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Modulation of Gamma Interferon-Induced Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Gene Expression by Porphyromonas gingivalis Membrane Vesicles

ABSTRACT Gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-induced endothelial cells actively participate in initiating immune responses by interacting with CD4+ T cells via class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) surface glycoproteins. Previously, Porphyromonas gingivalis membrane vesicles were shown to selectively inhibit IFN-γ-induced surface expression of HLA-DR molecules by human umbilical cord vascular endothelial cells. In this study, we demonstrated an absence of HLA-DRα mRNA from IFN-γ-induced cells in the presence of P. gingivalis membrane vesicles by using reverse transcriptase-PCR and Southern blotting. Vesicles also prevented transcription of the gene encoding class II transactivator, a transactivator protein required for IFN-γ-induced expression of MHC class II genes. In addition, the effects of vesicles on IFN-γ signal transduction involving Jak and Stat proteins were characterized by using immunoprecipitation and Western blot analyses. Jak1 and Jak2 proteins could not be detected in endothelial cells treated with membrane vesicles. Consequently, IFN-γ-induced phosphorylation of Jak1, Jak2, and Stat1α proteins was prevented. The class II-inhibitory effect of the membrane vesicles could be eliminated by heating vesicles at 100°C for 30 min or by treating them with a cysteine proteinase inhibitor. This indicates that the cysteine proteinases were most likely responsible for the absence of Jak proteins observed in vesicle-treated cells. The observed increased binding of radiolabeled IFN-γ to vesicle-treated cells suggests that vesicles may also modulate the IFN-γ interactions with the cell surface. However, no evidence was obtained demonstrating that vesicles affected the expression of IFN-γ receptors. Thus, P. gingivalis membrane vesicles apparently inhibited IFN-γ-induced MHC class II by disrupting the IFN-γ signaling transduction pathway. Vesicle-inhibited class II expression also occurred in other IFN-γ-inducible cells. This suggested that the ability of P. gingivalis membrane vesicles to modulate antigen presentation by key cells may be an important mechanism used by this particular bacterium to escape immunosurveillance, thereby favoring its colonization and invasion of host tissues.