Does upregulated host cell receptor expression provide a link between bacterial adhesion and chronic respiratory disease?

Expression of the platelet-activating factor receptor is upregulated in the respiratory epithelium of smokers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. We have recently determined that increased expression of PAFr correlates with higher levels of adhesion to human bronchial epithelial cells by non-typable Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae which are major bacterial pathogens in acute exacerbations of COPD. In addition, we found that a PAFr antagonist decreased the adhesion of both respiratory bacterial pathogens to non-cigarette exposure control levels. This highlights the possibility that epithelial receptors, that are upregulated in response to cigarette smoke, could be targeted to specifically block chronic bacterial infections of the lower respiratory tract. In this commentary, we explore the question of whether adhesion to a temporally-upregulated host receptor is a common event in chronic bacterial disease, and as such, could represent a putative therapeutic target for blocking infection by respiratory and other pathogens

Development of a new genome-wide MLST scheme for high-resolution typing of diverse Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains

In this issue of EBioMedicine, Kohl and colleagues describe the development of a new core genome MLST scheme(cgMLST) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains based on a set of 2891 genes. Here, the application ofthe scheme to a number of tuberculosis surveillance studies is examined

A cost-effective technique for generating preservable biomass smoke extract and measuring its effect on cell receptor expression in human bronchial epithelial cells.

Nearly half of the world's population uses biomass fuel for the purposes of cooking and heating. Smoke derived from biomass increases the risk of the development of lung diseases, including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, airway tract infections, and lung cancer. Despite the evidence linking biomass smoke exposure to pulmonary disease, only a small number of experimental studies have been conducted on the impact of biomass smoke on airway epithelial cells. This is in part due to the lack of a standard and easily accessible procedure for the preparation of biomass smoke. Here, we describe a cost-effective and reproducible method for the generation of different smoke extracts, in particular, cow dung smoke extract (CDSE) and wood smoke extract (WSE) for use in a range of biological applications. We examined the effect of the biomass smoke extracts on human bronchial epithelial cell expression of a known responder to cigarette smoke exposure (CSE), the platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR). Similar to the treatment with CSE, we observed a dose-dependent increase in PAFR expression on human airway epithelial cells that were exposed to CDSE and WSE. This method provides biomass smoke in a re-usable form for cell and molecular bioscience studies on the pathogenesis of chronic lung disease

Draft Genome Sequence of the First Confirmed Isolate of Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Tasmania

The spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) has become amajor global challenge. In 2016, Tasmania recorded its first known incidence ofMDR-TB. Here, we report the draft whole-genome sequence of the Mycobacteriumtuberculosis isolate from this case, TASMDR1, and describe single-nucleotide polymorphismsassociated with its drug resistance

Temporal upregulation of host surface receptors provides a window of opportunity for bacterial adhesion and disease

Host surface receptors provide bacteria with a foothold from which to attach, colonize and in some cases, invade tissue and elicit human disease. In this review, we discuss several key host receptors and cognate adhesins that function in bacterial pathogenesis. In particular, we examine the elevated expression of host surface receptors such as CEACAM-1, CEACAM-6, ICAM-1 and PAFR in response to specific stimuli. We explore how upregulated receptors, in turn, expose the host to a range of bacterial infections in the respiratory tract. It is apparent that exploitation of receptor induction for bacterial adherence is not unique to one body system, but is also observed in the central nervous, gastrointestinal, and urogenital systems. Prokaryotic pathogens which utilize this mechanism for their infectivity include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Escherichia coli. A number of approaches have been used, in both in vitro and in vivo experimental models, to inhibit bacterial attachment to temporally-expressed host receptors. Some of these novel strategies may advance future targeted interventions for the prevention and treatment of bacterial disease

A cost-effective technique for generating preservable biomass smoke extract and measuring its effect on cell receptor expression in human bronchial epithelial cells

Nearly half of the world’s population uses biomass fuel for the purposes of cooking and heating. Smoke derived from biomassincreases the risk of the development of lung diseases, including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,airway tract infections, and lung cancer. Despite the evidence linking biomass smoke exposure to pulmonary disease, onlya small number of experimental studies have been conducted on the impact of biomass smoke on airway epithelial cells.This is in part due to the lack of a standard and easily accessible procedure for the preparation of biomass smoke. Here, wedescribe a cost-effective and reproducible method for the generation of different smoke extracts, in particular, cow dungsmoke extract (CDSE) and wood smoke extract (WSE) for use in a range of biological applications. We examined the effect ofthe biomass smoke extracts on human bronchial epithelial cell expression of a known responder to cigarette smoke exposure(CSE), the platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR). Similar to the treatment with CSE, we observed a dose-dependentincrease in PAFR expression on human airway epithelial cells that were exposed to CDSE and WSE. This method providesbiomass smoke in a re-usable form for cell and molecular bioscience studies on the pathogenesis of chronic lung disease

A cost-effective technique for generating preservable biomass smoke extract and measuring its effect on cell receptor expression in human bronchial epithelial cells

Nearly half of the world’s population uses biomass fuel for the purposes of cooking and heating. Smoke derived from biomassincreases the risk of the development of lung diseases, including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,airway tract infections, and lung cancer. Despite the evidence linking biomass smoke exposure to pulmonary disease, onlya small number of experimental studies have been conducted on the impact of biomass smoke on airway epithelial cells.This is in part due to the lack of a standard and easily accessible procedure for the preparation of biomass smoke. Here, wedescribe a cost-effective and reproducible method for the generation of different smoke extracts, in particular, cow dungsmoke extract (CDSE) and wood smoke extract (WSE) for use in a range of biological applications. We examined the effect ofthe biomass smoke extracts on human bronchial epithelial cell expression of a known responder to cigarette smoke exposure(CSE), the platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR). Similar to the treatment with CSE, we observed a dose-dependentincrease in PAFR expression on human airway epithelial cells that were exposed to CDSE and WSE. This method providesbiomass smoke in a re-usable form for cell and molecular bioscience studies on the pathogenesis of chronic lung disease