CCL28 modulates neutrophil responses during infection with mucosal pathogens

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    In this study, Perez-Lopez and colleagues examine an important function of the chemokine CCL28 in mucosal host defenses against the gut bacterial pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium and lung pathogen Acinetobacter baumanii. They find that CCL28-CCR3 axis regulates neutrophil recruitment and function, and promotes bacterial clearance in one infectious context but exacerbates disease against the other pathogen. Therefore, CCL28 plays a critical role in mucosal immunity and neutrophil biology that differentially affects host defenses against pathogens.

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Abstract

The chemokine CCL28 is highly expressed in mucosal tissues, but its role during infection is not well understood. Here, we show that CCL28 promotes neutrophil accumulation in the gut of mice infected with Salmonella and in the lung of mice infected with Acinetobacter . Neutrophils isolated from the infected mucosa expressed the CCL28 receptors CCR3 and, to a lesser extent, CCR10, on their surface. The functional consequences of CCL28 deficiency varied between the two infections: Ccl28 −/− mice were highly susceptible to Salmonella gut infection but highly resistant to otherwise lethal Acinetobacter lung infection. In vitro, unstimulated neutrophils harbored pre-formed intracellular CCR3 that was rapidly mobilized to the cell surface following phagocytosis or inflammatory stimuli. Moreover, CCL28 stimulation enhanced neutrophil antimicrobial activity, production of reactive oxygen species, and formation of extracellular traps, all processes largely dependent on CCR3. Consistent with the different outcomes in the two infection models, neutrophil stimulation with CCL28 boosted the killing of Salmonella but not Acinetobacter . CCL28 thus plays a critical role in the immune response to mucosal pathogens by increasing neutrophil accumulation and activation, which can enhance pathogen clearance but also exacerbate disease depending on the mucosal site and the infectious agent.

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  1. Author response:

    Reviewer #1 (Public Review):

    In this manuscript, Perez-Lopez et al. examine the function of the chemokine CCL28, which is expressed highly in mucosal tissues during infection, but its role during infection is poorly understood. They find that CCL28 promotes neutrophil accumulation in the intestines of mice infected with Salmonella and in the lungs of mice infected with Acinetobacter. They find that Ccl28-/- mice are highly susceptible to Salmonella infection, and highly resistant and protected from lethality following Acinetobacter infection. They find that neutrophils express the CCL28 receptors CCR3 and CCR10. CCR3 was pre-formed and intracellular and translocated to the cell surface following phagocytosis or inflammatory stimuli. They also find that CCL28 stimulation of CCR3 promoted neutrophil antimicrobial activity, ROS production, and NET formation, using a combination of primary mouse and human neutrophils for their studies. Overall, the authors' findings provide new and fundamental insight into the role of the CCL28:CCR3 chemokine:chemokine receptor pair in regulating neutrophil recruitment and effector function during infection with the intestinal pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium and the lung pathogen Acinetobacter baumanii.

    We would like to thank the reviewer for their positive assessment of our work and for providing us with constructive comments that have helped us to improve the manuscript.

    Reviewer #2 (Public Review):

    In this manuscript by Perez-Lopez et al., the authors investigate the role of the chemokine CCL28 during bacterial infections in mucosal tissues. This is a well-written study with exciting results. They show a role for CCL28 in promoting neutrophil accumulation to the guts of Salmonella-infected mice and to the lung of mice infected with Acinetobacter. Interestingly, the functional consequences of CCL28 deficiency differ between infections with the two different pathogens, with CCL28-deficiency increasing susceptibility to Salmonella, but increasing resistance to Acinetobacter. The underlying mechanistic reasons for this suggest roles for CCL28 in enhanced neutrophil antimicrobial activity, production of reactive oxygen species, and formation of extracellular traps. However, additional experiments are required to shore up these mechanisms, including addressing the role of other CCL28-dependent cell types and further characterization of neutrophils from CCL28-deficient mice.

    We would like to thank the reviewer for the positive assessment of our work and for providing us with constructive comments that have helped us to improve the manuscript.

    Reviewer #3 (Public Review):

    The manuscript by Perez-Lopez and colleagues uses a combination of in vivo studies using knockout mice and elegant in vitro studies to explore the role of the chemokine CCL28 during bacterial infection on mucosal surfaces. Using the streptomycin model of Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Tm) infection, the authors demonstrate that CCL28 is required for neutrophil influx in the intestinal mucosa to control pathogen burden both locally and systemically. Interestingly, CCL28 plays the opposite role in a model lung infection by Acinetobacter baumanii, as Ccl28-/- mice are protected from Acinetobacter infection. Authors suggest that the mechanism by which CCL28 plays a role during bacterial infection is due to its role in modulating neutrophil recruitment and function.

    We would like to thank the reviewer for the positive assessment of our work and for providing us with constructive comments that have helped us to improve the manuscript.

    The major strengths of the manuscript are:

    The novelty of the findings that are described in the manuscript. The role of the chemokine CCL28 in modulating neutrophil function and recruitment in mucosal surfaces is intriguing and novel.

    Authors use Ccl28-/- mice in their studies, a mouse strain that has only recently been available. To assess the impact of CCL28 on mucosal surfaces during pathogen-induced inflammation, the authors choose not one but two models of bacterial infection (S. Tm and A. baumanii). This approach increases the rigor and impact of the data presented.

    Authors combine the elegant in vivo studies using Ccl28 -/- with in vitro experiments that explore the mechanisms by which CCL28 affects neutrophil function.

    The major weaknesses of the manuscript in its present form are:

    Authors use different time points in the S. Tm model to characterize the influx of immune cells and pathology. They do not provide a clear justification as to why distinct time points were chosen for their analysis.

    The reviewer raises a good point. As discussed in the detailed response to the reviewers, we have now generated extensive results at different time points and included these in the revised manuscript.

    Authors provide puzzling data that Ccl28-/- mice have the same numbers of CCR3 and CCR10- expressing neutrophils in the mucosa during infection. It is unclear why the lack of CCL28 expression would not affect the recruitment of neutrophils that express the ligands (CCR3 and CCR10) for this chemokine. Thus, these results need to be better explained.

    As discussed in the detailed response to the reviewers, we clarified that Ccl28-/- mice have reduced numbers of neutrophils in the mucosa during infection, but the percentage of CCR3+ and CCR10+ neutrophils does not change. We provide additional discussion of this point in the manuscript and in the response to the reviewers.

    The in vitro studies focus primarily on characterizing how CCL28 affects the function of neutrophils in response to S. Tm infection. There is a lack of data to demonstrate whether Acinetobacter affects CCR3 and CCR10 expression and recruitment to the cell surface and whether CCL28 plays any role in this process.

    We agree and have performed additional studies with Acinetobacter and CCL28, which we discuss in greater detail below in the response to the reviewers.

  2. eLife assessment

    In this study, Perez-Lopez and colleagues examine an important function of the chemokine CCL28 in mucosal host defenses against the gut bacterial pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium and lung pathogen Acinetobacter baumanii. They find that CCL28-CCR3 axis regulates neutrophil recruitment and function, and promotes bacterial clearance in one infectious context but exacerbates disease against the other pathogen. Therefore, CCL28 plays a critical role in mucosal immunity and neutrophil biology that differentially affects host defenses against pathogens.

  3. Reviewer #1 (Public Review):

    In this manuscript, Perez-Lopez et al. examine the function of the chemokine CCL28, which is expressed highly in mucosal tissues during infection, but its role during infection is poorly understood. They find that CCL28 promotes neutrophil accumulation in the intestines of mice infected with Salmonella and in the lungs of mice infected with Acinetobacter. They find that Ccl28-/- mice are highly susceptible to Salmonella infection, and highly resistant and protected from lethality following Acinetobacter infection. They find that neutrophils express the CCL28 receptors CCR3 and CCR10. CCR3 was pre-formed and intracellular and translocated to the cell surface following phagocytosis or inflammatory stimuli. They also find that CCL28 stimulation of CCR3 promoted neutrophil antimicrobial activity, ROS production, and NET formation, using a combination of primary mouse and human neutrophils for their studies. Overall, the authors' findings provide new and fundamental insight into the role of the CCL28:CCR3 chemokine:chemokine receptor pair in regulating neutrophil recruitment and effector function during infection with the intestinal pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium and the lung pathogen Acinetobacter baumanii.

  4. Reviewer #2 (Public Review):

    In this manuscript by Perez-Lopez et al., the authors investigate the role of the chemokine CCL28 during bacterial infections in mucosal tissues. This is a well-written study with exciting results. They show a role for CCL28 in promoting neutrophil accumulation to the guts of Salmonella-infected mice and to the lung of mice infected with Acinetobacter. Interestingly, the functional consequences of CCL28 deficiency differ between infections with the two different pathogens, with CCL28-deficiency increasing susceptibility to Salmonella, but increasing resistance to Acinetobacter. The underlying mechanistic reasons for this suggest roles for CCL28 in enhanced neutrophil antimicrobial activity, production of reactive oxygen species, and formation of extracellular traps. However, additional experiments are required to shore up these mechanisms, including addressing the role of other CCL28-dependent cell types and further characterization of neutrophils from CCL28-deficient mice.

  5. Reviewer #3 (Public Review):

    The manuscript by Perez-Lopez and colleagues uses a combination of in vivo studies using knockout mice and elegant in vitro studies to explore the role of the chemokine CCL28 during bacterial infection on mucosal surfaces. Using the streptomycin model of Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Tm) infection, the authors demonstrate that CCL28 is required for neutrophil influx in the intestinal mucosa to control pathogen burden both locally and systemically. Interestingly, CCL28 plays the opposite role in a model lung infection by Acinetobacter baumanii, as Ccl28-/- mice are protected from Acinetobacter infection. Authors suggest that the mechanism by which CCL28 plays a role during bacterial infection is due to its role in modulating neutrophil recruitment and function.

    The major strengths of the manuscript are:

    The novelty of the findings that are described in the manuscript. The role of the chemokine CCL28 in modulating neutrophil function and recruitment in mucosal surfaces is intriguing and novel.

    Authors use Ccl28-/- mice in their studies, a mouse strain that has only recently been available. To assess the impact of CCL28 on mucosal surfaces during pathogen-induced inflammation, the authors choose not one but two models of bacterial infection (S. Tm and A. baumanii). This approach increases the rigor and impact of the data presented.

    Authors combine the elegant in vivo studies using Ccl28 -/- with in vitro experiments that explore the mechanisms by which CCL28 affects neutrophil function.

    The major weaknesses of the manuscript in its present form are:

    Authors use different time points in the S. Tm model to characterize the influx of immune cells and pathology. They do not provide a clear justification as to why distinct time points were chosen for their analysis.

    Authors provide puzzling data that Ccl28-/- mice have the same numbers of CCR3 and CCR10-expressing neutrophils in the mucosa during infection. It is unclear why the lack of CCL28 expression would not affect the recruitment of neutrophils that express the ligands (CCR3 and CCR10) for this chemokine. Thus, these results need to be better explained.

    The in vitro studies focus primarily on characterizing how CCL28 affects the function of neutrophils in response to S. Tm infection. There is a lack of data to demonstrate whether Acinetobacter affects CCR3 and CCR10 expression and recruitment to the cell surface and whether CCL28 plays any role in this process.