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Chlamydophila pneumoniae Triggers Release of CCL20 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor from Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Through Enhanced Intracellular Oxidative Stress and MAPK Activation

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Abstract

Background

Chlamydophila pneumoniae may contribute to the pathogenesis of asthmatic airway inflammation through chemical mediators secreted by C. pneumoniae-infected bronchial epithelial cells (BECs). Recently, CCL20 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were reported to be released from BECs and to play a role in the pathogenesis of asthma.

Objective and Methods

To determine if C. pneumoniae infection of BECs induces the secretion of CCL20 and VEGF, we measured that by ELISA in human BECs infected with C. pneumoniae. Transcripts of CCL20 and VEGF were assayed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. To investigate the underlying mechanism, the activation of MAPK and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in these C. pneumoniae-infected BECs was measured, as well as the effects of inhibitors of MAPK and ROS on CCL20 and VEGF expression.

Results

Compared with non-infected BECs, C. pneumoniae-infected BECs showed enhanced secretion of CCL20 and VEGF. C. pneumoniae-infected BECs also showed enhanced intracellular ROS and an increased ratio of phosphorylated to non-phosphorylated p38. Inhibition of p38 suppressed CCL20 and VEGF secretion, as did a NADPH oxidase blocker and an antioxidant, in C. pneumoniae-infected BECs.

Conclusion

C. pneumoniae infection of BECs may play a role in the pathogenesis of asthma through the enhanced production of CCL20 and VEGF. The association between increased cytokine production and increased intracellular ROS suggests that antioxidants may benefit asthmatics in selected situations.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by a grant (no. A080250) from the Korea Health 21 R&D project of the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family, Republic of Korea, to Y.S.C.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, South Korea

    Tae-Bum Kim, Chan-Sun Park, Yun-Jeong Bae, Hee-Bom Moon & You Sook Cho

  2. Asan Institute for Life Science, Seoul, South Korea

    Keun-Ae Moon

  3. Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea

    Ki-Young Lee

Authors
  1. Tae-Bum Kim
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  2. Keun-Ae Moon
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  4. Chan-Sun Park
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  5. Yun-Jeong Bae
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  6. Hee-Bom Moon
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  7. You Sook Cho
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Correspondence to You Sook Cho.

Additional information

Tae-Bum Kim and Keun-Ae Moon equally contributed to this work.

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Kim, TB., Moon, KA., Lee, KY. et al. Chlamydophila pneumoniae Triggers Release of CCL20 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor from Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Through Enhanced Intracellular Oxidative Stress and MAPK Activation. J Clin Immunol 29, 629–636 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-009-9306-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-009-9306-8

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