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- Trivendra Tripathi et al.
- 06 September,2015
Identification of Acanthamoeba membrane protein that is recognized by TLR4 on corneal epithelial cells
Receptors & Clinical Investigation 2015; 2: e917. doi: 10.14800/rci.917; © 201
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We have shown that Acanthamoeba spp. activate TLR4 on corneal epithelial cells and induce secretion of
chemokines. However, the components of Acanthamoeba trophozoites that induce chemokines production
remain unknown. We sought to identify the trophozoite molecules that interact with TLR4 on human corneal
epithelial (HCE) cells and trigger IL-8 production. Acanthamoeba membrane protein (AcMP) was isolated by
homogenization of trophozoites. The supernatants were collected, solubilized, and membrane fractions were
separated by centrifugation using Mem-PERTM plus kit. To examine functional activity of AcMP, HCE and
TLR4-expressing HEK293 cells were incubated with or without A. castellanii (1×105 cells/ml) and AcMP (10, 25,
and 50 µg/ml) for 24 hours. AcMP was chromatographed by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) and
fractions were pooled into four peaks (AcMP-P1 - AcMP-P4). TLR4-ligand in AcMP-P1 - AcMP-P4 was
determined by Western blotting. HEK293 and HCE cells were incubated with or without A. castellanii,
lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 µg/ml), and AcMP-P1 - AcMP-P4 (20 µg/ml) for 24 hours. qRT-PCR and ELISA
were used to examine the ability of AcMP-P1 - AcMP-P4 to stimulate IL-8 production in HEK293 and HCE
cells. Inhibition of TLR4 involved preincubating HEK293 and HCE cells for 1 hour with neutralizing
TLR4-antibody (10 µg/ml) or with the control antibody (10 µg/ml, goat serum) followed by incubation with or
without A. castellanii, LPS, and AcMP-P2 for 24 hours. AcMP induced significant IL-8 production at doses of 10,
25, and 50 µg/ml in HEK293 cells while IL-8 mRNA expression and IL-8 secretion were significantly increased
in HCE cells at the dose of 50 µg/ml. Treatments of HEK293 with FPLC chromatographed trophozoites’
proteins, AcMP-P1 - AcMP-P4; only AcMP-P2 upregulated significant IL-8 production and mRNA expression.
Western blotting of AcMP-P1 - AcMP-P4 showed TLR4-antigen in AcMP-P2 and was recognized an
approximate 15-kDa protein band. Anti-TLR4 antibody attenuated IL-8 secretion that is stimulated by
AcMP-P2 from HEK293 and HCE cells. These results suggest that A. castellanii trophozoites recognize TLR4 on
HCE and HEK293 cells by an approximate 15-kDa molecular mass protein of AcMP and induce IL-8 secretion.
