A role for vitamin A in host defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been suggested through epidemiological and in vitro studies; however, the antimicrobial mechanism is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that vitamin A mediates host defense through regulation of cellular cholesterol content. Comparison of monocytes stimulated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the biologically active forms of vitamin A and vitamin D respectively, indicates that ATRA and 1,25D3 induce mechanistically distinct antimicrobial activities. Gene expression profiling reveals that ATRA but not 1,25D3 triggers a lipid metabolism and efflux pathway, including expression of lysosomal lipid transport gene NPC2. ATRA-induced decrease in total cellular cholesterol content, subcellular lipid reorganization, lysosomal acidification and antimicrobial activity are all dependent upon expression of NPC2. Finally, the addition of HIV-protease inhibitors known to inhibit cholesterol efflux, Ritonavir and Nelfinavir, blocked both ATRA-induced cholesterol decrease as well as antimicrobial activity. Taken together, these results suggest that the vitamin A-mediated host defense mechanism against M. tuberculosis requires regulation of cellular cholesterol.
All-trans retinoic acid-triggered antimicrobial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis is dependent on NPC2.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesTuberculosis remains a major cause of death from an infectious disease worldwide, yet only 10% of people infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis develop disease. Defining both necessary and sufficient immunologic determinants of protection remains a great scientific challenge. Analysis of peripheral blood gene expression profiles of active tuberculosis patients has identified correlates of risk for disease or pathogenesis. We sought to identify human potential candidate markers of host defense by studying gene expression profiles of macrophages, cells which, upon infection by M. tuberculosis, can mount an antimicrobial response. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed an association between the cytokine, IL-32, and the vitamin D antimicrobial pathway in a network of IFN- and IL-15 induced defense response genes. IL-32 was sufficient for induction of the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial peptides, cathelicidin and DEFB4, and generation of antimicrobial activity in vitro, dependent on the presence of adequate 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The IL-15 induced defense response macrophage gene network was integrated with ranked pairwise comparisons of gene expression from five different clinical data sets of latent vs. active tuberculosis or healthy controls, and a co-expression network derived from gene expression in patients with tuberculosis undergoing chemotherapy. Together, these analyses identified eight common genes, including IL-32, as molecular markers of latent tuberculosis and the IL-15 induced gene network. Inferring that maintaining M. tuberculosis in a latent state and preventing transition to active disease represents host resistance, we believe these results identify IL-32 as one functional marker and potential correlate of protection against active tuberculosis.
IL-32 is a molecular marker of a host defense network in human tuberculosis.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesTranscriptome profiles derived from the site of human disease has led to the identification of genes that contribute to pathogenesis, yet the complex mixture of cell types in these lesions has been an obstacle for defining specific mechanisms. Leprosy provides an outstanding model to study host defense and pathogenesis in a human infectious disease, given its clinical spectrum which interrelates with the host immunologic and pathologic responses. Here, we investigated gene expression profiles derived from skin lesions for each clinical subtype of leprosy, analyzing gene co-expression modules by cell type deconvolution. In lesions from tuberculoid leprosy patients, those with the self-limited form of the disease, dendritic cells were linked with MMP12 as part of a tissue remodeling network that contributes to granuloma formation. In lesions from lepromatous leprosy patients, those with disseminated disease, macrophages were linked with a gene network that programs phagocytosis. In erythema nodosum leprosum, neutrophil and endothelial cell gene networks were identified as part of the vasculitis that results in tissue injury. The present integrated computational approach provides a systems approach towards identifying cell-defined functional networks that contribute to host defense and immunopathology at the site of human infectious disease.
Cell-type deconvolution with immune pathways identifies gene networks of host defense and immunopathology in leprosy.
Specimen part, Disease
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