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Acquired resistance to innate immune clearance promotes Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 pulmonary infection
Danielle Ahn, Hernán Peñaloza, Zheng Wang, Matthew Wickersham, Dane Parker, Purvi Patel, Antonius Koller, Emily I. Chen, Susan M. Bueno, Anne-Catrin Uhlemann, Alice Prince
Danielle Ahn, Hernán Peñaloza, Zheng Wang, Matthew Wickersham, Dane Parker, Purvi Patel, Antonius Koller, Emily I. Chen, Susan M. Bueno, Anne-Catrin Uhlemann, Alice Prince
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Research Article Infectious disease Pulmonology

Acquired resistance to innate immune clearance promotes Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 pulmonary infection

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Abstract

Adaptive changes in the genome of a locally predominant clinical isolate of the multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 (KP35) were identified and help to explain the selection of this strain as a successful pulmonary pathogen. The acquisition of 4 new ortholog groups, including an arginine transporter, enabled KP35 to outcompete related ST258 strains lacking these genes. KP35 infection elicited a monocytic response, dominated by Ly6Chi monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells that lacked phagocytic capabilities, expressed IL-10, arginase, and antiinflammatory surface markers. In comparison with other K. pneumoniae strains, KP35 induced global changes in the phagocytic response identified with proteomics, including evasion of Ca2+ and calpain activation necessary for phagocytic killing, confirmed in functional studies with neutrophils. This comprehensive analysis of an ST258 K. pneumoniae isolate reveals ongoing genetic adaptation to host microenvironments and innate immune clearance mechanisms that complements its repertoire of antimicrobial resistance genes and facilitates persistence in the lung.

Authors

Danielle Ahn, Hernán Peñaloza, Zheng Wang, Matthew Wickersham, Dane Parker, Purvi Patel, Antonius Koller, Emily I. Chen, Susan M. Bueno, Anne-Catrin Uhlemann, Alice Prince

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Figure 5

Global changes in host signaling induced by KP35 and KPPR1.

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Global changes in host signaling induced by KP35 and KPPR1.
(A) The majo...
(A) The major canonical pathways significantly affected by KP35 are shown in order of statistical significance. Spectral counts for the 1,638 proteins in the pooled bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (n = 3) were uploaded into ingenuity pathway analysis software. Numbers above the columns are the number of proteins within each group, with colored bars representing the proportion of up- and downregulated genes with KP35 infection as compared with PBS control. Subgroup analysis reflects the differential abundance of specific proteins in KPPR1 and KP35 infection, normalized to PBS controls. This analysis identified (B) actin cytoskeletal remodeling, (C) phagocytosis, and (D) Ca2+/calpain signaling pathways as differentially affected by KP35 as compared with KPPR1. (E) Functional confirmation of the importance of Ca2+ fluxes in phagocytic killing. Percentage of KPPR1 (blue) and KP35 (red) (MOI of 1) killing by neutrophils in the presence of calpeptin (CPEP) compared with DMSO control. *P < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test, n = 8. (F) Differential activation of Ca2+ fluxes by KP35 and KPPR1. Ca2+ fluxes were measured in murine neutrophils (NEUTs) loaded with AM/Fluo-4 prior to stimulation with KP35 and KPPR1 (MOI of 100) or media alone followed by thapsigargin (1 μM) as a positive control. Total field fluorescence was measured at each time point using ImageJ. **P < 0.05, 2-way ANOVA, Bonferroni’s correction for multiple comparisons. Data were compiled from E or are representative (F) of at least 3 independent experiments.

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