Hydrogen peroxide release by bacteria suppresses inflammasome-dependent innate immunity.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 31375698.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-019-11169-x and PMC identifier 6677825.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) has a major function in host-microbial interactions. Although most studies have focused on the endogenous H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> produced by immune cells to kill microbes, bacteria can also produce H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>. How microbial H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> influences the dynamics of host-microbial interactions is unclear. Here we show that H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> released by Streptococcus pneumoniae inhibits inflammasomes, key components of the innate immune system, contributing to the pathogen colonization of the host. We also show that the oral commensal H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>-producing bacteria Streptococcus oralis can block inflammasome activation. This study uncovers an unexpected role of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> in immune suppression and demonstrates how, through this mechanism, bacteria might restrain the immune system to co-exist with the host.
Medical subject headings
- Coinfection
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Immune Tolerance
- Immunity, Innate
- Inflammasomes