The Moraxella catarrhalis immunoglobulin D-binding protein MID has conserved sequences and is regulated by a mechanism corresponding to phase variation.

The prevalence of the Moraxella catarrhalis immunoglobulin D (IgD)-binding outer membrane protein MID and its gene was determined in 91 clinical isolates and in 7 culture collection strains. Eighty-four percent of the clinical Moraxella strains expressed MID-dependent IgD binding. The mid gene was detected in all strains as revealed by homology of the signal peptide sequence and a conserved area in the 3′ end of the gene. When MID proteins from five different strains were compared, an identity of 65.3 to 85.0% and a similarity of 71.2 to 89.1% were detected. Gene analyses showed several amino acid repeat motifs in the open reading frames, and MID could be called a putative autotransport protein. Interestingly, homopolymeric {polyguanine [poly(G)]} tracts were detected at the 5′ ends within the open reading frames. By flow cytometry, using human IgD and fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated anti-IgD polyclonal antibodies, most strains showed two peaks: one high- and one low-intensity peak. All isolates expressing high levels of MID had 1, 2, or 3 triplets of G's in their poly(G) tracts, while strains not expressing MID had 4, 7, 8, or 10 G’s in their poly(G) tracts or point mutations causing a putative preterminated translation. Northern blot analysis revealed that the mid gene was regulated at the transcriptional level. Experiments with nonclumping variants of M. catarrhalis proved that bacteria lost their MID expression by removing a G in their poly(G) tracts. Moraxella strains isolated from the nasopharynx or from blood and sputum specimens expressed MID at approximately the same frequency. In addition, no variation was observed between strains of different geographical origins (Australia, Europe, Japan, or the United States). MID and the mid gene were found solely in M. catarrhalis, whereas related Neisseria and Moraxella species did not express MID. Taken together, MID appears to be a conserved protein that can be found in essentially all M. catarrhalis strains. Furthermore, MID is governed by poly(G) tracts when bacteria undergo phase variation

MORAXELLA CATARRHALIS OUTER MEMBRANE PROTEINS AND INTERACTIONS WITH THE HUMAN IMMUNE SYSTEM

Moraxella catarrhalis is frequently colonizing the human respiratory tract, particularly in children. This gram-negative bacterium has during the last two decades been recognized as a pathogen causing otitis media in children and lower respiratory tract infections in adults with predisposing conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The virulence determinants of M. catarrhalis are believed to be the lipooligosaccharide and the outer membrane proteins. Three important outer membrane proteins are Moraxella IgD-binding protein (MID), the ubiquitous surface proteins (Usp) A1 and A2. MID is an adhesin and it binds to IgD in a non-immune manner. We show that the mid gene was highly conserved, and that the MID expression varied without relation to the anatomical site of isolation or geographical origin of the isolates. The expression was also shown to be controlled by a poly(G)tract downstream of the startcodon. The region of MID with essentially preserved IgD-binding was determined to be located between the amino acid residues 962-1200 and was designated MID962-1200. MID962-1200 was shown to be a tetramer in native conditions and interestingly, this tetrameric form bound IgD 23-fold more efficiently than the monomeric form. Moreover, MID962-1200 stimulated purified B cells to proliferate independently of T cells. However, addition of IL-4 or IL-2 was required for efficient proliferation. We have also shown that M. catarrhalis interferes with both the classical and the alternative pathway of the complement system. It bound to the fluid phase inhibitor C4b-binding protein (C4BP) and the binding was mediated through UspA1 and UspA2. Importantly, C4BP retained its activity when bound to the surface of M. catarrhalis and was thus able to inhibit the activation through the classical pathway. We also showed that M. catarrhalis have the capacity to absorb C3 from serum independently of complement activation and UspA2 was determined to be the major binder of C3. In summary, MID is widely distributed among different M. catarrhalis strains. The IgD-binding region of MID is located between the amino acid residues 962-1200 and stimulates B cells independently of T cells. Finally, the M. catarrhalis outer membrane proteins UspA1 and UspA2 interfere with the complement system by binding C4BP and C3

Diversion of the host humoral response: a novel virulence mechanism of Haemophilus influenzae mediated via outer membrane vesicles.

The respiratory tract pathogen Haemophilus influenzae frequently causes infections in humans. In parallel with all Gram-negative bacteria, H. influenzae has the capacity to release OMV. The production of these nanoparticles is an intriguing and partly unexplored phenomenon in pathogenesis. Here, we investigated how purified human peripheral blood B lymphocytes respond to OMV derived from unencapsulated, i.e., NTHi and the nonpathogenic Haemophilus parainfluenzae. We found that H. influenzae OMV directly interacted with the IgD BCR, as revealed by anti-IgD pAb and flow cytometry. Importantly, H. influenzae OMV-induced cellular activation via IgD BCR cross-linking and TLR9 resulted in a significant proliferative response. OMV isolated from the related species H. parainfluenzae did not, however, interact with B cells excluding that the effect by H. influenzae OMV was linked to common membrane components, such as the LOS. We also observed an up-regulation of the cell surface molecules CD69 and CD86, and an increased IgM and IgG secretion by B cells incubated with H. influenzae OMV. The Igs produced did not recognize H. influenzae, suggesting a polyclonal B cell activation. Interestingly, the density of the cell surface receptor TACI was increased in the presence of OMV that sensitized further the B cells to BAFF, resulting in an enhanced IgG class-switch. In conclusion, the ability of NTHi OMV to activate B cells in a T cell-independent manner may divert the adaptive humoral immune response that consequently promotes bacterial survival within the human host

Moraxella catarrhalis Outer Membrane Vesicles Carry β-Lactamase and Promote Survival of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae by Inactivating Amoxicillin▿

Moraxella catarrhalis is a common pathogen found in children with upper respiratory tract infections and in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during exacerbations. The bacterial species is often isolated together with Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are released by M. catarrhalis and contain phospholipids, adhesins, and immunomodulatory compounds such as lipooligosaccharide. We have recently shown that M. catarrhalis OMVs exist in patients upon nasopharyngeal colonization. As virtually all M. catarrhalis isolates are β-lactamase positive, the goal of this study was to investigate whether M. catarrhalis OMVs carry β-lactamase and to analyze if OMV consequently can prevent amoxicillin-induced killing. Recombinant β-lactamase was produced and antibodies were raised in rabbits. Transmission electron microscopy, flow cytometry, and Western blotting verified that OMVs carried β-lactamase. Moreover, enzyme assays revealed that M. catarrhalis OMVs contained active β-lactamase. OMVs (25 μg/ml) incubated with amoxicillin for 1 h completely hydrolyzed amoxicillin at concentrations up to 2.5 μg/ml. In functional experiments, preincubation of amoxicillin (10× MIC) with M. catarrhalis OMVs fully rescued amoxicillin-susceptible M. catarrhalis, S. pneumoniae, and type b or nontypeable H. influenzae from β-lactam-induced killing. Our results suggest that the presence of amoxicillin-resistant M. catarrhalis originating from β-lactamase-containing OMVs may pave the way for respiratory pathogens that by definition are susceptible to β-lactam antibiotics

Group A streptococci are protected from amoxicillin-mediated killing by vesicles containing β-lactamase derived from Haemophilus influenzae.

Group A streptococci (GAS) cause, among other infections, pharyngotonsillitis in children. The species is frequently localized with the Gram-negative respiratory pathogens non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Moraxella catarrhalis, which both produce outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). The aim of this study was to investigate whether OMVs isolated from NTHi contain functional β-lactamase and whether the OMVs hydrolyse amoxicillin and thus protect GAS from killing by the antibiotic

The emerging pathogen Moraxella catarrhalis interacts with complement inhibitor C4b binding protein through ubiquitous surface proteins A1 and A2

Moraxella catarrhalis ubiquitous surface protein A2 (UspA2) mediates resistance to the bactericidal activity of normal human serum. In this study, an interaction between the complement fluid phase regulator of the classical pathway, C4b binding protein (C4BP), and M. catarrhalis mutants lacking UspA1 and/or UspA2 was analyzed by flow cytometry and a RIA. Two clinical isolates of M. catarrhalis expressed UspA2 at a higher density than UspA1. The UspA1 mutants showed a decreased C4BP binding (37.6% reduction), whereas the UspA2-deficient Moraxella mutants displayed a strongly reduced (94.6%) C4BP? binding compared with the wild type. In addition, experiments with recombinantly expressed UspA1(50-770) and UspA2(30-539) showed that C4BP (range, 1-1000 nM) bound to the two proteins in a dose-dependent manner. The equilibrium constants (K-D) for the USpA1(50-770) and USpA(30-539) interactions with a single subunit of C4BP were 13 muM and 1.1 muM, respectively. The main isoform of COP contains seven identical alpha-chains and one beta-chain linked together with disulfide bridges, and the a-chains contain eight complement control protein (CCP) modules. The UspA1 and A2 bound to the a-chain of C4BP, and experiments with C4BP lacking CCP2, CCP5, or CCP7 showed that these three CCPs were important for the Usp binding. Importantly, C4BP bound to the surface of M. catarrhalis retained its cofactor activity as determined by analysis of C4b degradation. Taken together, M. catarrhalis interferes with the classical complement activation pathway by binding C4BP to UspA1 and UspA2

The IgD-binding domain of the Moraxella IgD-binding protein MID (MID962-1200) activates human B cells in the presence of T cell cytokines.

Moraxella catarrhalis immunoglobulin D (IgD)-binding protein (MID) is an outer membrane protein with specific affinity for soluble and cell-bound human IgD. Here, we demonstrate that mutated M. catarrhalis strains devoid of MID show a 75% decreased activation of human B cells as compared with wild-type bacteria. In contrast to MID-expressing Moraxella, the MID-deficient Moraxella mutants did not bind to human CD19(+) IgD(+) B cells. The smallest MID fragment with preserved IgD-binding capacity comprises 238 amino acids (MID962-1200). To prove the specificity of MID962-1200 for IgD, a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line expressing membrane-anchored human IgD was manufactured. MID962-1200 bound strongly to the recombinant IgD on CHO cells. Moreover, MID962-1200 stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) proliferation 5- and 15-fold at 0.1 and 1.0 mu g/ml, respectively. This activation could be blocked completely by antibodies directed against the CD40 ligand (CD154). MID962-1200 also activated purified B cells in the presence of interleukin (IL)-2 or IL-4. An increased IL-6 production was seen after stimulation with MID962-1200, as revealed by a human cytokine protein array. MID962-1200 fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) bound to human B cells and activated PBL to the same degree as MID962-1200 Taken together, MID is the only IgD-binding protein in Moraxella. Furthermore, the novel T cell-independent antigen MID962-1200 may, together with MID962-1200-GFP, be considered as promising reagents in the study of IgD-dependent B cell activation