Sensing cytosolic RpsL by macrophages induces lysosomal cell death and termination of bacterial infection Journal Article


Authors: Zhu, W.; Tao, L.; Quick, M. L.; Joyce, J. A.; Qu, J. M.; Luo, Z. Q.
Article Title: Sensing cytosolic RpsL by macrophages induces lysosomal cell death and termination of bacterial infection
Abstract: The intracellular bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila provokes strong host responses and has proven to be a valuable model for the discovery of novel immunosurveillance pathways. Our previous work revealed that an environmental isolate of L. pneumophila induces a noncanonical form of cell death, leading to restriction of bacterial replication in primary mouse macrophages. Here we show that such restriction also occurs in infections with wild type clinical isolates. Importantly, we found that a lysine to arginine mutation at residue 88 (K88R) in the ribosome protein RpsL that not only confers bacterial resistance to streptomycin, but more importantly, severely attenuated the induction of host cell death and enabled L. pneumophila to replicate in primary mouse macrophages. Although conferring similar resistance to streptomycin, a K43N mutation in RpsL does not allow productive intracellular bacterial replication. Further analysis indicated that RpsL is capable of effectively inducing macrophage death via a pathway involved in lysosomal membrane permeabilization; the K88R mutant elicits similar responses but is less potent. Moreover, cathepsin B, a lysosomal protease that causes cell death after being released into the cytosol upon the loss of membrane integrity, is required for efficient RpsL-induced macrophage death. Furthermore, despite the critical role of cathepsin B in delaying RpsL-induced cell death, macrophages lacking cathepsin B do not support productive intracellular replication of L. pneumophila harboring wild type RpsL. This suggests the involvement of other yet unidentified components in the restriction of bacterial replication. Our results identified RpsL as a regulator in the interactions between bacteria such as L. pneumophila and primary mouse macrophages by triggering unique cellular pathways that restrict intracellular bacterial replication. © 2015 Zhu et al.
Keywords: signal transduction; controlled study; unclassified drug; human cell; sequence analysis; mutation; nonhuman; animal cell; mouse; cell death; apoptosis; caspase 3; immunofluorescence; bacteria (microorganisms); genetic transfection; western blotting; lactate dehydrogenase; cathepsin b; macrophage; nick end labeling; membrane permeability; ribosome protein; lysosome; bacterial growth; interleukin 1beta converting enzyme; legionnaire disease; protein bid; streptomycin; caspase 7; minimum inhibitory concentration; legionella pneumophila; bacterial clearance; human; female; article; caspase 11; ribosome protein rpsl
Journal Title: PLoS Pathogens
Volume: 11
Issue: 3
ISSN: 1553-7366
Publisher: Public Library of Science  
Date Published: 2015-03-04
Start Page: e1004704
Language: English
DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004704
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC4349785
PUBMED: 25738962
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 4 May 2015 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Johanna A Joyce
    67 Joyce
  2. Marsha Lee Quick
    8 Quick