Bactericidal antibiotic treatment induces damaging inflammation via TLR9 sensing of bacterial DNA

Abstract The immunologic consequences of using bactericidal versus bacteriostatic antibiotic treatments are unclear. We observed a bacteriostatic (growth halting) treatment was more protective than a bactericidal (bacteria killing) treatment in a murine peritonitis model. To understand this unexpect...

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Main Authors: Julia L. Gross, Rahul Basu, Clinton J. Bradfield, Jing Sun, Sinu P. John, Sanchita Das, John P. Dekker, David S. Weiss, Iain D. C. Fraser
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54497-3
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author Julia L. Gross
Rahul Basu
Clinton J. Bradfield
Jing Sun
Sinu P. John
Sanchita Das
John P. Dekker
David S. Weiss
Iain D. C. Fraser
author_facet Julia L. Gross
Rahul Basu
Clinton J. Bradfield
Jing Sun
Sinu P. John
Sanchita Das
John P. Dekker
David S. Weiss
Iain D. C. Fraser
author_sort Julia L. Gross
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The immunologic consequences of using bactericidal versus bacteriostatic antibiotic treatments are unclear. We observed a bacteriostatic (growth halting) treatment was more protective than a bactericidal (bacteria killing) treatment in a murine peritonitis model. To understand this unexpected difference, we compared macrophage responses to bactericidal treated bacteria or bacteriostatic treated bacteria. We found that Gram-negative bacteria treated with bactericidal drugs induced more proinflammatory cytokines than those treated with bacteriostatic agents. Bacterial DNA – released only by bactericidal treatments – exacerbated inflammatory signaling through TLR9. Without TLR9 signaling, the in vivo efficacy of bactericidal drug treatment was rescued. This demonstrates that antibiotics can act in important ways distinct from bacterial inhibition: like causing treatment failure by releasing DNA that induces excessive inflammation. These data establish a novel link between how an antibiotic affects bacterial physiology and subsequent immune system engagement, which may be relevant for optimizing treatments to simultaneously clear bacteria and modulate inflammation.
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publishDate 2024-11-01
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spelling doaj-art-5cf8fa006a8a40e3b86d8ef3c745661e2024-12-01T12:34:37ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-11-0115111610.1038/s41467-024-54497-3Bactericidal antibiotic treatment induces damaging inflammation via TLR9 sensing of bacterial DNAJulia L. Gross0Rahul Basu1Clinton J. Bradfield2Jing Sun3Sinu P. John4Sanchita Das5John P. Dekker6David S. Weiss7Iain D. C. Fraser8Emory University/NIAID Graduate Partnership ProgramSignaling Systems Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAIDSignaling Systems Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAIDSignaling Systems Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAIDSignaling Systems Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAIDDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, NIHDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, NIHDivision of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of MedicineSignaling Systems Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAIDAbstract The immunologic consequences of using bactericidal versus bacteriostatic antibiotic treatments are unclear. We observed a bacteriostatic (growth halting) treatment was more protective than a bactericidal (bacteria killing) treatment in a murine peritonitis model. To understand this unexpected difference, we compared macrophage responses to bactericidal treated bacteria or bacteriostatic treated bacteria. We found that Gram-negative bacteria treated with bactericidal drugs induced more proinflammatory cytokines than those treated with bacteriostatic agents. Bacterial DNA – released only by bactericidal treatments – exacerbated inflammatory signaling through TLR9. Without TLR9 signaling, the in vivo efficacy of bactericidal drug treatment was rescued. This demonstrates that antibiotics can act in important ways distinct from bacterial inhibition: like causing treatment failure by releasing DNA that induces excessive inflammation. These data establish a novel link between how an antibiotic affects bacterial physiology and subsequent immune system engagement, which may be relevant for optimizing treatments to simultaneously clear bacteria and modulate inflammation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54497-3
spellingShingle Julia L. Gross
Rahul Basu
Clinton J. Bradfield
Jing Sun
Sinu P. John
Sanchita Das
John P. Dekker
David S. Weiss
Iain D. C. Fraser
Bactericidal antibiotic treatment induces damaging inflammation via TLR9 sensing of bacterial DNA
Nature Communications
title Bactericidal antibiotic treatment induces damaging inflammation via TLR9 sensing of bacterial DNA
title_full Bactericidal antibiotic treatment induces damaging inflammation via TLR9 sensing of bacterial DNA
title_fullStr Bactericidal antibiotic treatment induces damaging inflammation via TLR9 sensing of bacterial DNA
title_full_unstemmed Bactericidal antibiotic treatment induces damaging inflammation via TLR9 sensing of bacterial DNA
title_short Bactericidal antibiotic treatment induces damaging inflammation via TLR9 sensing of bacterial DNA
title_sort bactericidal antibiotic treatment induces damaging inflammation via tlr9 sensing of bacterial dna
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54497-3
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