Understanding how Listeria monocytogenes targets and crosses host barriers

Human listeriosis is caused by the Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. In humans, this pathogen has the ability to cross the intestinal, placental and blood-brain barriers, leading to gastroenteritis, maternofetal infections and meningoencephalitis, respectively. The entry of L. monocytogenes into cultured human epithelial cells is mediated by the interaction of an L. monocytogenes surface protein, internalin, with its human receptor, E-cadherin. The internalin-E-cadherin interaction is species-specific, and relies on the nature of a single amino-acid in the E-cadherin molecule, which is proline in permissive species such as humans, and glutamic acid in non-permissive species such as the mouse. In a transgenic mouse model that expresses human E-cadherin in enterocytes, internalin allows L. monocytogenes to cross the intestinal barrier. Epidemiological evidence also supports a role for internalin in human listeriosis, not only for crossing the intestinal barrier, but also for targeting and crossing the placental and blood-brain barriers. Consistent with these epidemiological data, infection with L. monocytogenes of trophoblastic cell lines, primary trophoblast cultures and human placental villous explants demonstrates that bacterial invasion of the syncytiotrophoblast barrier is mediated by the internalin-E-cadherin interaction, leading to histopathological lesions that mimic those seen in the placentas of women with listeriosis. Thus, the internalin-E-cadherin interaction that plays a key role in the crossing of the intestinal barrier in humans is also exploited by L. monocytogenes to target and cross the placental barrier. Further investigations are currently focusing on the molecular mechanisms by which L. monocytogenes targets and crosses the blood-brain barrier.     

Rational approaches to immune regulation

Our studies are mainly focused on developing strategies of immune regulation. In the case of infectious and neoplastic disease, our approach is to upregulate cell-mediated immunity to viral of tumor antigens using an intracellular bacterium as a vector for targeting these antigens to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II pathways of antigen processing, in addition to exploiting the adjuvant properties of the vector to stimulate innate immunity. In the area of autoimmunity, we are attempting to downregulate the immune response by specific immune intervention directed against autoreactive T cells. In these studies we use murine models for multiple sclerosis. Our approach is to use both rationally designed T cell receptor (TCR) peptide analogs and recombinant viral vectors that express TCR components to regulate the disease.     

Rational approaches to immune regulation

Our laboratory is interested in the properties of proteins that render them immunogenic, and how such immunogenicity may be modulated in vivo. We are attempting to enhance the immune response in the design of more effective vaccines against viral diseases, such as HIV, and against tumor antigens expressed on breast, ovarian, and cervical cancer and B cell lymphomas. Our main approach is to use a facultative intracellular bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes, which has the unusual ability to live and grow in the cytoplasm of the cell and is thus an excellent vector for targeting passenger antigens to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I pathway of antigen processing with the generation of authentic cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) epitopes. In the field of tumor immunotherapy, we are also developing nonliving vaccine vectors for tumor antigens.     

IFNgamma and TNFalpha account for a pro-clonogenic activity secreted by activated murine peritoneal macrophages

In the present study, we found that murine peritoneal macrophages elicited by BCG or Listeria monocytogenes release into the media an activity capable of stimulating the lung colonization as well as the expression of MHC class I antigens in B16 melanoma cells. A similar activity has previously been found in media conditioned by Corynebacterium parvum-elicited macrophages. Analysis by gel filtration chromatography of media conditioned by Corynebacterium parvum-, BCG- or Listeria monocytogenes-elicited macrophages revealed that the material responsible for the pro-clonogenic activity concentrated in chromatographic fractions corresponding to molecular weights (25 to 52 kDa) which are characteristic of certain cytokines. Thus, we challenged the various macrophage-conditioned media with polyclonal antibodies against IFNγand TNFα, and found that the macrophage pro-clonogenic activity was completely abolished in the presence of anti-IFNγantibodies, but only partially inhibited by anti-TNFαantibodies. This finding suggests a cooperative participation of the two cytokines to the pro-clonogenic activity of the media conditioned by Corynebacterium parvum-, BCG- or Listeria monocytogenes-elicited macrophages. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The appearance and role of gamma delta T cells in the peritoneal cavity and liver during primary infection with Listeria monocytogenes in rats.

We have previously reported that gamma delta T cells play important roles in protection during the early stage of infection with Listeria monocytogenes in mice. To generalize the protective roles of gamma delta T cells in listerial infection to different species, we examined the appearance of gamma delta T cells during infection with L. monocytogenes in Fisher F344 rats. The numbers of bacteria in the peritoneal cavity and liver increased to a maximum level on day 3 and then decreased to an undetectable level by day 10 after an intraperitoneal infection with a sublethal dose (1 x 10(8)) of viable L. monocytogenes in rats. CD3+ alpha beta- T cells in the peritoneal cavity and liver began to increase on day 3, reached a maximum level on day 6, and thereafter decreased gradually by day 10 after infection. Northern blot analysis confirmed that the CD3+ alpha beta- T cells expressed TCR delta and gamma gene messages. In vivo treatment with anti-TCR alpha beta mAb, which suppressed most of the alpha beta T cells in the periphery and impaired resistance during the late stage of listerial infection, did not affect the host defense by day 6 after infection. A significantly increased number of gamma delta T cells was detected in the peritoneal cavity of the TCR alpha beta-suppressed rats on day 6 after infection. These results suggest that the early appearing gamma delta T cells may contribute to the host defense at a relatively early stage during listeriosis in rats.     

转录调控蛋白PrfA对两组新近发现的单核细胞增生李斯特菌基因的体外转录作用的研究

目的研究转录调控蛋白PrfA对两组新近发现的单核细胞增生李斯特菌基因的体外转录作用。方法利用本室近年来建立的体外转录系统,对两组基于转录基因组体内研究发现的5个可能的受PrfA不同调节的单核细胞增生李斯特菌基因进行了体外转录活性的研究。结果第一组中的hpt基因的体外转录活性受PrfA正调节,而其它4个基因既不被PrfA正调节也不被负调节。结论除hpt基因外,其它4个基因体外转录结果与体内实验不相一致,说明PrfA在体内可能通过复杂多样的非直接方式、或者还需要一些目前未知的因子来调控这些新近发现的基因的表达。     

Recency-Weighted Statistical Modeling Approach to Attribute Illnesses Caused by 4 Pathogens to Food Sources Using Outbreak Data,United States

Foodborne illness source attribution is foundational to a risk-based food safety system. We describe a method for attributing US foodborne illnesses caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter to 17 food categories using statistical modeling of outbreak data. This method adjusts for epidemiologic factors associated with outbreak size, down-weights older outbreaks, and estimates credibility intervals. On the basis of 952 reported outbreaks and 32,802 illnesses during 1998–2012, we attribute 77% of foodborne Salmonella illnesses to 7 food categories (seeded vegetables, eggs, chicken, other produce, pork, beef, and fruits), 82% of E. coli O157 illnesses to beef and vegetable row crops, 81% of L. monocytogenes illnesses to fruits and dairy, and 74% of Campylobacter illnesses to dairy and chicken. However, because Campylobacter outbreaks probably overrepresent dairy as a source of nonoutbreak campylobacteriosis, we caution against using these Campylobacter attribution estimates without further adjustment.     

食品中分离的李斯特氏菌的致病基因分析

１９９６—１９９７年作者对全国１２个省市的７类食品共３７４６份进行了李斯特氏菌的污染调查,共分离出李斯特氏菌１６５株。用ＰＣＲ技术对分离菌株中李斯特氏菌的２种主要致病因子李氏溶血素Ｏ和内化素的基因进行了检测,其中５７株仅有内化素基因,２７株同时具有内化素基因和李氏溶血素Ｏ基因。两种致病基因均未检出的共有８１株。本研究说明判断单增李氏菌的主要指标是小鼠毒力试验阳性而不是其溶血反应,同时检测溶血素Ｏ和内化素２种基因对单增李氏菌有鉴别意义。     

快速检测产单核李斯特菌免疫胶体金层析法的研究

目的：为产单核李斯特菌提供了一个方便快捷切实有效的检测技术。方法：采用胶体金标记产单核李斯特菌抗体制备免疫层析检测试剂，通过免疫层析作用对产单核李斯特菌进行检测。结果：通过选用柠檬酸钠改良法制备胶体金，测定其最适结合蛋白浓度为28μg／ml，构建起免疫层析检测试剂和检测方法，检测了冷冻猪肉、牛奶、冰激凌以及不同稀释度的产单核李斯特菌标准样品，灵敏度达87．5％，具有良好的重现性。结论：免疫胶体金层析法用于快速检测产单核李斯特菌是可行的。