Tong-Jun Lin
Dalhousie University, Canada
Title: PTP1B is a negative regulator in the host defense against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection
Biography
Biography: Tong-Jun Lin
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major opportunistic pathogen in immune-compromised individuals. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) contribute to innate immunity against P. aeruginosa through activation of transcription factors IRF7/IRF3 and NFκB. However, mechanisms involved in the regulation of P. aeruginosa-induced TLR pathway activation remain incompletely defined. Here, we demonstrate that protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B) is a critical negative regulator in P. aeruginosa infection. PTP1B-deficient mice display greatly enhanced bacterial clearance which is accompanied with increased neutrophil infiltration and cytokine production. Interestingly, PTP1B-deficiency mainly up-regulates the production of IFN-stimulated response elements (ISRE)-regulated cytokines and chemokines including CCL5 (RANTES), CXCL10 (IP-10) and IFN-β production. Further studies reveal that PTP1B-deficiency leads to increased IRF7 activation. Importantly, PTP1B is physically associated with IRF7 in dendritic cells. These findings demonstrate a novel regulatory mechanism of the immune response to P. aeruginosa infection through PTP1B-IRF7 interaction. This novel PTP1B-IRF7-ISRE pathway may have broader implications in TLR-mediated innate immunity.