RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In melanoma, there is no companion diagnostic test to predict response to programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) axis immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. In the adjuvant setting, only one in five patients may benefit from ICI, so a biomarker is needed to select those that may or may not benefit. Here, we test a new 4-gene multiplex immunotherapy panel with research use only (RUO) prototype mRNA expression profile on the GeneXpert closed system using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for association with clinical benefit after treatment with ICI therapy in metastatic melanoma patients. METHODS: Pretreatment formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections from melanoma patients treated with anti-PD-1 therapy (pembrolizumab, nivolumab, or ipilimumab plus nivolumab) between 2011 and 17 were selected from the Yale Pathology archives. FFPE sections were macrodissected to enrich for tumor for quantitative assessment of CD274 (PD-L1), PDCD1LG2 (PD-L2), CD8A, and IRF1 by RT-qPCR multiplex mRNA panel. Multiplex panel transcript levels were correlated with clinical benefit (complete response [CR], partial response [PR], stable disease [SD]); disease outcomes (progression-free survival [PFS] and overall survival [OS]); and protein levels assessed by quantitative immunofluorescence (QIF). RESULTS: Transcript levels were significantly higher in responders (CR/PR/SD) than in nonresponders (PD) for CD8A (p = 0.0001) and IRF1 (p = 0.0019). PFS was strongly associated with high CD274 (p = 0.0046), PDCD1LG2 (p = 0.0039), CD8A (p = 0.0002), and IRF1 (p = 0.0030) mRNA expression. Similar associations were observed for OS with high CD274 (p = 0.0004), CD8A (p = 0.0030), and IRF1 (p = 0.0096) mRNA expression. Multivariate analyses revealed significant PFS and OS associations with immunotherapy panel markers independent of baseline variables. Exploratory analyses revealed a novel significant association of high combined CD274 & PDCD1LG2 (L1/L2) transcript expression with PFS (p < 0.0001) and OS (p = 0.0011), which remained significant at a multivariate level for both PFS (HR = 0.31) and OS (HR = 0.39). CONCLUSIONS: Individual immunotherapy panel markers CD274, PDCD1LG2, CD8A, IRF1 and a combined L1/L2 mRNA levels show promising associations with melanoma immunotherapy outcome. The turnaround time of the test (2 h) and easy standardization of the platform makes this an attractive approach for further study in the search for predictive biomarkers for ICI.
Asunto(s)
Antineoplásicos Inmunológicos/uso terapéutico , Biomarcadores de Tumor/aislamiento & purificación , Melanoma/tratamiento farmacológico , Monitorización Inmunológica/métodos , Neoplasias Cutáneas/tratamiento farmacológico , Anciano , Antineoplásicos Inmunológicos/farmacología , Antígeno B7-H1/genética , Antígeno B7-H1/aislamiento & purificación , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genética , Antígenos CD8/genética , Antígenos CD8/metabolismo , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica/métodos , Humanos , Factor 1 Regulador del Interferón/genética , Factor 1 Regulador del Interferón/metabolismo , Masculino , Melanoma/inmunología , Melanoma/mortalidad , Melanoma/secundario , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pronóstico , Proteína 2 Ligando de Muerte Celular Programada 1/genética , Proteína 2 Ligando de Muerte Celular Programada 1/metabolismo , Supervivencia sin Progresión , ARN Mensajero/aislamiento & purificación , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa , Estudios Retrospectivos , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa de Transcriptasa Inversa , Neoplasias Cutáneas/inmunología , Neoplasias Cutáneas/mortalidad , Neoplasias Cutáneas/patologíaRESUMEN
UNLABELLED: The envelope of Staphylococcus aureus is comprised of peptidoglycan and its attached secondary polymers, teichoic acid, capsular polysaccharide, and protein. Peptidoglycan synthesis involves polymerization of lipid II precursors into glycan strands that are cross-linked at wall peptides. It is not clear whether peptidoglycan structure is principally determined during polymerization or whether processive enzymes affect cell wall structure and function, for example, by generating conduits for protein secretion. We show here that S. aureus lacking SagB, a membrane-associated N-acetylglucosaminidase, displays growth and cell-morphological defects caused by the exaggerated length of peptidoglycan strands. SagB cleaves polymerized glycan strands to their physiological length and modulates antibiotic resistance in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Deletion of sagB perturbs protein trafficking into and across the envelope, conferring defects in cell wall anchoring and secretion, as well as aberrant excretion of cytoplasmic proteins. IMPORTANCE: Staphylococcus aureus is thought to secrete proteins across the plasma membrane via the Sec pathway; however, protein transport across the cell wall envelope has heretofore not been studied. We report that S. aureus sagB mutants generate elongated peptidoglycan strands and display defects in protein secretion as well as aberrant excretion of cytoplasmic proteins. These results suggest that the thick peptidoglycan layer of staphylococci presents a barrier for protein secretion and that SagB appears to extend the Sec pathway across the cell wall envelope.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Bacterianas/metabolismo , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana , Hexosaminidasas/metabolismo , Polisacáridos/metabolismo , Staphylococcus aureus/enzimología , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Proteínas Bacterianas/genética , Regulación Bacteriana de la Expresión Génica/fisiología , Hexosaminidasas/genética , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Mutación , Polisacáridos/química , Staphylococcus aureus/genética , Staphylococcus aureus/metabolismoRESUMEN
Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsial species are obligate intracellular tick-borne pathogens that are responsible for important human diseases. Previous reports have demonstrated the feasibility of using recombinant surface cell antigen Sca5/OmpB to elicit protective immunity against homologous challenges using murine models of Mediterranean spotted fever and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. In addition, the feasibility of generating cross-protective immunity against related rickettsial species has also been established, but the molecular basis for these phenomena was not explored. Here, we demonstrate that vaccination of C3H/HeN mice with a recombinant OmpB domain derived from Rickettsia conorii induced high titer humoral immune responses that are capable of recognizing the native OmpB protein at the R. rickettsii outer membrane, but this immunization was not sufficient to induce effective protective immunity. In contrast, animals vaccinated with a corresponding OmpB domain derived from R. rickettsii protected animals from fatal outcomes. These results demonstrate that vaccination with nearly identical antigens may not be an effective strategy to induce wide-ranging protective immunity against related SFG Rickettsia species.
Asunto(s)
Antígenos Bacterianos/inmunología , Proteínas de la Membrana Bacteriana Externa/inmunología , Vacunas Bacterianas/inmunología , Rickettsia conorii/inmunología , Rickettsia rickettsii/inmunología , Fiebre Maculosa de las Montañas Rocosas/prevención & control , Animales , Anticuerpos Antibacterianos/sangre , Antígenos Bacterianos/genética , Proteínas de la Membrana Bacteriana Externa/genética , Vacunas Bacterianas/administración & dosificación , Vacunas Bacterianas/genética , Protección Cruzada , Reacciones Cruzadas , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Masculino , Ratones Endogámicos C3H , Rickettsia conorii/genética , Rickettsia rickettsii/genética , Fiebre Maculosa de las Montañas Rocosas/inmunología , Análisis de Supervivencia , Vacunas de Subunidad/administración & dosificación , Vacunas de Subunidad/genética , Vacunas de Subunidad/inmunología , Vacunas Sintéticas/administración & dosificación , Vacunas Sintéticas/genética , Vacunas Sintéticas/inmunologíaRESUMEN
Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, replicates as chains of vegetative cells by regulating the separation of septal peptidoglycan. Surface (S)-layer proteins and associated proteins (BSLs) function as chain length determinants and bind to the secondary cell wall polysaccharide (SCWP). In this study, we identified the B. anthracis lcpD mutant, which displays increased chain length and S-layer assembly defects due to diminished SCWP attachment to peptidoglycan. In contrast, the B. anthracis lcpB3 variant displayed reduced cell size and chain length, which could be attributed to increased deposition of BSLs. In other bacteria, LytR-CpsA-Psr (LCP) proteins attach wall teichoic acid (WTA) and polysaccharide capsule to peptidoglycan. B. anthracis does not synthesize these polymers, yet its genome encodes six LCP homologues, which, when expressed in S. aureus, promote WTA attachment. We propose a model whereby B. anthracis LCPs promote attachment of SCWP precursors to discrete locations in the peptidoglycan, enabling BSL assembly and regulated separation of septal peptidoglycan.
Asunto(s)
Bacillus anthracis/enzimología , Bacillus anthracis/metabolismo , Proteínas Bacterianas/metabolismo , Pared Celular/metabolismo , Peptidoglicano/metabolismo , Polisacáridos/metabolismo , Bacillus anthracis/genética , Proteínas Bacterianas/genéticaRESUMEN
The LytR-CpsA-Psr (LCP) proteins are thought to transfer bactoprenol-linked biosynthetic intermediates of wall teichoic acid (WTA) to the peptidoglycan of Gram-positive bacteria. In Bacillus subtilis, mutants lacking all three LCP enzymes do not deposit WTA in the envelope, while Staphylococcus aureus Δlcp mutants display impaired growth and reduced levels of envelope phosphate. We show here that the S. aureus Δlcp mutant synthesized WTA yet released ribitol phosphate polymers into the extracellular medium. Further, Δlcp mutant staphylococci no longer restricted the deposition of LysM-type murein hydrolases to cell division sites, which was associated with defects in cell shape and increased autolysis. Mutations in S. aureus WTA synthesis genes (tagB, tarF, or tarJ2) inhibit growth, which is attributed to the depletion of bactoprenol, an essential component of peptidoglycan synthesis (lipid II). The growth defect of S. aureus tagB and tarFJ mutants was alleviated by inhibition of WTA synthesis with tunicamycin, whereas the growth defect of the Δlcp mutant was not relieved by tunicamycin treatment or by mutation of tagO, whose product catalyzes the first committed step of WTA synthesis. Further, sortase A-mediated anchoring of proteins to peptidoglycan, which also involves bactoprenol and lipid II, was not impaired in the Δlcp mutant. We propose a model whereby the S. aureus Δlcp mutant, defective in tethering WTA to the cell wall, cleaves WTA synthesis intermediates, releasing ribitol phosphate into the medium and recycling bactoprenol for peptidoglycan synthesis.
Asunto(s)
Pared Celular/metabolismo , Regulación Bacteriana de la Expresión Génica/fisiología , Regulación Enzimológica de la Expresión Génica/fisiología , Staphylococcus aureus/enzimología , Ácidos Teicoicos/metabolismo , División Celular , Membrana Celular , Pared Celular/química , Medios de Cultivo/química , Familia de Multigenes , Mutación , Staphylococcus aureus/genética , Staphylococcus aureus/metabolismo , Ácidos Teicoicos/químicaRESUMEN
The pathogenesis of spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia species, including R. conorii and R. rickettsii, is acutely dependent on adherence to and invasion of host cells, including cells of the mammalian endothelial system. Bioinformatic analyses of several rickettsia genomes revealed the presence of a cohort of genes designated sca genes that are predicted to encode proteins with homology to autotransporter proteins of Gram-negative bacteria. Previous work demonstrated that three members of this family, rOmpA (Sca0), Sca2, and rOmpB (Sca5) are involved in the interaction with mammalian cells; however, very little was known about the function of other conserved rickettsial Sca proteins. Here we demonstrate that sca1, a gene present in nearly all SFG rickettsia genomes, is actively transcribed and expressed in R. conorii cells. Alignment of Sca1 sequences from geographically diverse SFG Rickettsia species showed that there are high degrees of sequence identity and conservation of these sequences, suggesting that Sca1 may have a conserved function. Using a heterologous expression system, we demonstrated that production of R. conorii Sca1 in the Escherichia coli outer membrane is sufficient to mediate attachment to but not invasion of a panel of cultured mammalian epithelial and endothelial cells. Furthermore, preincubation of a recombinant Sca1 peptide with host cells blocked R. conorii cell association. Together, these results demonstrate that attachment to mammalian cells can be uncoupled from the entry process and that Sca1 is involved in the adherence of R. conorii to host cells.
Asunto(s)
Adhesinas Bacterianas/metabolismo , Adhesión Celular , Proteínas de Transporte de Membrana/metabolismo , Rickettsia conorii/patogenicidad , Adhesinas Bacterianas/genética , Animales , Chlorocebus aethiops , Secuencia Conservada , Células Endoteliales/microbiología , Células Epiteliales/microbiología , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/patogenicidad , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Células HeLa , Humanos , Proteínas de Transporte de Membrana/genética , Rickettsia conorii/genética , Homología de Secuencia de Aminoácido , Células VeroRESUMEN
Rickettsia conorii, an obligate intracellular tick-borne pathogen and the causative agent of Mediterranean spotted fever, binds to and invades non-phagocytic mammalian cells. Previous work identified Ku70 as a mammalian receptor involved in the invasion process and identified the rickettsial autotransporter protein, rOmpB, as a ligand; however, little is known about the role of Ku70-rOmpB interactions in the bacterial invasion process. Using an Escherichia coli heterologous expression system, we show here that rOmpB mediates attachment to mammalian cells and entry in a Ku70-dependent process. A purified recombinant peptide corresponding to the rOmpB passenger domain interacts with Ku70 and serves as a competitive inhibitor of adherence. We observe that rOmpB-mediated infection culminates in actin recruitment at the bacterial foci, and that this entry process relies in part on actin polymerization likely imparted through protein tyrosine kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent activities and microtubule stability. Small-interfering RNA studies targeting components of the endocytic pathway reveal that entry by rOmpB is dependent on c-Cbl, clathrin and caveolin-2. Together, these results illustrate that rOmpB is sufficient to mediate Ku70-dependent invasion of mammalian cells and that clathrin- and caveolin-dependent endocytic events likely contribute to the internalization process.