Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins constitute a class of negative regulators for Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathways. These ...intracellular proteins are induced by cytokine signaling, but they can also be induced by stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLR). It has even been suggested that SOCS proteins are important negative regulators of TLR signaling. Here we have elucidated the nature of the regulatory role of SOCS in TLR signaling. Induction of SOCS-3 and cytokine-inducible Src homology 2-containing protein (CIS) by TLR stimulation was strictly dependent on MyD88 but showed differing needs in case of SOCS-1. However, induction of SOCS proteins by TLR ligands was independent of type I interferon. In macrophages overexpressing SOCS, we were not able to observe an inhibitory effect of SOCS-1, SOCS-2, SOCS-3, or CIS on prototypical TLR target genes such as tumor necrosis factor-α. However, we found that TLR-2, TLR-3, TLR-4, and TLR-9 stimulation induced interferon-β (IFN-β), which is able to exert auto- and paracrine signaling, leading to the activation of secondary genes like IP-10. SOCS-1 and, to a lesser extent, SOCS-3 and CIS were able to inhibit this indirect signaling pathway following TLR stimulation, whereas neither MAP kinase nor NFκB signaling were affected. However, STAT-1 tyrosine phosphorylation following TLR triggering was severely impaired by SOCS-1 overexpression. Thus, our data suggest that SOCS proteins induced by TLR stimulation limit the extent of TLR signaling by inhibiting type I IFN signaling but not the main NFκB pathway.
The innate immune system builds up the body's first line of defense against invading pathogenic microorganisms. For effective defense of pathogenic invaders, a structured inflammatory reaction has to ...be initiated that is strongly dependent on cell-to-cell communication. Inflammation in turn is a potentially autodestructive reaction that is tightly controlled to balance antimicrobial activity and host damage. Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins have been identified as crucial negative regulators of various hematopoietic cytokines employing Janus kinas (JAK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling. Further results now imply that also signaling by pattern recognition receptors (PRR) of the innate immune system that use a distinct signaling cascade induce and get regulated by SOCS proteins. Thus, SOCS proteins not only modulate cell communication through JAK/STAT dependent cytokines but also regulate signaling by pattern recognition receptors including the Toll-like receptors (TLRs). A model is presented that integrates the current, partly conflicting, data on the role of SOCS proteins in innate immunity's NFkappaB signaling.
Chronic
infections play an important role in the progress of lung disease in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF). Recent studies indicate that polymicrobial microbiome profiles in the airway ...are associated with less inflammation. Thus, the hypothesis was raised that certain commensal bacteria might protect the host from inflammation. We therefore performed a screening study with commensals isolated from CF airway microbiome samples to identify potential beneficial commensals. We isolated more than 80 aerobic or facultative anaerobic commensal strains, including strains from genera
,
,
,
,
,
and
. Through a screening experiment of co-infection in human epithelial cell lines, we identified multiple commensal strains, especially strains belonging to
, that reduced
triggered inflammatory responses. The results were confirmed by co-infection experiments in
precision cut lung slices (PCLS) from mice. The underlying mechanisms of the complex host-pathogen-commensal crosstalk were investigated from both the host and the bacterial sides with a focus on
. Transcriptome changes in the host in response to co-infection and mono-infection were evaluated, and the results indicated that several signalling pathways mediating inflammatory responses were downregulated by co-infection with
compared to
mono-infection, such as neutrophil extracellular trap formation. The genomic differences among
strains with and without protective effects were investigated by whole genome sequencing, revealing genes only present in the
strains showing protective effects. In summary, through both
and
studies, we could identify a variety of commensal strains that may reduce host inflammatory responses induced by
infection. These findings support the hypothesis that CF airway commensals may protect the host from inflammation.
The stratum corneum as the outermost epidermal layer protects against exsiccation and infection. Both the underlying cornified envelope (CE) and the intercellular lipid matrix contribute essentially ...to these two main protective barriers. Epidermis-unique ceramides with ultra-long-chain acyl moities (ULC-Cers) are key components of extracellular lipid lamellae (ELL) and are bound to CE proteins, thereby contributing to the cornified lipid envelope (CLE). Here, we identified human and mouse ceramide synthase 3 (CerS3), among CerS1-6, to be exclusively required for the ULC-Cer synthesis in vitro and of mouse CerS3 in vivo. Deficiency of CerS3 in mice results in complete loss of ULC-Cers (≥C26), lack of continuous ELL and a non-functional CLE. Consequently, newborn mutant mice die shortly after birth from transepidermal water loss. Mutant skin is prone to Candida albicans infection highlighting ULC-Cers to be pivotal for both barrier functions. Persistent periderm, hyperkeratosis and deficient cornification are hallmarks of mutant skin demonstrating loss of Cers to trigger a keratinocyte maturation arrest at an embryonic pre-barrier stage.
Abstract
Comparing seroprevalence and antibody kinetics in three different commercially available assays for SARS-CoV-2. Serostatus of COVID-19 patients was analyzed 5 months and 10 months after ...their infection, using three different assays: Diasorin LIAISON, Euroimmun, Abbott Diagnostics ARCHITECT. Seropositivity at baseline differed significantly depending on the assay (Diasorin 81%, Euroimmun 83%, Abbott 59%). At follow-up antibody levels detected in the Diasorin assay were stable, while there was a significant loss in seropositivity in the Euroimmun and Abbott assays. There are significant differences in SARS-CoV-2 antibody kinetics based on the specific assay used.
To evaluate the role of childcare facilities in the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a longitudinal study to gain further knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 ...prevalence, transmission, and spread among preschool children, their parents, and their caregivers.
Children aged 1-6 years, their parents, and their caregivers in 14 childcare facilities in Dresden, Saxony/Germany were invited to participate in the KiTaCoviDD19-study between July 2020 and January 2021. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was assessed up to 4 times during the study period in all participating adults, and demographic characteristics, as well as epidemiologic information on personal SARS-CoV-2 history were obtained. Samples for stool virus shedding of SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction every 2-4 weeks in all participating children.
In total, 318 children, 299 parents and 233 childcare workers were enrolled. By January 2021, 11% of the participating adults were found to be seropositive, whereas the percentage of children shedding SARS-CoV-2 was 6.8%. Overall, we detected 17 children with SARS-CoV-2 virus shedding in 8 different childcare facilities. In 4 facilities, there were a maximum of 3 connected cases in children. Approximately 50% of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the children could not be connected to a secondary case in our study population.
This study does not provide evidence of relevant asymptomatic (“silent”) spread of SARS-CoV-2 in childcare facilities in both low- and high-prevalence settings. Our findings add to the evidence that childcare and educational settings do not have a crucial role in driving the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Acute ischemic stroke in humans is associated with profound alterations in the immune system. Hallmarks of this stroke-induced immunodepression syndrome are: lymphocytopenia, impairment of T helper ...cell and monocyte function. We studied which stroke-specific factors predict these immunologic alterations and subsequent infections.
Leukocyte/lymphocyte subsets were assessed serially by white blood cell count and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis in ischemic stroke patients (n=50) at baseline, day 1, and day 4 after stroke onset and compared to an age-matched control group (n=40). Concomitantly, monocytic human leukocyte antigen-DR expression and the in vitro function of blood monocytes measured by the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha upon stimulation with lipopolysaccharide were assessed. Associations of these immunologic parameters with stroke specific factors (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, infarct size) were explored. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to identify early predictors for poststroke respiratory and urinary tract infections.
Infarct volume was the main factor associated with lymphocytopenia on day 1 and day 4 poststroke. Particularly, blood natural killer cell counts were reduced after stroke. Monocyte counts increased after ischemia paralleled by a profound deactivation predominantly after extensive infarcts. Reduced T helper cell counts, monocytic human leukocyte antigen-DR expression, and monocytic in vitro production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha were associated with infections in univariate analyses. However, only stroke volume prevailed as independent early predictor for respiratory infections (OR 1.03; CI 1.01 to 1.04).
Infarct volume determines the extent of lymphocytopenia, monocyte dysfunction, and is a main predictor for subsequent infections.
It is so far unclear how the COVID-19 winter waves started and what should be done to prevent possible future waves. In this study, we deciphered the dynamic course of a winter wave in 2021 in ...Saxony, a state in Eastern Germany neighbouring the Czech Republic and Poland. The study was carried out through the integration of multiple virus genomic epidemiology approaches to track transmission chains, identify emerging variants and investigate dynamic changes in transmission clusters. For identified local variants of interest, functional evaluations were performed. Multiple long-lasting community transmission clusters have been identified acting as driving force for the winter wave 2021. Analysis of the dynamic courses of two representative clusters indicated a similar transmission pattern. However, the transmission cluster caused by a locally occurring new Delta variant AY.36.1 showed a distinct transmission pattern, and functional analyses revealed a replication advantage of it. This study indicated that long-lasting community transmission clusters starting since early autumn caused by imported or locally occurring variants all contributed to the development of the 2021 winter wave. The information we achieved might help future pandemic prevention.
In Germany, Eastern regions had a mild first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from March to May 2020, but were badly hit by a second wave later in autumn and winter. It is unknown how the ...second wave was initiated and developed in Eastern Germany where the number of COVID-19 cases was close to zero in June and July 2020. We used genomic epidemiology to investigate the dynamic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineage development across the first and second waves in Eastern Germany. With detailed phylogenetic analyses we could show that SARS-CoV-2 lineages prevalent in the first and second waves in Eastern Germany were different, with several new variants including four predominant lineages in the second wave, having been introduced into Eastern Germany between August and October 2020. The results indicate that the major driving force behind the second wave was the introduction of new variants.
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