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Streptococcal Histone Induces Murine Macrophages To Produce Interleukin-1 and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha

ABSTRACT The histone-like protein (HlpA) is highly conserved among streptococci. After lysis of streptococci in infected tissues, HlpA can enter the bloodstream and bind to proteoglycans in the glomerular capillaries of kidneys, where it can react with antibodies or stimulate host cell receptors. Deposits of streptococcal antigens in tissues have been associated with localized acute inflammation. In this study, we measured the ability of purified HlpA (5 to 100 μg/ml), fromStreptococcus mitis, to induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines by cultured, murine peritoneal macrophages. The release of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) was time and concentration dependent and was not diminished by the presence of polymyxin B. Exposure of macrophages to a mixture of HlpA and lipoteichoic acid resulted in a synergistic response in the production of both TNF-α and IL-1. Stimulation with a mixture of HlpA and heparin resulted in reduced cytokine production (50% less IL-1 and 76% less TNF-α) compared to that by cells incubated with HlpA alone. The inclusion of antibodies specific to HlpA in macrophage cultures during stimulation with HlpA did not affect the quantity of TNF-α or IL-1 produced. These observations suggest that streptococcal histone may contribute to tissue injury at infection sites by promoting monocytes/macrophages to synthesize and release cytokines that initiate and exacerbate inflammation. Streptococcus pyogenes, which can infect tissues in enormous numbers, may release sufficient amounts of HlpA to reach the kidneys and cause acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.