Bacterial superinfections are a primary cause of death during influenza pandemics and epidemics. Type I interferon (IFN) signaling contributes to increased susceptibility of mice to bacterial superinfection around day 7 post-influenza A virus (IAV) infection. Here we demonstrate that the reduced susceptibility to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at day 3 post-IAV infection, which we previously reported was due to interleukin-13 (IL-13)/IFN-γ responses, is also dependent on type I IFN signaling and its subsequent requirement for protective IL-13 production. We found, through utilization of blocking antibodies, that reduced susceptibility to MRSA at day 3 post-IAV infection was IFN-β dependent, whereas the increased susceptibility at day 7 was IFN-α dependent. IFN-β signaling early in IAV infection was required for MRSA clearance, whereas IFN-α signaling late in infection was not, though it did mediate increased susceptibility to MRSA at that time. Type I IFN receptor (IFNAR) signaling in CD11c+ and Ly6G+ cells was required for the observed reduced susceptibility at day 3 post-IAV infection. Depletion of Ly6G+ cells in mice in which IFNAR signaling was either blocked or deleted indicated that Ly6G+ cells were responsible for the IFNAR signaling-dependent susceptibility to MRSA superinfection at day 7 post-IAV infection. Thus, during IAV infection, the temporal differences in type I IFN signaling increased bactericidal activity of both CD11c+ and Ly6G+ cells at day 3 and reduced effector function of Ly6G+ cells at day 7. The temporal differential outcomes induced by IFN-β (day 3) and IFN-α (day 7) signaling through the same IFNAR resulted in differential susceptibility to MRSA at 3 and 7 days post-IAV infection.
Viruses use spatial control of constituent proteins as a means of manipulating and evading host immune systems. Similarly, precise spatial control of proteins encapsulated or presented on designed nanoparticles has the potential to biomimetically amplify or shield biological interactions. Previously, we have shown the ability to encapsulate a wide range of guest proteins within the virus-like particle (VLP) from Salmonella typhimurium bacteriophage P22, including antigenic proteins from human pathogens such as influenza. Expanding on this robust encapsulation strategy, we have used the trimeric decoration protein (Dec) from bacteriophage L as a means of controlled exterior presentation on the mature P22 VLP, to which it binds with high affinity. Through genetic fusion to the C-terminus of the Dec protein, either the 17 kDa soluble region of murine CD40L or a minimal peptide designed from the binding region of the “self-marker” CD47 was independently presented on the P22 VLP capsid exterior. Both candidates retained function when presented as a Dec-fusion. Binding of the Dec domain to the P22 capsid was minimally changed across designed constructs, as measured by surface plasmon resonance, demonstrating the broad utility of this presentation strategy. Dec-mediated presentation offers a robust, modular means of decorating the exposed exterior of the P22 capsid in order to further orchestrate responses to internally functionalized VLPs within biological systems.
Super infection in mice at day 7 post-influenza infection exacerbates bacterial pneumonia at least in part via downstream effects of increased IFN-γ signaling. Here we show that up to 3 days post-influenza infection mice have reduced susceptibility to super infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), but that super infection during that time exacerbated influenza disease. This was due to IL-13 signaling that was advantageous for resolving MRSA infection via inhibition of IFN-γ, but was detrimental to clearance of influenza virus. However, if super infection did not occur until the near resolution of influenza infection (day 7), IL-13 signaling was inhibited, at least in part by up regulation of IL-13 decoy receptor (IL-13Rα2), which in turn caused increases in IFN-γ signaling and exacerbation of bacterial infection. Understanding these cytokine sequelae is critical to development of immunotherapies for influenza-MRSA coinfection since perturbations of these sequelae at the wrong time could increase susceptibility to MRSA and/or influenza.
Influenza virus infections particularly when followed by bacterial superinfections (BSI) result in significant morbidities and mortalities especially during influenza pandemics. Type I interferons (IFNs) regulate both anti-influenza immunity and host susceptibility to subsequent BSIs. These type I IFNs consisting of, among others, 14 IFN-α's and a single IFN-β, are recognized by and signal through the heterodimeric type I IFN receptor (IFNAR) comprised of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2. However, the individual receptor subunits can bind IFN-β or IFN-α's independently of each other and induce distinct signaling. The role of type I IFN signaling in regulating host susceptibility to both viral infections and BSI has been only examined with respect to IFNAR1 deficiency. Here, we demonstrate that despite some redundancies, IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 have distinct roles in regulating both anti-influenza A virus (IAV) immunity and in shaping host susceptibility to subsequent BSI caused by S. aureus. We found IFNAR2 to be critical for anti-viral immunity. In contrast to Ifnar1−/− mice, IAV-infected Ifnar2−/− mice displayed both increased and accelerated morbidity and mortality compared to WT mice. Furthermore, unlike IFNAR1, IFNAR2 was sufficient to generate protection from lethal IAV infection when stimulated with IFN-β. With regards to BSI, unlike what we found previously in Ifnar1−/− mice, Ifnar2−/− mice were not susceptible to BSI induced on day 3 post-IAV, even though absence of IFNAR2 resulted in increased viral burden and an increased inflammatory environment. The Ifnar2−/− mice similar to what we previously found in Ifnar1−/− mice were less susceptible than WT mice to BSI induced on day 7 post-IAV, indicating that signaling through a complete receptor increases BSI susceptibility late during clinical IAV infection. Thus, our results support a role for IFNAR2 in induction of anti-IAV immune responses that are involved in altering host susceptibility to BSI and are essential for decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with IAV infection. These results begin to elucidate some of the mechanisms involved in how the individual IFNAR subunits shape the anti-viral immune response. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of examining the contributions of entire receptors, as individual subunits can induce distinct outcomes as shown here.
Although viruses and viral capsids induce rapid immune responses, little is known about viral pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that are exhibited on their surface. Here, we demonstrate that the repeating protein subunit pattern common to most virus capsids is a molecular pattern that induces a Toll-like-receptor-2 (TLR2)-dependent antiviral immune response. This early antiviral immune response regulates the clearance of subsequent bacterial superinfections, which are a primary cause of morbidities associated with influenza virus infections. Utilizing this altered susceptibility to subsequent bacterial challenge as an outcome, we determined that multiple unrelated, empty, and replication-deficient capsids initiated early TLR2-dependent immune responses, similar to intact influenza virus or murine pneumovirus. These TLR2-mediated responses driven by the capsid were not dependent upon the capsid’s shape, size, origin, or amino acid sequence. However, they were dependent upon the multisubunit arrangement of the capsid proteins, because unlike intact capsids, individual capsid subunits did not enhance bacterial clearance. Further, we demonstrated that even a linear microfilament protein built from repeating protein subunits (F-actin), but not its monomer (G-actin), induced similar kinetics of subsequent bacterial clearance as did virus capsid. However, although capsids and F-actin induced similar bacterial clearance, in macrophages they required distinct TLR2 heterodimers for this response (TLR2/6 or TLR2/1, respectively) and different phagocyte populations were involved in the execution of these responses in vivo. Our results demonstrate that TLR2 responds to invading viral particles that are composed of repeating protein subunits, indicating that this common architecture of virus capsids is a previously unrecognized molecular pattern.
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) have multiple mechanisms for altering the host immune response to aid in virus survival and propagation. While both type I and II interferons (IFNs) have been associated with increased bacterial superinfection (BSI) susceptibility, we found that in some cases type I IFNs can be beneficial for BSI outcome. Specifically, we have shown that antagonism of the type I IFN response during infection by some IAVs can lead to the development of deadly BSI. The nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) from IAV is well known for manipulating host type I IFN responses, but the viral proteins mediating BSI severity remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the PDZ-binding motif (PDZ-bm) of the NS1 C-terminal region from mouse-adapted A/Puerto Rico/8/34-H1N1 (PR8) IAV dictates BSI susceptibility through regulation of IFN-a/b production. Deletion of the NS1 PDZ-bm from PR8 IAV (PR8-TRUNC) resulted in 100% survival and decreased bacterial burden in superinfected mice compared with 0% survival in mice superinfected after PR8 infection. This reduction in BSI susceptibility after infection with PR8-TRUNC was due to the presence of IFN-b, as protection from BSI was lost in Ifn-b-/mice, resembling BSI during PR8 infection. PDZ-bm in PR8-infected mice inhibited the production of IFN-b posttranscriptionally, and both delayed and reduced expression of the tunable interferon-stimulated genes. Finally, a similar lack of BSI susceptibility, due to the presence of IFN-b on day 7 post-IAV infection, was also observed after infection of mice with A/TX98-H3N2 virus that naturally lacks a PDZ-bm in NS1, indicating that this mechanism of BSI regulation by NS1 PDZ-bm may not be restricted to PR8 IAV. These results demonstrate that the NS1 C-terminal PDZ-bm, like the one present in PR8 IAV, is involved in controlling susceptibility to BSI through the regulation of IFN-b, providing new mechanisms for NS1-mediated manipulation of host immunity and BSI severity.
Summary We show that the intranasal delivery of non-replicative virus-like particles (VLPs), which bear structural, but no antigenic similarities to respiratory pathogens, acted to prime the lungs of mice to facilitate heightened and accelerated primary immune responses to high-dose influenza challenge, thus providing a non-pathogenic model of innate imprinting. These responses corresponded closely to those observed following natural infection with the opportunistic fungus, Pneumocystis murina, and were characterized by accelerated antigen processing by dendritic cells (DCs) and alveolar macrophages (AMs), an enhanced influx of cells to the local tracheobronchial lymph node (TBLN), and early upregulation of T cell co-stimulatory/adhesion molecules. CD11c+ cells (DCs and AMs) which had been directly exposed to VLPs or Pneumocystis were necessary in facilitating the observed enhanced clearance of influenza virus. Furthermore, the repopulation of the lung by Ly-6C+ myeloid precursors relied on the expression of CCR2, and in the absence of efficient CCR2-mediated trafficking, resistance to influenza afforded by VLP- or Pneumocystis-exposure was lost. Thus, immune imprinting 72 hours after VLP-, or 2 weeks after Pneumocystis-priming was CCR2-mediated and resulted from the enhanced antigen processing, maturation, and trafficking abilities of DCs and AMs, which caused accelerated influenza-specific primary immune responses, and resulted in superior viral clearance.
Bacterial superinfections are common and often life-threatening complications of influenza infection. Others reported that increased susceptibility to superinfection occurs 7 days after influenza infection, and we demonstrated that it was due to decreased IL-13 and concomitant increase in IL13Ra2, which allowed for increased IFN-g, while early IL-13 production at day 3 provided protection from MRSA superinfection. However, mechanisms regulating IL-13 and IFN-g during influenza disease are unknown. We hypothesized that type I IFNs, induced by many respiratory infections, including those with influenza and MRSA are master regulators of susceptibility to superinfection. We determined that similar to the increase in IL-13, levels of IFN-b peaked at days 2-3 after influenza infection and were replaced by IFN-a by day 7, when mice are known to be susceptible to superinfection. At day 3 after influenza infection Ifnar-/- mice were more susceptible to MRSA superinfection, did not produce IL-13, but had increased IL13Ra2 and IFN-g compared to wild-type mice, and administration of rIL-13 to the Ifnar-/- mice partially restored protection from MRSA superinfection. Using bone marrow chimeric mice and Itgax-Cre mice we determined that early protection to superinfection required type I IFN signaling from the CD11c+ cell. These results support a role for type I IFNs in the early protective response to post-influenza superinfection and a role for their regulation of IL-13 and IFN-g.
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