Human peptidoglycan recognition protein S is an effector of neutrophil-mediated innate immunity

Blood. 2005 Oct 1;106(7):2551-8. doi: 10.1182/blood-2005-02-0530. Epub 2005 Jun 14.

Abstract

Innate immune responses to bacteria require cooperative interactions between host recognition molecules and phagocytes. The peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are a large group of proteins found in insects and mammals that bind to bacterial peptidoglycan (PGN). PGRP-S is located with other antimicrobial proteins, such as lysozyme, in the granules of human neutrophils. Whereas both PGRP-S and lysozyme recognize PGN, the exact binding specificity of human PGRP-S, its functional activity, and its potential synergy with other neutrophil-derived bactericidal proteins such as lysozyme have not been determined. Here we show that human PGRP-S binds to and inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus (containing lysine-type PGN) and Escherichia coli (containing mesodiaminopimelic acid-type PGN). The binding affinity and thus antimicrobial activity of PGRP-S is determined by the third amino acid in the PGN stem peptide. Furthermore, the antimicrobial effect of PGRP-S against E coli is synergistic with lysozyme, and lysozyme and PGRP-S colocalize in neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), suggesting that these granule-derived proteins act together to kill bacteria trapped in the NETs. Taken together, these results indicate that human PGRP-S plays a role in innate immunity in the context of neutrophils by contributing to the killing of intracellular and extracellular bacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
  • Biotinylation
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Kinetics
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Muramidase / chemistry
  • Neutrophils / metabolism*
  • Neutrophils / microbiology*
  • Peptidoglycan / chemistry
  • Protein Binding
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Staphylococcus aureus / metabolism
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Peptidoglycan
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • peptidoglycan recognition protein
  • Muramidase