Characterisation of an Oxidative Response Inhibitor Produced by Streptococcus Pneumoniae Thorax: First Published As 10.1136/Thx.49.7.676 on 1 July 1994
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676 Thorax 1994;49:676-683 Characterisation of an oxidative response inhibitor produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae Thorax: first published as 10.1136/thx.49.7.676 on 1 July 1994. Downloaded from F E Perry, C J Elson, T J Mitchell, P W Andrew, J R Catterall Abstract hospital' with an overall mortality of 5_13%,2 Background - Pneumonia caused by whilst meningitis caused by Str pneumoniae infection with Streptococcus pneumo- carries a mortality of 30%.' Furthermore, the niae is still a major clinical problem. worldwide increase in penicillin resistance and Reactive oxygen species contribute to the multiple antibiotic resistance among pneumo- killing of these bacteria by polymorpho- cocci,7 and the limited use of pneumococcal nuclear leucocytes (PMNs). Defence vaccine,8 suggest that pneumococcal infection mechanisms of Str pneumoniae which may cause increasing morbidity and mortality counter reactive oxygen species are char- in future years. acterised. In the host's defence against Str pneumoniae Methods - PMNs were stimulated with killing by phagocytes has a key role.9'0 The phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) in the mechanism of killing is incompletely under- presence and absence of Str pneumoniae stood, but there is evidence that, as with the and supernatants from them, and super- killing of many other microorganisms,"-"3 the oxide (02 ) production was measured by release of oxygen species by phagocytes is the reduction of ferricytochrome c. important. For example, Str pneumoniae is Results - Streptococcus pneumoniae, but killed by reactive oxygen species;'415 poly- not Klebsiella pneumoniae or Staphylo- morphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) incubated coccus aureus, inhibited PMA stimulated anaerobically have a diminished capacity to kill superoxide production by PMNs. Washed Str pneumoniae," and Str pneumoniae can PMNs which had been preincubated with stimulate PMNs to release superoxide under Str pneumoniae autolysis phase super- certain conditions.'718 Recent studies in our natants also exhibited depressed H202 laboratories, however, have shown that Str production in response to PMA. The inhi- pneumoniae in suspension are able to interfere bitory activity was not attributable to with the oxidative burst of PMNs.19 They non-specific cytotoxicity as assessed by inhibit both spontaneous superoxide produc- http://thorax.bmj.com/ release ofthe cytoplasmic enzyme lactate tion by PMNs and the respiratory burst stimu- dehydrogenase, nor did the supernatants lated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). inhibit PMA stimulated degranulation of The effect is associated with no change in PMNs. Fractionation of the autolysis viability of the PMNs (assessed by trypan blue phase supernatants revealed inhibitory exclusion), and is evident within 15 minutes of activity in both the fractions greater than adding the organism. The inhibitory activity is and less than 10 kD. Like pneumolysin the exhibited by intact organisms in the logarith- inhibitory activity was heat sensitive. mic phase of growth and is released on autoly- on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. However, both a parent and pneumolysin sis. Inhibition is dependent on both the dose negative mutant Str pneumoniae, and and viability of the bacteria and was demon- autolysis phase supernatants from them, strated for two different serotypes which are inhibited PMN superoxide production. among the major causative organisms of ser- Department of ious infections. Given the cen- Pathology and Antisera to pneumolysin failed to pneumococcal Microbiology, abrogate the inhibitory effect of intact tral role of phagocytes in the host's defence University of Bristol Str pneumoniae or autolysis phase against Str pneumoniae, and the importance of F E Perry supernatants from types 1 or 14 Strpneu- reactive oxygen species in the killing of bac- C J Elson moniae. teria by phagocytes, this inhibitory activity Department of Conclusions - The inhibitory effect of Str may be an important defence mechanism of Immunology and pneumoniae on the respiratory burst of Str pneumoniae. Department of was to Microbiology, PMNs is not shared by two other com- The purpose of the current work (1) University of mon lung pathogens. The existence of a determine whether the inhibitory activity was Leicester novel inhibitor of the PMN respiratory specific to Str pneumoniae and to the respira- T J Mitchell burst, distinct from pneumolysin, has tory burst, and (2) to characterise the activity P W Andrew been demonstrated. The inhibitor is further. Since pneumolysin (a toxin released Respiratory specific for the respiratory burst and is on autolysis of Str pneumoniae) also has been Department, Bristol in the of shown to inhibit the respiratory burst of Royal Infirmary, active both logarithmic phase Bristol BS2 8HW growth and during autolysis. PMNs,20 we were particularly interested to J R Catterall determine whether the inhibitory activity that could be accounted for Reprint requests to: (Thorax 1994;49:676-683) we have observed by Dr J R Catterall. pneumolysin. Two approaches were taken: the Received 23 March 1993 Despite antibiotics, infections caused by ability of a pneumolysin negative strain of Str Returned to authors to cause a to inhibit the respiratory burst was 13 August 1993 Streptococcus pneumoniae continue pneumoniae Revised version received high morbidity and mortality. Pneumococcal investigated and the effect of antipneumolysin 16 March 1994 serum on the of Str pneumo- Accepted for publication pneumonia, for example, is the most common inhibitory activity 21 March 1994 form of community acquired pneumonia in niae was assessed. Characterisation of an oxidative response inhibitor produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae 677 Methods with 10 kD cut off membranes at 110 g for STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE three hours. The > 10 kD material retained in Encapsulated types 1 and 14 Str pneumoniae the filter cup was resuspended to the original were obtained from patients with bacteraemic volume in Todd-Hewitt broth. pneumococcal pneumonia. The pneumolysin Thorax: first published as 10.1136/thx.49.7.676 on 1 July 1994. Downloaded from negative Str pneumoniae was a mutant of sero- type 2 which had been constructed previously POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUCOCYTES by disrupting the gene encoding pneumolysin Peripheral blood was collected from healthy by insertion-duplication mutagenesis.2' The volunteers attending the outpatients depart- bacteria were stored in 1 ml aliquots at - 70°C. ment (mainly for elective surgery) at Bristol Before use, thawed Str pneumoniae was grown Royal Infirmary. Blood was obtained by vene- in Todd-Hewitt broth with 10% (v/v) new puncture and collected in 3-8% (w/v) sodium born calf serum for 3-4 hours so that the citrate. In each experiment blood from one organisms were in the logarithmic phase of donor was used. PMNs were isolated by dex- growth (log phase organisms). The bacteria tran sedimentation followed by centrifugation were collected by centrifugation at 2200g for through Percoll (Sigma) using a modification 10 minutes, washed twice, resuspended in of the method of Dooley et al.23 The cells phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and adjusted obtained were washed and resuspended in to 10 x 107/ml. The total bacterial count was PBS with 4% citrate at 4 x 106/ml. Ethical determined with a Helber chamber and the approval for obtaining blood from healthy viable count assessed by serial dilution and volunteers was provided by the ethical com- plating onto blood agar, using the method of mittee of the Bristol and Weston Health Miles and Misra.22 In some experiments Str Authority. pneumoniae was used which had been grown for 18-24 hours, by which time the organisms had undergone autolysis (autolysis phase). REAGENTS Ferricytochrome c (type III), superoxide dis- mutase (SOD, type I, 300 U/mg protein), KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE AND phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), phenol STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS red, horseradish peroxidase, cytochalasin b Clinical isolates of K pneumoniae and Staph (1 mg/ml in DMSO) and Triton X-100 were aureus were obtained from the Bacteriology obtained from Sigma (Poole, Dorset, UK). Laboratory, Bristol Royal Infirmary. They The PMA was dissolved in DMSO at 1 mg/ml were stored and prepared as for Str pneumo- and stored in 10 jl aliquots at - 20°C. The niae, using nutrient broth as the culture cytochrome c and SOD were dissolved in PBS medium. citrate, either made fresh on the day of the http://thorax.bmj.com/ experiment or stored at - 20°C. PREPARATION OF CULTURE SUPERNATANTS The supernatant from the first centrifugation SUPEROXIDE DETECTION of the bacterial culture was retained for use in The amount of superoxide (02-) released by some experiments. As appropriate to the ex- PMNs either spontaneously or in response to periment, the supernatants were treated in the PMA or Str pneumoniae was measured by the ways. following microassay of Pick and Mizel24 which uses on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. SOD inhibitable reduction of ferricytochrome c. The reaction mixture (100 VI) consisted of Filtration 160 jmol/l cytochrome c, 1 x 105 PMNs, and Sterilisation of bacterial culture supernatants the appropriate stimulus (Str pneumoniae or was achieved by filtration through a 022pm 1 pg/ml PMA), with or without 300 U/ml filter (Millipore). SOD. Six or eight replicates of each condition were set up in vertical rows of a 96-well flat bottomed tissue culture plate (Nunc, Den- Heat treatment mark). The plate was covered and placed in a Culture supernatants were heat treated by humidified incubator gassed with 95% air and incubation in a water bath at 60°C for 30 5% carbon dioxide for 90 minutes. The plate minutes. was then read on a Multiskan MCC/340 plate reader (Titertek) fitted with a 550 nm wave- length interference filter. The amount of Dialysis superoxide produced per well was calculated Dialysis of supernatants (3-5 ml) was carried from the formula24: out in Visking tubing with a molecular weight cut off of 10 kD against 500 ml Todd-Hewitt broth overnight at 4°C and again for four hours nmoles 02- per well at room temperature with a magnetic stirrer _ (absorbance at 550 nm x 100) against 500 ml fresh Todd-Hewitt broth.