Mycobacterium tuberculosis controls host innate immune activation through cyclopropane modification of a glycolipid effector molecule

Vivek Rao, Nagatoshi Fujiwara, Steven A. Porcelli, Michael S. Glickman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

202 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection remains a global health crisis. Recent genetic evidence implicates specific cell envelope lipids in Mtb pathogenesis, but it is unclear whether these cell envelope compounds affect pathogenesis through a structural role in the cell wall or as pathogenesis effectors that interact directly with host cells. Here we show that cyclopropane modification of the Mtb cell envelope glycolipid trehalose dimycolate (TDM) is critical for Mtb growth during the first week of infection in mice. In addition, TDM modification by the cyclopropane synthase pcaA was both necessary and sufficient for proinflammatory activation of macrophages during early infection. Purified TDM isolated from a cyclopropane-deficient pcaA mutant was hypoinflammatory for macrophages and induced less severe granulomatous inflammation in mice, demonstrating that the fine structure of this glycolipid was critical to its proinflammatory activity. These results established the fine structure of lipids contained in the Mtb cell envelope as direct effectors of pathogenesis and identified temporal control of host immune activation through cyclopropane modification of TDM as a critical pathogenic strategy of Mtb.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)535-543
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine
Volume201
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 21 2005

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Mycobacterium tuberculosis controls host innate immune activation through cyclopropane modification of a glycolipid effector molecule'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this