Gonococcal lipooligosaccharide suppresses HIV infection in human primary macrophages through induction of innate immunity

J Infect Dis. 2006 Sep 15;194(6):751-9. doi: 10.1086/506360. Epub 2006 Aug 8.

Abstract

Gonorrhea often occurs as a coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Lipooligosaccharide (LOS) is a component of the gonococcal outer membrane that induces innate immunity through engagement of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). We investigated the effects that LOS from 5 different strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae have on HIV infection and on HIV provirus in primary human macrophages. LOS-treated human primary macrophages developed resistance to new HIV infection as well as to HIV provirus. Gonococcal LOS from the 5 strains and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli showed no significant difference in their anti-HIV activities. Suppression of HIV provirus resulted from the induction of interferon (IFN)-beta and subsequent activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1. Neutralization of IFN-beta , but not IFN-alpha , via antibody significantly reduced the anti-HIV activity induced by LOS and LPS. We conclude that LOS expressed by various strains of N. gonorrhoeae induce specific innate immune responses through TLR4 signaling, resulting in anti-HIV activity in human primary macrophages in vitro.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Gonorrhea / complications
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV-1 / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects*
  • Interferon-beta / drug effects
  • Interferon-beta / immunology
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Macrophages / drug effects*
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / virology
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae*
  • Proviruses / drug effects
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor / drug effects
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Virus Replication / drug effects

Substances

  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor
  • STAT1 protein, human
  • lipid-linked oligosaccharides
  • Interferon-beta