Mycoplasma fermentans MALP-2 induces heme oxygenase-1 expression via mitogen-activated protein kinases and Nrf2 pathways to modulate cyclooxygenase 2 expression in human monocytes

Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2013 Jun;20(6):827-34. doi: 10.1128/CVI.00716-12. Epub 2013 Mar 27.

Abstract

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress-inducible rate-limiting enzyme in heme degradation that confers cytoprotection against oxidative injury and performs a vital function in the maintenance of cell hemostasis. Increasing numbers of reports have indicated that mycoplasma-derived membrane lipoproteins/lipopeptides, such as macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 (MALP-2), function as agents that stimulate the immune system by producing various inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), which play roles in the pathogenesis of inflammatory responses during mycoplasma infection. Here, we report that MALP-2 induced HO-1 mRNA and protein expression and upregulated HO-1 enzyme activity in THP-1 cells. Specific inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), SB203580, PD98059, and SP600125, significantly abolished HO-1 expression. In addition, MALP-2 also induced NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) translocation, and the silencing of Nrf2 expression in THP-1 cells decreased the levels of MALP-2-mediated HO-1 expression. Furthermore, COX-2 protein expression levels were upregulated in THP-1 cells in response to MALP-2, and transfection with small interfering RNAs of HO-1 significantly increased COX-2 accumulation. These results demonstrate that MALP-2 induces HO-1 expression via MAPKs and Nrf2 pathways and, furthermore, that MALP-2-induced COX-2 expression was modulated by HO-1 in THP-1 cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / immunology
  • Cell Line
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / biosynthesis*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / biosynthesis*
  • Humans
  • Lipopeptides / immunology*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Monocytes / immunology*
  • Mycoplasma fermentans / immunology*
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Lipopeptides
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2
  • NFE2L2 protein, human
  • macrophage stimulatory lipopeptide 2
  • Heme Oxygenase-1
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases