to identify a critical need for next generation anti-gonococcal pharmaceuticals. The development and success of these compounds will rely upon valid pre-clinical models of gonorrhoeae infection. We recently developed and reported the first model of upper genital tract gonococcal infection. During initial characterization, we observed significant reproductive cycle-based variation in infection outcome. When uterine infection occurred in the diestrus phase, there was significantly greater pathology than during estrus phase. The aim of this study was to evaluate transcriptional profiles of infected uterine tissue from mice in either estrus or diestrus phase in order to elucidate possible mechanisms for these differences. Genes and biological pathways with phase-independent induction during infection showed a chemokine dominant cytokine response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Despite general induction being phase-independent, this common anti-gonococcal response demonstrated greater induction during diestrus phase infection. Greater activity of granulocyte adhesion and diapedesis regulators during diestrus infection, particularly in chemokines and diapedesis regulators, was also shown. In addition to a greater induction of the common anti-gonococcal response, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) identified a diestrus-specific induction of type-1 interferon signaling pathways. This transcriptional analysis of murine uterine gonococcal infection during distinct points in the natural reproductive cycle provided evidence for a common anti-gonococcal response characterized by significant induction of granulocyte chemokine expression and high proinflammatory mediators. The basic biology of this host response to N. gonorrhoeae in estrus and diestrus is similar at the pathway level, but varies drastically in magnitude. Overlaying this, we observed type-1 interferon induction specifically in diestrus infection where greater pathology is observed. This supports recent work suggesting this pathway has a significant, possibly host-detrimental, function in gonococcal infection. Together these findings lay the groundwork for further examination of the role of interferons in gonococcal infection. Additionally, this work enables the implementation of the diestrus uterine infection model using the newly characterized host response as a marker of pathology and its prevention as a correlate of candidate vaccine efficacy and ability to protect against the devastating consequences of N. gonorrhoeae-associated sequelae. Murine microarrays were used to examine transcriptional differences underlying significantly different phenotypes associated with uterine N. gonorrhoeae infection in the estrus versus diestrus phases of the natural reproductive cycle.

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Role of TGF-β in the Differential Effect of Neisseria gonorrhoeae on the Generation of Th1, Th2, and Th17 Immune Responses

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